Kaepernick & America

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Kaepernick & America

2022

1h 22m

Documentary

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93%

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14 Reviews

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It was the summer of 2016, an election year with unrest rumbling through America. There were countless triggers--the murder videos of Philando Castille and Alton Sterling, the counterpunch of Alt-Right and Fake News, Black Lives Matter, Russian meddling--a discordant national cauldron ready to boil over. It was the birth of Trumpism, but nobody knew it yet. Then, Colin Kaepernick took a knee and America lost its mind. Kaep's knee touched down on the divide between America's Black and white tectonic plates, creating an earthquake in the eternal race debate. The aftershocks of his singular gesture have already rippled through our country for years. Kaepernick himself answered any and all thoughtful questions for a time, then stopped talking. And the resulting quiet has allowed for a thoughtful examination of the man and his story. It reveals layer upon layer of surprises and contradictions. Raised in a white family, he became a Black quarterback, while in fact, he is an adopted, biracial man. Inherently shy, he became the center of attention. The man everyone was talking about was mostly silent. He took a stand by taking a knee. Kaepernick & America examines the man and his protest, exploring the remarkable conflict stirred by such a symbolic gesture.

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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

A very powerful movie that makes some connections that I think puts Kaepernick in the same space alongside Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Tommy Smith, John Carlos, Jackie Robinson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Sep 9, 2022

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Brandon Towns

RogerEbert.com

Even if it’s all a bit too tidy, this documentary about Kaepernick is valuable for reminding viewers how far we still have to go.

Rated: 2.5/4

Sep 2, 2022

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Glenn Kenny

New York Times

The verbal analysis here isn’t always profound — one interviewee trots out the banal phrase “the conversation we should be having” — but the narrative as presented in archival footage (Kaepernick did not sit for an interview for this film) is exemplary.

Sep 1, 2022

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Joseph Tomastik

Loud and Clear Reviews

If you outright despise what Kaepernick did… I’m not sure what will change your mind at this point. But if anything stands a chance, it’s this. It just requires you to actually listen to it.

Rated: 4.5/5

Oct 6, 2024

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Sabrina McFarland

Common Sense Media

Star NFL quarterback rallies against U.S. racism; language.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 11, 2022

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Martha K. Baker

KDHX (St. Louis)

[Walker and Hockrow] show the political culture of the times, from Donald Trump's rise in 2016 to Robert E. Lee's statue's fall. Walker brings all his good sense to this film, having produced the brilliant Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am.

Sep 8, 2022

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Tommy Walker

Director

Ross Hockrow

Director

Colin Kaepernick

Self

Don Lemon

Self

Hue Jackson

Self

April Dinwoodie

Self

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Synopsis

It was the summer of 2016, an election year with unrest rumbling through America. There were countless triggers--the murder videos of Philando Castille and Alton Sterling, the counterpunch of Alt-Right and Fake News, Black Lives Matter, Russian meddling--a discordant national cauldron ready to boil over. It was the birth of Trumpism, but nobody knew it yet. Then, Colin Kaepernick took a knee and America lost its mind. Kaep's knee touched down on the divide between America's Black and white tectonic plates, creating an earthquake in the eternal race debate. The aftershocks of his singular gesture have already rippled through our country for years. Kaepernick himself answered any and all thoughtful questions for a time, then stopped talking. And the resulting quiet has allowed for a thoughtful examination of the man and his story. It reveals layer upon layer of surprises and contradictions. Raised in a white family, he became a Black quarterback, while in fact, he is an adopted, biracial man. Inherently shy, he became the center of attention. The man everyone was talking about was mostly silent. He took a stand by taking a knee. Kaepernick & America examines the man and his protest, exploring the remarkable conflict stirred by such a symbolic gesture.

Director: Tommy Walker, Ross Hockrow
Producer: Bill Stephney, Gary Cohen, Matty McDonald
Production Co: Triple Threat Television
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Runtime: 1h 22m

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