This Netflix Movie Is Primarily based On A Actual-Life Story — However Doesn’t Do It Justice

We had excessive hopes for “The Six Triple Eight.” Increased hopes than we sometimes have for Tyler Perry productions. With a powerful trailer, forged and a narrative backed by the unsung heroes of the 6888th Battalion, we thought it could be completely different than the filmmaker’s different work, particularly since his writing needed to keep throughout the confines of historic info.

That partially occurred, as some really shifting moments spotlight the resilience and bravado of the one all-Black battalion of the Ladies’s Military Corps who served abroad throughout World Conflict II, led by Main Charity Adams (Kerry Washington). “The Six Triple Eight” tells the story of how these girls created a course of to ship 1000’s of items of backed-up mail and parcels to troopers and their households throughout the conflict. The movie is at its greatest when leaning into their story, sisterhood and the way they overcame when confronted with racism, sexism and adversity.

The place it falls brief, nonetheless, is throughout the identical tropes that always plague Perry’s work. Flat and stereotypical depictions of Black girls distract from the story. The movie spends an excessive amount of time seesawing between the love tales Lena Derriecott (Ebony Obsidian) has together with her late white lover who was killed at conflict and a Black soldier she meets whereas serving. Fleshing out the plot and characters with extra depth and nuance would’ve been a extra productive use of time.

Nonetheless, it will be significant that the 6888th Battalion’s story is being instructed. We simply hope that it isn’t restricted to this one movie.

We break down our ideas and reactions to “The Six Triple Eight” right here.

I’ll by no means not admire writer-director Tyler Perry for having the ability to get a number of the most gifted Black actors in Hollywood in his motion pictures — regardless of lots of the motion pictures being fairly dangerous. Oprah Winfrey. Kerry Washington. Sam Waterston. Susan Sarandon. Dean Norris. The issue is never ever the forged. On this case, that features the lesser recognized outstanding forged members like Ebony Obsidian, Shanice Shantay and Pepi Sonuga. The problem, as all the time, is the histrionic performances they’re doubtless directed to ship. On one finish, you’ve gotten Obsidian as Lena melodramatically throwing her physique over her particular pal’s (I hesitate to name him her boyfriend, since she particularly says he isn’t) grave. On the opposite, you’ve gotten each dangerous white particular person within the film being so cartoonishly terrible that it’s virtually humorous at instances. And it shouldn’t be! These girls handled loads of racism and different types of dehumanization. Nothing about that’s humorous. Much more well-known characters like Winfrey’s Mary McLeod Bethune and Sarandon’s Eleanor Roosevelt come throughout as merely human-adjacent; one-dimensional and immediately forgettable. Within the midst of all that, Washington’s mouth quiver is doing all her appearing for her as Main Charity Adams.

It’s such a disgrace as a result of the forged is so gifted and clearly the story is a crucial one to inform. However it’s actually within the flawed arms. I ponder how a gifted Black filmmaker would have dealt with this. — Candice

My gripe with each Tyler Perry undertaking is that the forged’s performances oftentimes really feel stiff or hole, as in the event that they’re being directed to behave a specific approach to ship a imaginative and prescient that solely is sensible to Perry. That stated, it’s a miracle that Kerry Washington was capable of conjure a efficiency that, in my view, saved the premise of the film. Solely her scenes as Main Charity Adams appeared to drive residence what the “Six Triple Eight” ought to’ve been all about — the feat of sorting by a backlog of correspondence between American troopers and their family members whereas a racist army awaits their failure. Her efficiency was extra arresting than no matter Oprah Winfrey and Susan Sarandon’s cameos had been meant to evoke. However there weren’t too many standouts, even with Ebony Obsidian positioned as one of many essential leads.

High quality not matching the caliber of expertise is a matter that’s popped up recurrently in Perry’s final decade of movies, however it could’ve been good for him to show that flawed with “Six Triple Eight.” — Njera

I’ve been watching Tyler Perry’s “Sistas” because it premiered in 2019. It’s a cleaning soap opera of a TV sequence, that retains you hooked with these storylines which have micro-updates — and loopy cliffhangers — each week. Ebony Obsidian stars on that sequence, and stars as Lena in “Six Triple Eight.” Her character on “Sistas” is so aggravating that it was fairly refreshing to see her on this function. However in any other case, ditto on every thing Candice and Njera have stated concerning the casting right here. — Erin

For me, I simply surprise what would occur if Perry gave the forged and crew ample time to do their jobs as a substitute of speeding to shoot every thing with such a decent window. And if he gave one other Black author a chance as a substitute of writing a script like this in TWO WEEKS! — Taryn

That is a part of the plot I didn’t fairly perceive as a result of, for a movie decided to deliver a little-known true story to the massive display screen, it spent loads of time flushing out the origins and aftermath of this interracial romance between Lena and Abram — which might’ve been dialed again to correctly honor the work of the 6888th Battalion. Abram’s “ghost,” if we are able to name it that, had odd cameos that took away from the purpose of the film for me. I didn’t anticipate his presence, or lack thereof, to have such a profound affect on Lena both, particularly throughout her project abroad. At instances, it felt just like the film was making an attempt to govern emotional moments out of Lena’s grief to justify all of the mentions of Abram’s tragic dying all through, and I used to be over it by the point she lastly discovered his grave.

