The second episode of the Steve McQueen’s Small Axe anthology to be based on a true story, Red, White and Blue focuses on Metropolitan Police officer Leroy Logan (John Boyega, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi). After his father (Steve Toussaint, Fortitude) is assaulted by the police, Logan joins the force in an attempt to change things from within, and as a result finds himself ostracized from the Black community, his fellow officers, and worst of all, his father. The dynamic portrayed by these two immensely talented actors provides the heart of the film and ultimately are why it resonates.
The obvious statement is that this is a film that certainly could be set in any era with some minor changes and be just as relevant. Similar circumstances still exist, and it feels least like a period piece compared to its predecessors. It is a well-told and concise story of determination and perseverance, that at just 80 minutes doesn’t waste a frame on anything that won’t drive the narrative or build emotion.
Even though those in charge of the police realize the need to bring diversity to their ranks, there are obstacles someone like Logan, or his Pakistani partner Kamali (Assad Zaman, Apple Tree Yard) must overcome that their peers do not. Even though Logan is clearly among the most intelligent recruits on the force, having come from a research scientist background, and the most physically fit, he rarely feels supported by his peers, and his superiors seem unsympathetic to the situation wherein he finds himself. Patrolling the same blocks he grew up in brings a lot of mistrust his way, and in one instance, a lack of response to a call for backup while in pursuit of a suspect puts him in danger.
As resentment builds and Logan finds himself more alone, McQueen and Cinematographer Shabier Kirchner (Skate Kitchen) use deliberately prolonged shots of him staring at his uniform hanging on the door, or looking at himself in the mirror wearing it in disbelief. The internal battle that they show you he’s fighting adds to the very public confrontations that he doesn’t back down from when pushed. In an especially powerful scene, Boyega delivers what may be the best performance of the anthology in portraying toughness by standing up for himself against his peers, while still feeling that he doesn’t have the respect of his father, the man who instilled it in him.
Boyega is captivating in this role. Even though he is portraying someone that was made to feel unwelcome, he remains imposing, much like the real Leroy Logan must have been. He has demonstrated enough dexterity throughout his career to warrant considerable praise to the range of his abilities that exist outside of Star Wars, but even McQueen couldn’t help himself from including one playful jab when a character responds to Logan’s confession that he’s considering “joining the force,” with “Like the Jedi?” It is one of just a few moments of levity in an otherwise taxing story.
Any comprehensive story focused solely on trying to answer, or even just present the difficult questions around racism, or police brutality would require far more than this films short length, and even then, it would be a tough ask. Instead, McQueen and screenwriting partner Courttia Newland (Gamma) just allow us to walk Logan’s beat with him, and feel the growing weight that he carries on his shoulders. They want to show how his impactful career with the Metropolitan Police began. Understanding that Red, White and Blue isn’t a crime drama following a specific case that Logan is working on, or the complete trajectory of his career, where you see him climb the ranks and triumph, you find overwhelming satisfaction in the fulfillment of its most important arc in the final moments.
