Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song

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Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song

R

1971

1h 37m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

47%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Sweet Sweetback (Melvin Van Peebles) is a black orphan who, having grown up in a brothel, now works there as part of a sex show. When the police need a patsy for a murder in the black community, Sweetback's employer gives him up to two white cops, whom Sweetback ends up killing. Suddenly the target of a massive manhunt, he decides to flee to Mexico. As he makes his way there, he is captured by, and escapes from, both the cops and a chapter of the Hell's Angels.

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Penelope Gilliatt

The New Yorker

Impossible, haughty, not likable, but sometimes rather admirable in its context.

Jan 29, 2024

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Gary Arnold

Washington Post

People who believe that all that smoke must indicate one hell of a fiery movie might be rather dismayed by the movie itself.

Jan 29, 2024

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Richard Brody

The New Yorker

For all its horror, the film has an exuberant, hedonistic excitement (including a sexual showdown in a Hell's Angels den); Sweetback's spirit of outrage and revolt gives rise to bitter, exasperated ironies.

Jan 31, 2022

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Brian Susbielles

InSession Film

Van Peebles' third film was a nuclear bomb.

Feb 28, 2023

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

The unusual mix of agitprop and exploitation is directed in a jagged style that recalls what Jean-Luc Godard was doing in France and set to a funky score performed by Earth, Wind, and Fire...

Mar 12, 2022

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

Farr more overtly political and experimental than anything subsequently bracketed in that ["Blaxploitation"] genre.

Jul 6, 2021

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Allen D

At times, this film was unpleasant to watch. But knowing the full context of the film's impact when it first came out. But also the issue/topics that this film talks about are very relevant even to this day.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

10/18/25

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Noah S

Not even 5 minutes into the movie and the first thing that's on the screen is a young child having sex. What the f***?

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/21/25

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Geraldine V

This movie has got me off guard sometimes which made it challenging to watch the whole film. Overall, this cinema has a part where it shows injustice, police brutality, and more things. This film has taken the challenges for viewers to see the brutal truth behind this film.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

10/14/25

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Camila H

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song is really a groundbreaking and proactive film, explores the themes of racial injustice, police brutality, sexuality, and liberation. What particularly makes this film very impactful is the pioneering status in the black blaxploitation era and its influence of subsequent black cinema, the films, raw energy, and rebellious tone really pushed through taboos of its time. Overall, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song is a bold central piece of cinema that challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truth while celebrating black resilience.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

10/06/25

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Alex C

This movie really threw me off guard at times with the camerawork, visuals, and as to was going on in general. The story wasn't my favorite, but I do enjoy the history behind the film. Being a groundbreaking film that redefined what black cinema could be, one thing I liked was its experimental style and theme. The film gets intense and gritty at times in order to gets its message across, but I wouldn't recommend this to others who aren't into this type of films.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

09/25/25

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Abigail C

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song is a bold and groundbreaking film that changed the way stories about Black life were told in cinema. Directed by Melvin Van Peebles, this 1971 movie is raw, powerful, and unapologetically daring. The story follows Sweetback, a Black man who fights back against injustice and police brutality. The film is intense and energetic, mixing drama with moments of humor and music that capture the spirit of the time. Its style is rough around the edges, but that only adds to its authenticity and impact. What makes this film special is its courage to show a Black hero who refuses to be a victim, inspiring generations of filmmakers and audiences alike. It’s not just a movie; it’s a statement—a revolutionary shout for freedom and respect.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/24/25

Full Review

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Melvin Van Peebles

Director

Melvin Van Peebles

Sweetback

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Synopsis

Sweet Sweetback (Melvin Van Peebles) is a black orphan who, having grown up in a brothel, now works there as part of a sex show. When the police need a patsy for a murder in the black community, Sweetback's employer gives him up to two white cops, whom Sweetback ends up killing. Suddenly the target of a massive manhunt, he decides to flee to Mexico. As he makes his way there, he is captured by, and escapes from, both the cops and a chapter of the Hell's Angels.

Director: Melvin Van Peebles
Producer: Jerry Gross, Melvin Van Peebles
Screenwriter: Melvin Van Peebles
Distributor: Image Entertainment Inc., Direct Cinema Limited, Criterion Collection, New World Pictures
Production Co: Yeah
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 23, 1971, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 17, 2020
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Mono

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