Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis, Race & America

audience Reviews

, 87% Audience Score
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    Brilliant and courageous. I wish someone would steal Daryl's strategy and use it on racist police chiefs now.
  • Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
    An interesting look at a man who practices what he preaches. Maybe he is wrong. Maybe he is right.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    Excellent. Very measured and thoughtful reflection on race in America and our ability to make a change.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    I was intrigued to see "Accidental Courtesy" when I saw the trailer -- but now that I have seen it - it's a huge disappointment. The best thing about this documentary is the last 25 mins when Mr. Davis comes face to face with members of the Baltimore BLM Movement. Mr. Davis seems to have the "special snowflake syndrome" - which is prevalent in many Black men and women today. I first noticed this by him bringing up his family background, education and his experience growing up as one of the only two Black children in his school. His story is NOT unique, but it IS a privilege and blessing. I commend Mr. Davis on trying to end racism and "bring people together" - but as one of the BLM members stated in the documentary - this seems like a fetish and something he is doing to build his credibility and/or ego. It was also blatantly obvious, Mr. Davis is disconnected from many of the current issues, past and present emotional trauma and the daily struggle of many in the African-American/Black community. Mr. Davis seems so focused on trying to become and BUY the friendship of white racists. The most telling part of the documentary was the way Mr, Davis acted/treated the BLM members. Bringing up the BLM dropping out of High School - as a way to disrespectful/diss him. Then calling him Ignorant a few minutes later due to the BLM member RESPECTFULLY asking him relevant questions. That was enough for me to lose all respect for Mr. Davis. He had no issue calling the BLM member ignorant for challenging his purpose and reasoning --but was never disrespectful to any of the stated racist in the documentary. The racist/KKK members who have directly or indirectly discriminated, abused and killed thousands of African-Americans. The way he spoked and treated those young men showed that he judged and viewed them with a white supremacist mindset. The same mindset of his racist KKK "friends." Mr. Davis truly deserved to be told off by the older member of the BLM. This isn't a documentary to help racism or bring different people together. This is a documentary for white approval.
  • Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
    A documentary about a man who has a lot more patience and understanding than I do. Ignorance is ignorance. Kudos to this guy for trying to wade through it. Black and white.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    A riveting documentary about human courage. The biggest challenge is to face our own fears, our limitations, to go past our pain and open our hearts. Here we see people who had the humility and honesty to do so and to do it publicly. A river starts with a small stream. May this stream inspire us to open our hearts and listen to each other's pain so that the river of humanity may heal. This is a must see for everyone. Excellent direction by Matt Ornstein. Daryl Davis, by the way, is phenomenal on the piano.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    More than entertaining, this dramatic documentary may help heal America. It gave me my first first hand glimpse at how several white nationals / white supremacists think, and showed Daryl's approach to changing some of those thoughts and eliminating prejudices, an approach that if applied on a mass scale might play a part in bringing healing to the nation.