Based on the real-life experiences of writer and lead actor Dominique Purdy, Driving While Black explores his -- and others -- real-life experiences growing up as a person of color in LA and his run-ins with police. This is a world I'll quite frankly never be able to experience, but I wanted to challenge myself with this movie.
Dmitri is a pizza guy who would rather smoke weed and suffer for his art, but his mom and his girl won't stop nagging him to get a real job. After his car breaks down and he wanders onto a tour bus through the homes of Hollywood, he's offered a job driving his own star tour bus.
The problem is even getting to the interview is impossible. He makes it five blocks before getting pulled over and every trip closer to the interview beings him more danger from the LAPD who are supposed to protect and serve.
That said, I really liked how the movie showed the police from many views, from a black officer who tries to give life advice to a racist cop and even a woman who has just been promoted. The precinct's start-of-shift briefings show us these are a diverse group of people who really want to do the best they can for their community. However, once out on the streets, things don't always stay positive.
I liked the episodic nature of this film and the way that it set up the big arrest scene near the end. Plus, I enjoyed the bonding between the racial divide of the star tour bus drivers.
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