We Need To Talk About Cosby Review: Difficult Topic Gets An Honest Conversation
Writer-director W. Kamau Bell has his work laid out for him with We Need To Talk About Cosby. The four-part Showtime documentary series examines the two sides of Bill Cosby: the groundbreaking icon who shattered multiple glass ceilings, redefining what it meant to be a Black man in Hollywood, and the alleged serial rapist who exploited his fatherly pop culture image to gaslight his many, many victims. It's an uncomfortable subject, especially given that the disgraced actor's sexual assault conviction was just overturned in October 2021. Still, Bell recognizes that this is something the public needs to grapple with, and he offers audiences We Need To Talk About Cosby, which examines Bill Cosby's alleged crimes as well as the legacy that gave him power.
Bell takes care to frame the narrative from his perspective — as a Black man who was raised on «America's Dad,» the highly aspirational role model, Bill Cosby. We Need To Talk About Cosby is split into four episodes, roughly presenting the content in chronological order. The first entry focuses on the early years of Cosby's career, setting up the beginnings of what would become his massive social influence. Using various interviews with actors and journalists, Bell explains why the comedian's standup was so revolutionary in the early '60s, and how his landing a role in the primetime TV series I Spy brokenew ground for Black men in the entertainment industry.
Related: Call Jane Review: Banks Is Great In Timely, But Anticlimactic Drama [Sundance]
We Need To Talk About Cosby offers an honest portrayal of Bill Cosby's legacy in 2022. It's a refreshingly candid conversation that acknowledges the positive work Cosby did for his community, especially during the '60s and '70s. For
Read more on screenrant.com
