Reel Critics: Not much shading in ‘Black or White’

Actor and producer Kevin Costner put up millions of his own money to finance his latest film, “Black or White.” He also shares starring roles with fellow Oscar winner Octavia Spencer (“The Help”). Both are excellent as the opposing grandparents of a beautiful mixed-race granddaughter, Eloise.

Circumstances compel them into a custody battle over the child. Costner’s character has custody of Eloise after her white mother dies in childbirth. The girl’s black father is a crack cocaine addict unqualified to raise her himself. His mother, played by Spencer, decides she wants to take custody of her granddaughter and is willing to go to court. She enlists the services of her brother, a prominent attorney played with high style by Anthony Mackie.

In counterpoint to the drug-addicted father, Costner’s character is a heavy drinker with his own substance-abuse problem. The complicated situation gets peppered with familiar racial overtones and common stereotypes. But predictable situations intertwine with enough unexpected touches to provide food for thought.

Some real issues are raised, but they play out like a Hollywood effort striving for political correctness. The story offers little insight into the racial problems of its title. In the end, family values trump reality.

—John Depko

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A most unfortunate snub

The Academy made a serious blunder in not recognizing “A Most Violent Year” as a Best Picture nominee or recognizing its stars. This is a great, multilayered crime drama in the tradition of “The Godfather.”

It’s 1981 New York City, and decay and corruption are rampant. Abel Morales and wife Anna have just sunk every penny into a deal for a riverfront facility that will mean an increase in sales and a bigger threat to his competitors in the heating oil business.

His trucks are being hijacked regularly and employees beaten. The teamsters want their drivers armed; Abel is against drawing more attention from the district attorney, who’s running an industrywide investigation.

As played by Oscar Isaac, Abel is a smooth Michael Corleone type trying to run a legitimate operation. The scene when he assembles “the heads of the five families,” simply telling them to stop, is riveting.

Jessica Chastain’s Anna is a tiger lady, claws and all, who is willing to cut corners to succeed. It’s a real shame their simmering work went unrecognized.

While we’re on the subject of acting, the Best Actor nominees are good but don’t necessarily represent the best performances of the year.

In addition to Isaac, David Oyelowo was seriously overlooked for his Dr. Martin Luther King in “Selma.” Steve Carell was exceptional in “Foxcatcher” for his look — notably the prosthetic nose — and superb acting in a non-comedic role. Bradley Cooper was intense as the “American Sniper,” but I think he was better in the 2012 “Silver Linings Playbook.”

Benedict Cumberbatch and Eddie Redmayne are exceptional as the real-life Alan Turing and Stephen Hawking, respectively. In any other year, it would be a tight race between these two Brits.

But this is the year of Michael Keaton for “Birdman.” It’s a bravura performance in a superb film. I hope he gets to soar come Oscar night.

—Susanne Perez

JOHN DEPKO is a retired senior investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office. He lives in Costa Mesa and works as a licensed private investigator. SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a company in Irvine.