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BlacKkKlansman

BlacKkKlansman

Infiltrate hate.

2018135 minRMidcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Director
Spike Lee
Starring
John David Washington, Adam Driver, Topher Grace, Laura Harrier

Colorado Springs, late 1970s. Ron Stallworth, an African American police officer, and Flip Zimmerman, his Jewish colleague, run an undercover operation to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan.

Where to watch

Where can I watch BlacKkKlansman?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists BlacKkKlansman to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about BlacKkKlansman?

BlacKkKlansman earns 10 badges, led by Top 5% of films and Cultural touchstone.

Show 2 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is BlacKkKlansman worth watching?

BlacKkKlansman's Midcredits score is the 95th percentile of all films, from 1.6M ratings across 6 sources. 83% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

95th percentile

Better received than 95% of films

93rd percentile among Biography96th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)94th
Approval (how many liked it)93rd

77 /100

94th percentile of all films

94th percentile among Biography94th percentile among 2010s

Critics 83 · Audience 77

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.5 — solid but not unanimous.

83% liked it

93rd percentile of all films

89th percentile among Biography94th percentile among 2010s
83% rated it 7–1017% rated it 1–6

Critics 95% · Audience 83%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 18 wins / 74 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Director - Motion Picture

99th percentile

1.6M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Biography99th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 26% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$15M
Opening weekend$11M
Domestic gross$49M
Worldwide gross$93M

Returned 6.2× its budget — 94th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A true-story police infiltration of the Klan that mixes comedy with a serious anti-racist message.

Fans praised

  • John David Washington and Adam Driver deliver standout performances
  • Skillful tonal balance between comedy and intense drama
  • Relevant political commentary on racism and white supremacy

Detractors panned

  • Heavy-handed and preachy political messaging
  • Fictional additions feel contrived and undermine the true story
  • Weak character development and lack of genuine suspense

What stands out

Acting85

John David Washington and Adam Driver praised as compelling leads; Topher Grace called a scene-stealer

HumorDivisive80

Laugh-out-loud comedic moments balanced with drama; some jokes don't land

Emotional impactDivisive80

Powerful and gut-wrenching final scenes; detractors find it manipulative

EndingDivisive75

Devastating and thought-provoking ending; detractors call it tacky or out of place

Plot and storyDivisive70

Incredible true story fans find compelling; detractors say fictional additions feel contrived

TensionDivisive65

Fans feel suspense in infiltration; detractors say no real intensity or stakes

CharactersDivisive65

Fans find characters engaging; detractors call them caricatures or one-dimensional

PacingDivisive55

Fans note occasional sluggishness; detractors call it poorly paced and boring

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is BlacKkKlansman like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark comedy: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to laugh at things you probably shouldn't.

It leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Dark comedy.

Moods
TenseAbsurdMelancholicTriumphant
Heaviest: late
Satirical humor
The answer rests on this: Register
Satirical · 5% of filmsAbsurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneLee plays the material straight for its serious themes while allowing absurdist comedy in the Klan interactions, marrying sincere outrage with satirical mockery.
The rideThe film oscillates between the absurd comedy of Ron's phone calls with Klansmen and the genuine danger of the operation, culminating in a sobering final act.
StructureThe story is told chronologically, following Stallworth's career from joining the force through the undercover operation and its aftermath.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's blend of absurdist comedy and raw historical reality leaves you reflecting on the persistence of hate, while its triumphant moments are undercut by the sobering present-day epilogue.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% (this title) · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Institutional injustice: A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Comedy underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe plot follows a black detective who infiltrates the KKK, an institution of hate, with his white Jewish partner. The tone and absurdity of the scheme give it comic underpinnings.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsIdentity · 14% of filmsDeception · 9% of films
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the pursuit of justice through infiltration and deception, while also examining the double consciousness of a Black officer performing a white supremacist identity.
StanceSpike Lee satirizes the Klan's stupidity and the absurdity of racism while taking the threat they pose with dead seriousness.

The world

Late 20th centuryUrbanInstitutionalDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral modernJazzSupportive music · original score · Terence Blanchard
SettingColorado Springs in the early 1970s, from police station to Klan meetings to activist gatherings
MusicBlanchard's score blends orchestral tension with period-appropriate funk and soul, reinforcing the 1970s setting and the film's tonal shifts.

Content guide

Is BlacKkKlansman okay for kids?

R

BlacKkKlansman is rated R: “Rated R for language throughout, including racial epithets, and for disturbing/violent material and some sexual references” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (63/100), sexual content at mild (25/100), language at severe (90/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (35/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Overall it is heavier than 59% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 22 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland16
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Belgium16
  • Czechia18+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-12
  • Hungary16
  • Israelהותר לבני 12 ומעלה
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/14
  • RO18
  • Russia18+
  • SK12
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 76% of all filmsHeavier than 59% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 40%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 18%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 92%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 33%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 60%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language, frightening material, and violence. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does BlacKkKlansman have?

MovieCove's classifier found 3 depicted content warnings in BlacKkKlansman: Hate-motivated violence (moderate), Sexual harassment or grooming (moderate), Sexual violence (moderate). Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

ModerateHate-motivated violenceSexual harassment or groomingSexual violence

Cast and crew

Who is in BlacKkKlansman?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

John David Washington
as Ron Stallworth
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - DramaTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Adam Driver
as Flip Zimmerman
Oscar nominee: Academy Award nomination — Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Topher Grace
as David Duke
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Laura Harrier
as Patrice Dumas
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Alec Baldwin
as Dr. Kennebrew Beauregard
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jasper Pääkkönen
as Felix Kendrickson
Corey Hawkins
as Kwame Ture
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Paul Walter Hauser
as Ivanhoe
Ryan Eggold
as Walter Breachway
Isiah Whitlock Jr.
as Mr. Turrentine
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like BlacKkKlansman?

Movies like BlacKkKlansman include Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), Summer of Sam (1999) and The Best of Enemies (2019). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films by Spike Lee, and several are stories of institutional injustice.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its subject: justice. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with BlacKkKlansman?

2.3K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: true crime. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.