‘The Six Triple Eight’ Review: Kerry Washington Commands Tyler Perry’s Rousing World War II Drama for Netflix

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As a history enthusiast with a soft spot for underdog stories, I must say that Tyler Perry’s “The Six Triple Eight” left me utterly captivated and inspired. The film is a testament to the indomitable spirit of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, a unit whose accomplishments were nothing short of extraordinary.

You wouldn’t think that a true story about a World War II unit that specialized in sorting mail would prove to be particularly arresting. But add the facts that the unit in question, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, was the first and only Women’s Army Corp unit of color to serve overseas in WWII, and that, faced with the impossible task of sorting 17 million pieces of mail in six months, they managed to do it in less than three, and you have Tyler Perry’s inspiring The Six Triple Eight. Receiving a limited theatrical release before streaming on Netflix two weeks later, the film represents the latest in a seemingly endless series of little-known true-life tales plucked from history to powerful cinematic effect.

Perry’s screenplay mainly focuses on two historical characters: Lena Derriecott King, portrayed by Ebony Obsidian from BET’s Sistas, who was part of the unit, and Major Charity Adams, played by Kerry Washington, who led it. Initially, we encounter Lena in Pennsylvania before the war, where she maintains a daring relationship with Abram (Gregg Sulkin), a white man. Tragically, he dies in the war shortly after being deployed, which prompts Lena to join the military and be assigned to a training camp in Georgia.

The societal environment is harshly unjust, as evidenced by a situation where Black women are seated in the front row of an army base cinema only to be instructed to move to the rear by a white officer. However, Adams, who maintains her unit with military precision and dignity, refuses to comply. What particularly irks her is being denied the opportunity to serve abroad, so she’s overjoyed when they receive sudden orders to deploy to Europe.

She’s less enthusiastic when she learns their task involves sorting millions of letters, enough to fill multiple airplane hangars, which have been neglected and left unposted, affecting both soldiers and their families back home. Initially, this might seem a minor concern in terms of waging a war, but it’s become a significant morale issue. Interestingly, the military believes that female soldiers from diverse racial backgrounds are best equipped to address this problem.

In time, these women devise clever ways to locate and deliver previously thought undeliverable mail, working diligently on their mission. However, they encounter disrespect and racism from white military personnel along the way. One of them, Lena, who is still mourning Abram, grows angry at the dismissive attitude towards the mail of fallen soldiers. In a moment that seems to have been crafted specifically for this story (if it wasn’t), an unposted letter from Abram to Lena is found, leading to emotional consequences.

In typical style of Tyler Perry films, the movie The Six Triple Eight doesn’t shy away from its emotional moments. You can expect numerous scenes where the women enthusiastically dance jitterbug, almost as if emphasizing that we are in a World War II setting. The movie also includes some historically awkward scenes involving Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt (portrayed by Sam Waterston and Susan Sarandon, who appears heavily made up with fake teeth), such as meetings with civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune. This encounter provides an opportunity for Oprah Winfrey to make a brief, attention-grabbing appearance in the film.

However powerful the real-life narrative proves to be, it’s so emotionally charged that it overpowers our skepticism, even during scenes designed to tug at our heartstrings – like family members weeping as they open letters from afar, Lena discovering Abram’s grave amidst a field of white crosses, or soldiers appearing confrontational towards the women of the 6888th, only to salute and applaud them instead. Perry skillfully and shamelessly tugs at our heartstrings in a manner that Frank Capra himself would admire. By the end, we’re treated to a fittingly emotional Diana Warren ballad, sung by H.E.R.

As a gamer, I must say the performances in this game were simply outstanding! Obsidian gave a heartwarming, triumphant portrayal; Washington delivered a powerful, commanding act that cleverly let small glimpses of emotion show through; and the female supporting characters nailed their roles without a single false note. At the end, we got to see real-life footage and photos of these incredible individuals. This included clips of the unit arriving in Europe, an interview with Derriecott King at 100 years old, and Michelle Obama paying tribute to two survivors from the unit. Plus, I found out that Fort Gregg-Adams was co-named for Adams, marking the first time a fort was ever named after a Black woman.

The Six Triple Eight narrates an almost untold tale that deserved to be shared and does so in an exceptional manner.

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2024-12-06 17:27