Sinners (2025) beneath the surface [in defense of segregation]
practicing free will aka dusting off my ole film degree to help you understand the not-so-subtle thesis embedded in Ryan Cooglers’ Sinners.
[there will indeed be spoilers ahead, venture carefully]
As I left the movie theatre on my usual “I’m going to center my whole personality around this” high, I had a damning thought: how much was every other viewer tuned in to the film progressive argument against desegregation? “Like is the messaging as transparent to people as it is to me? Do they get it? Even those impatient people who are leaving the theatre before the final scene?”😐
But I’ve reconciled with the fact that most casual viewers aren’t in the habit of deconstructing entire plots, let alone one centered around sharecroppers birthing blues, turning away from christianity, and loving on one another uninhibitedly. Thus, why I’m doing the dirty work for yall, for the low low price of $0.
here’s what you might have missed
Not only was Coogler’s debut blockbuster visually stunning and acoustically brand-new, but the story gives voice to the most necessary and timely message surrounding the modern black experience. Not just the repetitive “you matter” propaganda hollywood weaponizes to pander to nonblack audiences, but something that actually addresses the toxic consequence of desegregation.
to avoid running the risk of being long-winded, here are a few big examples of the film's pro-segregation thesis that is especially prevalent in modern times:
[beware of spoilers]
the twins returning home from Chicago and referring to the west as another system of racism, just dressed more undercover than the south.
“Just another plantation with tall buildings.”
Remmick (king of the vamps) exercising the white audacity to pull up to a blacks-only safe space instead of somewhere with other whites. But it’s clear the whites don’t truly accept him either with him being an Irishmen in the 30s, so he makes a plan to steal black people's ability to get into white spaces through song and dance.
“I want your music, and I want your stories.”
Stack belittling Smoke’s attempt to remain segregated by revealing that the Klan planned to double-cross the twins, killing them (and their dreams) regardless of how successful their new juke joint was— hinting at a similar never-ending pattern for all American black folks who dare to dream.
The entire relationship between Stack and Mary. It quite literally led to everyone’s demise since she was a tether that helped the whites invade their space AKA imploring us to be mindful of the “this is one of the good ones” mindset.
Multiple conversations surrounding the way black people view their identity through a spiritual/religious lens, raising bold claims on christianity's role in keeping us in our place– a deeper message about the African spirituality that was stripped away from us.
Hoodoo, poetically, being the savior for the characters who remained alive the longest.
The final bullet being put in the grandmaster of the Klan <3
Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures and Copyright is © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved Stack obeying his brother's wish and leaving Sammie to live out his life as a sinning musician and ex-baptist.
Sammie commenting that even after all his days of touring and being a star, that night at the junk joint was the best night of his life– in a coloreds-only juke joint surrounded by his people (past and present).
All that said, the film’s ultimate thesis is simple: Never forget what you are to them: a tool to use, pillage, and discard.
“How can a horror/suspense be that deep?”
ever heard of Jordan Peele? It’s kinda like that without holding punches, speaking on who we allow in our spaces then AND now. Many may not see how a “period piece” set in the ‘30s is something relevant to our choices today, but they would be ignoring the blatant way this movie plays with the idea of time/repeating cycles.
Seems obvious enough but will black folk take heed in these times and begin to shelter our precious talents within black only spaces? Probably not but a girl can dream. You could argue that, as African Americans, we’re already so interwoven with white society, forced to work alongside them as they convert our culture into multi-million-dollar industries. We all claim to be hip to their tactics and avoidant of capitalist agendas that vie to swallow us whole. Yet, look at how profits continue to be at an all-time high for industries that do just that. The NFL, the music industry, black fashion, black everything down to the latest popular TikTok dance.
To this end, Coogler took perfect care of painting the African American experience in an endearing light while simultaneously foreshadowing the community’s demise if we continue allowing ourselves to be robbed by white society, opening up our doors, blending our spaces, inviting the devil in.
Yeah, you ate this up.
Thank you for doing the dirty work. I was so excited to read this after watching last night . This is everything!