Where's Daddy?
Film
Review by Kam Williams
Searing
Expose' Indicts Child Support System as Racist and Rigged against
Black Men
Today,
there's a cultural consensus that the criminal justice system
aggressively targets and imprisons African-Americans. Might the
family courts be just as racist and rigged against black men? That is
the question explored in thought-provoking fashion by Where's Daddy,
a sobering indictment of the child support system directed by Rel
Dowdell (Changing the Game).
Rel
does double duty here, moderating dozens man in the street
interviews, a la Michael Moore, conducted with brothers and sisters
embroiled in custody battles. His novel, in your face style isn't
always comfortable, but it yields riveting raw footage ranging from
bitterness about being locked up to tearful testimony about
baby-mamas spending support payments on Mercedes and their hair
instead of on their kids.
We
learn that celebrities are not at all immune from child support woes.
To wit, we hear from former Philadelphia Eagle receiver Arkansas Fred
Barnett, journalist/author Mister Mann Frisby, comedian J'Vonne
Peterson and rap artist Freeway. Again and again, someone recounts a
nightmarish encounter where he felt treated as if guilty 'til proven
innocent.
However,
this informative documentary definitely takes an even-handed
approach, with just as many criticisms being leveled at deadbeat dads
as at money-grubbing moms. Regardless, the upshot is that many black
males find themselves dragged before judges quick to jail any
delinquent in arrears for child support.
Besides
airing the diametrically-opposed opinions of plaintiffs and
defendants, director Dowdell allows an array of experts to weigh in
on the subject. Their insights are often more enlightening, if a
little less passionate, as they are able to reflect without axes to
grind. Among the luminaries making appearances are Yesha Ministries'
Bishop James D. Robinson, clinical psychologist Dr. Kathleen Walls,
Ph.D., and attorneys Jermaine Harris, Brian Gordon and Shanese
Johnson.
Perhaps
most poignant are the words of professor Joel Austin and physician
Ralph Smith. The former describes what it was like to be handcuffed
and shackled in front of his kids by sheriffs who arrived at 5 in
the morning to arrest him. Meanwhile,
the latter is inconsolable about being estranged from his son solely
because of his ex-wife's vindictiveness.
A
must-see expose' suggesting justice ain't blind, but rather inclined
to dispense a color-coded brand of justice when it comes to child
support.
Excellent
(4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 105
minutes
Production Studio:
Artists First / Dowdell Film Company
Distributor: Breaking
Glass Pictures
To
see a trailer for Where's Daddy? visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3jkA32EErk
No comments:
Post a Comment