The story of The Best of Enemies and its unlikely partnership
The Best of Enemies tells the true story of an encounter that shouldn't have worked. In 1971 Durham, North Carolina, Ann Atwater—a fierce civil rights activist—and C. P. Ellis—a local Ku Klux Klan leader—are forced to co-chair a community summit on school desegregation. What begins as a collision of ideologies becomes something far more complex: a test of whether two people can actually listen to each other when everything in their backgrounds tells them not to. The film doesn't shy away from the ugliness of racism or the genuine anger on both sides. Instead, it leans into the messy, uncomfortable reality of what happens when people choose dialogue over distance. It's a story about how change happens—not through grand gestures, but through the grinding, often invisible work of sitting across from someone you fundamentally disagree with and refusing to look away.
Production, cast and the making of The Best of Enemies
Robin Bissell made his feature directorial debut with The Best of Enemies, adapting Osha Gray Davidson's 1996 book The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South. STX Entertainment released the film on April 5, 2019, to a runtime of 133 minutes—long enough to let the story breathe, short enough to keep the tension taut. The cast is where the film's weight really settles. Taraji P. Henson, known for her commanding presence in Hidden Figures and Empire, brings Ann Atwater to life with a mix of righteous fury and surprising vulnerability. Sam Rockwell—an actor who's spent his career playing morally complicated men—makes C. P. Ellis simultaneously repellent and, by the film's end, almost pitiable. It's not forgiveness the film asks for; it's understanding. The supporting ensemble includes Anne Heche, Wes Bentley, Babou Ceesay, Bruce McGill, and Nick Searcy, each adding texture to a community torn apart by segregation and fear. While the film didn't break box office records, it found its audience among viewers hungry for stories about reconciliation that don't feel like propaganda.
What makes The Best of Enemies stand out as a character study
What's striking about The Best of Enemies is how it refuses the easy out. The film could've been a simple redemption arc—racist man learns the error of his ways, everyone applauds. Instead, Bissell and his cinematographer Jas Shelton create a story where change is incremental, uncertain, and sometimes backslides. Henson's Ann Atwater doesn't soften for Ellis; she doesn't suddenly see the humanity in the KKK. What she does is something harder—she engages with him as a person, not a symbol. And Rockwell, who's always been good at playing men trapped by their own mythology, shows us Ellis as someone caught between the identity he's built and the possibility that identity might be wrong. The dialogue crackles because it's not scripted platitudes about understanding; it's the kind of brutal honesty that only comes when you've stopped performing for the room. There's a scene early on where Ellis tries to explain his worldview, and Atwater just... lets him. Doesn't interrupt. Doesn't perform outrage. Just listens. That moment—that patience—is where the film's real power lives. IMDb users rated it a solid 7/10, and that's probably about right for a film that's neither a crowd-pleaser nor a difficult endurance test. It's just honest.
Where to stream The Best of Enemies online
The Best of Enemies is currently available on Netflix, making it easy to access whenever you're ready to sit with this story. Movie OTT tracks streaming availability across platforms in real time, so you can always check where your favorite films are currently playing. The film's 133-minute runtime makes it a solid evening watch—long enough to let the performances land, not so long that you'll be checking the clock. Netflix's library rotation means availability can shift, so if you've been meaning to watch it, don't wait too long. The Where to Watch widget at the top of this page shows you exactly where the film is streaming right now, so you won't waste time hunting.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is The Best of Enemies based on a true story?
Yes. The film adapts Osha Gray Davidson's 1996 book and chronicles the actual 1971 encounter between civil rights activist Ann Atwater and KKK leader C. P. Ellis in Durham, North Carolina. The events happened, though some scenes are dramatized for film.
Q: Who directed The Best of Enemies?
Robin Bissell wrote and directed the film in his feature directorial debut. STX Entertainment released it on April 5, 2019.
Q: What's the runtime of The Best of Enemies?
The film runs 133 minutes, giving the story room to develop the relationship between its two leads without feeling rushed.
Q: Where can I watch The Best of Enemies?
The film is currently streaming on Netflix. Movie OTT keeps a live database of where titles are available, so check the widget above to confirm current availability in your region.
Q: How do Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell's performances compare?
Both are excellent in different ways. Henson brings controlled intensity to Ann Atwater, while Rockwell shows the cracks in C. P. Ellis's certainty. Their scenes together—especially the quieter ones where they're actually listening—are where the film earns its weight.
Final thoughts on The Best of Enemies
The Best of Enemies isn't a feel-good movie, even though it ends on something close to hope. It's a film about the hard work of change, the possibility of listening, and the terrifying realization that people we despise are still people. In a media landscape often divided between outrage and apathy, this story—messy, uncertain, real—matters. Whether you're looking for a serious drama or just curious about how two people from opposite worlds managed to find common ground, this one's worth your time. Movie OTT readers often report coming back to this film after their first watch, finding new layers in scenes they thought they understood. That's the mark of something that actually has something to say.
