The Best of Enemies

The Best of Enemies is a drama set in Durham, North Carolina, in 1971, during the struggle over school desegregation. Ann Atwater is a civil rights activist known for speaking her mind, while C.P. Ellis leads the local branch of the Ku Klux Klan. The two have been on opposing sides for years. When a court order requires the schools to integrate, a community summit is arranged, and the outsider brought in to run it asks Atwater and Ellis to serve as co-chairs. Working through their differences over roughly two weeks, the two move from open hostility toward an unexpected understanding that changes both of their lives.

Robin Bissell directed and wrote the screenplay, and Tobey Maguire, Danny Strong and Matt Berenson produced. The film stars Taraji P. Henson as Atwater and Sam Rockwell as Ellis, with Babou Ceesay, Anne Heche, Wes Bentley and Nick Searcy in supporting roles. Bissell had worked as a producer before taking on directing duties here, and this stands as his first feature as director.

Made for about 10 million dollars, the film took in roughly the same amount worldwide, so it drew a modest audience in theaters. On IMDb it holds 7.3 from around 22,000 votes, and on TMDB 7.4 from about 500 votes, indicating generally favorable viewer response. The critics' rating of 5.9 from 82 reviews is lower than the audience scores, suggesting reviewers were less convinced by the film than the viewers who rated it.