Powerful, gut-wrenching drama recreates the destruction of a once prominent black town. Florida 1923: Rosewood and neighboring Sumner are built on an uneasy alliance between blacks and whites. When an influential white woman makes a false accusation that she was assaulted by a black assailant, angry white citizens form a brutal lynch mob determined to either find the culprit, or coerce other black citizens into revealing his whereabouts. The film's harsh subject matter is so vividly realized by director Singleton, and acted with such great conviction by its cast that it's deeply unsettling and at times unbearable to watch. If you can get past that, which is no easy task, you'll appreciate what a sharp, well-crafted historical drama that this really is. ***
