The Best of Enemies
Seen it?2019 | 133 min | Drama, History
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Audiences rate it highly (7.4 out of 10), though it had middling reviews (53% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for history buffs. If you loved Devotion or Belfast, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 13 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG-13. Probably too much for younger kids.
- Critics were cooler on it than audiences.
Centers on the unlikely relationship between Ann Atwater, an outspoken civil rights activist, and C.P. Ellis, a local Ku Klux Klan leader who reluctantly co-chaired a community summit, battling over the desegregation of schools in Durham, North Carolina during the racially-charged summer of 1971. The incredible events that unfolded would change Durham and the lives of Atwater and Ellis forever.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsBelow par
53% on Rotten Tomatoes, 49 on Metacritic
- AudiencesStrong
7.4 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 239K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Robin Bissell
- Taraji P. HensonAnn Atwater
- Sam RockwellClaiborne Paul Ellis
- Babou CeesayBill Riddick
- Anne HecheMary Ellis
- Wes BentleyFloyd Kelly
- Nick SearcyGarland Keith
- Bruce McGillCarvie Oldham
- John Gallagher Jr.Lee Trombley
- Nicholas LoganWiley Yates
- Gilbert Glenn BrownHoward Clement