Spy Movie Reviews 1 — White Boy Rick, September 17, 2018
By Hope K
For my first article in the series Spy Movie Reviews, my town theater gave me two choices. One was about CIA shenanigans and the other was about a 14-year-old boy recruited by the FBI to sell crack and to be an informant. I chose the second one because it addresses an issue I believe is important and doesn’t get enough attention.
White Boy Rick is based on a true story about Rick Wershe (portrayed by newcomer Richie Merritt). The film begins in 1984 Detroit to the sound of a Johnny Cash song and the sight of scrunchies and rifles. Rick is trying to broker a deal for an AK-47 with a veteran at a gun show. Rick’s father (Matthew McConaughey) appears in the scene and threatens to call the police because Rick is only 14. In this way, Rick’s father is able to get the rifle at a much cheaper price and resell it for profit. The family plan is to earn enough money to start a video rental business, but they seem to only barely get by.
Rick’s dad comes to the attention of the FBI when a murder is traced back to a gun he sold. When the father refuses to become an informant, the FBI targets Rick, who of course wants to keep his dad out of prison. They teach him how to sell crack and how to be a spy. A side benefit is that he earns thousands of dollars.
White Boy Rick has that gritty noir look you expect from a gangster film. The classic cars shining in the city lights capture the Motor City of the 80s. The actors do a fantastic job — Jennifer Jason Leigh’s role is reminiscent of her character in Rush, only this time the law enforcement officer is older and colder of heart. Merritt carries the movie with understated grace.
However, the script lacks suspense and passion. It feels a little stale, which it shouldn’t, considering the shocking subject matter. I think a better soundtrack could have given the movie a deeper nostalgic mood. The songs seem more classic than the kind that you associate specifically with the 80s. Also, the end feels hurried and relies too much on the written summary.
White Boy Rick touches on the fact that the US government was responsible for the crack epidemic in the 80s, but like just about all other cocaine gangster movies, it doesn’t confront the problem of the government bringing the drugs into the country in the first place (notable exceptions are American Made and Kill the Messenger). Overall, it leaves you with the impression that some things were left out.
On the other hand, it does address an important issue that is rarely mentioned in polite US society: espionage and children.
Rick is two years shy of being able to drive and seven years away from being able to purchase alcohol when the feds use his innocent look for their nefarious activities. “Despicable” is the word that comes to mind. And you have to wonder, how often has this happened? Surely Rick Wershe is not the only one.
We know that the military recruits children in our schools. How many of them are scouted out by intelligence agencies? College campuses are notorious hunting grounds for spy recruiters, but most college kids aren’t even old enough to buy a drink at a bar.
That’s not even mentioning the spying that’s done on children. Just put “spying on children” into your browser and see what pops up — advice articles and devices for parents to spy on their own children! Ugh. This country needs a morality boost.
Is the NSA spying on children? The answer is yes. Is the NSA using children? The answer is yes. To what extent I do not know. But there is a document in the Snowden files (credit for finding it and analyzing it goes to Suzie Dawson and Elizabeth Vos at decipheryou.com) in which the NSA in 2004 casually discusses partnering with a nonprofit to sponsor an essay competition for schoolchildren. Their ideas were to be used for “strategic planning.”
It’s just sickening to me that spying on children and/or using them for spy work is tolerated at all. It shows the lack of respect we have for children as a society. In the movie, Rick is abused by not only his father, but people working in an intelligence agency. This should be unacceptable to us.
The greatest thing about White Boy Rick is that it’s attempting to bring this problem to the forefront of people’s minds. It’s not the best movie, but I’m giving it four out of five creeper peepers for tackling such a neglected yet important subject.
