The story takes place in alternative America where the blacks are members of social elite, and whites are inhabitants of inner city ghettos. Louis Pinnock is a white worker in a chocolate factory, loving husband and father of two children. While delivering a package for black CEO Thaddeus Thomas, he is mistaken for a voyeur and, as a result, loses his job, gets beaten by black cops and his family gets evicted from their home. Desperate Pinnock takes a gun and kidnaps Thomas, demanding justice.
Acting
Travolta commits hard to dignity in degradation.
Direction
Nakano's premise braver than his execution.
Production
Ghetto-as-privilege worldbuilding has nasty authenticity.
Director
Desmond Nakano
John Travolta
Louis Pinnock
Harry Belafonte
Thaddeus Thomas
Kelly Lynch
Marsha Pinnock
Margaret Avery
Megan Thomas
Tom Bower
Stanley
Andrew Lawrence
Donnie Pinnock
Bumper Robinson
Martin
Tom Wright
Lionel
Sheryl Lee Ralph
Roberta
Judith Drake
Dorothy
Carrie Snodgress
Josine
Steve Wilcox
1st Youth at Hot Dog Stand
Jason Kristofer
2nd Youth at Hot Dog Stand
Seth Green
3rd Youth at Hot Dog Stand
Alexis Arquette
Panhandler
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released months before O.J. Simpson's acquittal, the film's racial anxiety feels almost prophetically uncomfortable.
Belafonte, a lifelong activist, reportedly took the role specifically to interrogate Black elite complicity—making his character's arc of reluctant awakening deeply personal.
US