Once more, this relationship didn’t must grow to be a central a part of the 6888’s story, however I assume I can’t anticipate Tyler Perry to decide to a full-on conflict drama with out giving in to his melodramatic tendencies. — Njera

I believe I saved screaming at my TV display screen a model of “How is she so sprung on a man she kissed that one time and who she wasn’t really in a relationship with — despite him sorta proposing to her??” I might consider that possibly the 2 had been in a relationship and that when tragedy struck, she was devastated. However the film solely actually places them in possibly one scene collectively (two, at most) and simply asks the viewers to only roll with this nice love story. Is it love? And is it even a narrative, for that matter? For a film to rely so closely on their dynamic, with out really constructing their dynamic, is… a selection. A nasty one.

I additionally simply discover it… fascinating {that a} film that’s imagined to middle the Black and brown girls of this battalion was usurped by the love story of a lifeless white man. — Candice

Ditto, Candice. Says lots concerning the movie’s intentions. — Njera

I spotted early on we had been getting off on the flawed foot with this love story. I completely agree with you, Candice. Until that was part of the actual Lena’s story, it was pointless to introduce us to Abram. And if it was part of the actual story, Perry did a poor job correlating Abram’s dying to why Lena wished to go to the army. — Taryn

I virtually want the movie by no means entertained a romance between Lena and Personal Hugh Bell as a result of so a lot of their encounters had been dampened by Lena crying over the lack of Abram, which, certain, realistically is sensible. However it’s exhausting to cling to the potential of this budding affair by fleeting conversations that in some way result in them finally being wed. I didn’t actually purchase it. I want they spent as a lot time growing an actual connection between Hugh and Lena as they did constructing the latter’s arc round a lifeless white man she was barely dedicated to. — Njera

When he tells Lena that he broke off his engagement to the opposite lady, I actually shook my head in confusion. He had had like two conversations with Lena at that time, and she or he was barely paying him any consideration. It felt like such an afterthought of a storyline that was wedged into the movie, solely as a result of in actual life Lena ended up marrying Hugh. I’ll say that I wrote down, “civil rights era fine” in my notes about Jay Reeves, the actor who portrays Hugh. They nailed his complete look down for that period. — Erin

As quickly as Hugh helped Lena down from that truck, I knew Tyler Perry was Tyler Perry-ing. If the lady is mourning her lifeless boyfriend — who’s clearly haunting her, lowkey — why do you’ve gotten a love story already brewing for her? I actually want Perry would’ve picked between the love tales as a result of it appeared like an excessive amount of of a process to do each. Balancing one with telling such an vital story is sufficient if you happen to should deliver romance into it.

And him leaving his spouse after simply three conversations with Lena actually pissed me off. However on the identical time, I wouldn’t put it previous males of that period. — Taryn

LOL, Taryn, males did usually depart their beloveds on a hope and a prayer with one other lady who most undoubtedly was not checking for them again then (and possibly nonetheless as we speak — I don’t know). I really needed to lookup who Hugh was, as a result of he certain was an afterthought on this film and definitely to Lena. When she instructed Main Adams that Hugh would ensure she obtained residence after she completed visiting her lifeless crush, I used to be like… OK, you actually don’t like Hugh like that in any respect. And he clearly is smitten as a result of why else would he accompany his crush to a different man’s grave so she might weep throughout it? How extremely unhappy… for Hugh.

Additionally: I agree with all of y’all about Perry not realizing the way to construct both of those “love” tales. Neither of them makes a lick of sense. I might think about there’s a lot that occurred inside this battalion, and but we don’t be taught a lot about it by this film. Most of what we be taught, really, is within the few sentences of postscript. And all to inform not one however two terribly constructed love tales that finally don’t have anything to do with something right here? Mess. — Candice

I used to be shocked by how emotionally I reacted to a few moments on this movie. I boo-hoo cried when the battalion walked off that ship that carried them over to Europe for his or her mission. They endured a tough journey in a single day by a storm and walked off the ship like they’d gotten a full evening’s relaxation and had been able to tackle the day. They lined themselves as much as march by Glasgow because the Basic Halt ordered. They had been sharp and in sync. I simply saved considering of all of the moments Black girls have defied the chances and proven up regardless of their circumstances. It was actually shifting. The opposite second was once they all clapped for Main Adams after she stood as much as the overall. I assumed each of these moments had been effectively put collectively. — Erin

The costumes are good. — Candice

I favored that the movie tried to determine some type of sisterhood between Lena and the women she rode to coaching camp with. It felt like a extra intimate window into who the Black and Brown girls of the 6888th Battalion had been (excluding the caricature of Shanice Shantay’s Johnnie Mae, although I loved the actor in “The Wiz Live!”). Their bond was extra fascinating to me than the “romances” Lena was caught on.

