An Underrated Kevin Costner Movie Is About To Leave Netflix
Kevin Costner might be popular due to his time on Yellowstone, but one of his most underrated films is set to leave Netflix very soon.
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Kevin Costner is a man that can essentially do anything. That anything is making everyone feel tons of emotions when watching the films and shows that he has been a part of. Currently, he is thrust into superstardom by portraying John Dutton in the massively successful show, Yellowstone. However, apart from his current success, Costner has plenty of movies that are worth checking out. One such movie is called Black or White, which was released in 2014. The film is set to leave Netflix on March 1st, so watch it while you still can. You can see the trailer for the film below:
Black or White follows the life of Elliot Anderson (Kevin Costner), as he traverses the life of taking care of his granddaughter, Eloise. Eloise’s mother died in childbirth, leaving Elliot and his wife (her grandmother) to take care of the young girl. However, Elliot’s life goes through a heartbreaking change as his wife also passes on, leaving Elliot to take over as the sole guardian of his granddaughter. Elliot’s life is upended, turning him into a full-fledged alcoholic, which leads to a custody battle. Elliot enters into a brutal custody battle between Eloise’s father’s side of the family which includes Rowena Jeffers (Octavia Spencer), who is Eloise’s other grandmother. Both sides attempt to figure out what is best for Eloise. Octavia Spencer plays a fantastic antagonist to Costner in this film.
Black or White is directed by Mike Binder, who famously wrote and directed The Upside of Anger, which also starred Kevin Costner, and Reign Over Me. All three of these films see the main characters involved in some sort of deep heartbreaking loss or dependency. Black or White sees the rise and fall of Elliot Anderson as he must fight his pain and anger to alleviate his alcoholism and grief of losing his wife. His granddaughter is the only thing left to keep him from a path of pure self-destruction. The heart of the film is directly related to how Eloise tries to bring the best out of both parties involved in this grueling debate of custody.
Kevin Costner has a plethora of films in his long-standing career, and Black or White is one of the lowest scorings in terms of critic rating. The film currently has a 38% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the audience score is much higher with a 65%. It is one of the most underrated films in his lineup, and the audience score proves that fact. Black or White had a reported $9 million budget and amassed nearly $22 million in the total box office numbers. Though it was a bit of a box office flop, it’s still a heartwarming film, along with the others in Binder’s lineup. Black or White also garnered an A- audience rating on CinemaScore.
Black or White tests the limit of racial themes, as Eloise is mixed racially and the questions about which of her family she should be with is the subject of the majority of the plot, considering that Elliot is white. Rowena often asks Elliot why he doesn’t allow Eloise to be with her black family, but Eloise’s father is a drug addict who caused all kinds of issues, so the matter isn’t so black or white. See what they did there? The title of the film clearly works as a metaphor for many reasons. Kevin Costner plays a more grizzled and harsh voice-speaking individual that plays well into the stakes of the film, especially since he is a well-off lawyer with a massive alcohol problem.
Black or White might not seem like the type of film that people were rushing to see, but it is certainly very charming in its aim to show that family is the most important thing in the world. The audience reception for this film is what matters, and everyone should give this film a shot. It is Kevin Costner after all. That man can play just about anyone. He’s just that good. The film will be leaving Netflix on March 1st, so that leaves less than a week to see if it is truly as good as the audience review has been. This may be one of Costner’s more underground ventures, but it is certainly still a good watch.