And for what it’s price, I did respect that the movie didn’t gloss over the intricacies of the system the battalion established so we might really perceive how they — above everybody else who tried and failed — managed to type and ship 1000’s of items of mail to troopers and their households approach earlier than their six-month deadline. — Njera

I agree, Njera. I actually want the muse of this story would’ve been sisterhood as a substitute of those love tales which might be barely fleshed out. The very best components of the movie happen when it’s simply the ladies bantering, supporting one another, and making a approach out of no approach.

I additionally appreciated the historic footage and brief characteristic of the actual Lena on the very finish, although I do want we might’ve had extra context round if these had been her phrases she was studying or phrases Perry requested her to learn. The story of the 6888 is vital and this movie is at its greatest when it focuses on that. — Taryn

I loved the actor who performs Johnnie Mae, however I loathed the way in which she was written. Because the darkish pores and skin, plus-size lady within the group, Perry wrote her imply, uneducated and barely jealous. Other than the racist white males we encounter within the movie, she appears to be the “villain” of the group who finally finds redemption after realizing Lena’s story. Although colorism did grant these with lighter pores and skin extra entry to schooling again then, there’s nonetheless one thing not sitting proper with how Perry wrote her story. And that’s most likely as a result of Perry has traditionally utilized stereotypical tropes to his feminine characters. It’s a disgrace that even this story, one about shining a lightweight on a battalion of Black girls so few find out about, wasn’t immune.

I’m going to the touch your hand after I say this, Tyler. We are able to make nuanced, flawed characters with out leaning on stereotypes. I promise. — Taryn

Completely agree, Taryn. I additionally thought it was fascinating that Johnnie Mae stated she was solely there for the boys and didn’t actually care about a lot else. PLEASE, write higher characters. It’s like they’re all written by somebody with no creativeness and can’t probably perceive feminine complexity. — Candice

You each hit the nail on the top. Johnnie Mae deserved higher, and so did the opposite girls of the battalion we solely get to know on a floor degree. Like Pepi Sonuga’s Elaine White, who we solely be taught is a bible-thumping Christian of the group condemning everybody else’s worldly conduct. Extra nuance might’ve given these girls precise identities within the film — I consider how one other historic movie like “Hidden Figures” did a greater job of this.

I additionally left the theater questioning if “Six Triple Eight” was an correct depiction of how far eliminated the ladies’s battalion was from the precise occasions of World Conflict II. Hugh’s dialog with Lena, the place he shares what he noticed on the frontlines, jogged my memory that the film spent extra time speaking about what was taking place with the troopers throughout the conflict than really displaying it, apart from the opening scene.

My largest challenge, although, was the truth that Perry spared us no subtleties in portraying the brutal misogynoir the ladies confronted at each flip of the film. In actual fact, he appeared extra involved with displaying these degrading and minimizing moments than the exceptionalism the movie boasts, leaving little screentime to flush out a correct build-up to Adams’ emotional blow-up at Basic Halt’s harsh tirade, which rapidly transitioned to the scene the place the troopers instantly see the results of the 6888th Battalion’s work. The pacing made it exhausting for me to be utterly happy with the film’s finish, which tries to wrap up any free ends with postscript and photographs of the actual Lena earlier than the credit roll. I felt like I discovered extra on the finish of the film than I did throughout it, and that’s very telling of what the movie really achieved exterior of training us about untold American historical past. — Njera

I agree concerning the pacing of the movie — particularly towards the top. I might have cherished to see a extra fleshed-out storyline about their precise mission in Europe. The sorting of the mail appeared to come back collectively tremendous rapidly, however in a convoluted approach that didn’t absolutely make sense to me by the point the credit began rolling. — Erin

This might have possibly benefited from him bringing the idea of the movie to a gifted Black feminine director and producing it. I’m… simply not assured that he’s able to doing anything right here. — Candice

“Six Triple Eight” was a good try, however no extra conflict motion pictures from Perry. — Njera

The trailer had me satisfied that possibly Perry had stepped up his sport with this movie and his filmmaking. And certain, it’s a step up from earlier movies. However too many parts of this film left me scratching my head. — Erin

I couldn’t discover a feature-length documentary on the 6888 Battalion, although I believe it might undoubtedly make one, in the suitable arms. However I did discover an informative, 14-minute video titled “Black Women & WWII: The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion” on YouTube. I’d possibly counsel viewers watch that as a substitute. — Candice

Once more, I’m simply glad extra of us will know these girls’s tales total. I do, nonetheless, hope that this movie’s existence doesn’t cease one other creator from digging deeper into the 6888 Battalion. — Taryn

Agreed, Taryn. General, I hope this film really encourages future filmmakers to mine by American historical past and convey extra untold Black tales to mainstream consciousness. Possibly then they’ll get correct justice. — Njera