Watch Showing Roots

Showing Roots is a heartwarming comedy-drama from 2016 that stars Maggie Grace, Adam Brody, and Elizabeth McGovern. The film is set in the 1970s, during the height of racial tension in the United States. It tells the story of two women, one white and one black, who both become enamored with the television miniseries Roots. The film opens in the small southern town of Whynot, Louisiana. It's 1977, and the town is still very much divided along racial lines. The local beauty salon is where the town's women come to gossip and catch up on the latest news. Hairspray and curlers aside, the salon is also the place where the town's interracial tensions are laid bare. Black women tend to their hair on one side of the salon while white women tend to theirs on the other, and they barely interact with one another.

The film's main characters are two young women named Violet (Maggie Grace) and Pearl (Uzo Aduba). Violet is a beautician at the salon who is originally from New York. She's ambitious and wants to one day open her own salon. Pearl is a black woman who works as a maid for a white family in town. She's quiet and reserved, and has been living in the shadows of the Jim Crow laws for her entire life.

One day, the women of the salon come together to watch the television miniseries Roots. The black women are excited to see their history portrayed on screen, while the white women are initially hesitant to watch. Over time, the women come to understand one another as they bond over their shared love for the miniseries.

Violet and Pearl are particularly moved by the story of Roots, and they decide to start the town's first book club to discuss the novel that the miniseries was based on. They face resistance from their respective communities, but they persist nonetheless.

As the weeks go on, the book club serves as a safe space for the women to discuss the Civil Rights Movement and other issues that affect their town. They start to see each other as individuals instead of just as members of their respective communities. Violet starts to question her own prejudices, while Pearl gains the courage to speak up for herself and her people.

Meanwhile, a young man named Bud (Adam Brody) comes to town to make a documentary about the impact of Roots. He interviews the women of the book club and captures their experiences on film. Through their interviews, Bud comes to understand the reality of life in Whynot, and he begins to see the town in a different light.

Showing Roots is a movie that tackles the thorny issue of race relations in the American South. It does so with a light touch, using humor and heartwarming moments to drive its message home. The film is anchored by strong performances from its three leads. Maggie Grace is perfectly cast as the ambitious Violet, while Uzo Aduba is a revelation as the quiet and reserved Pearl. Elizabeth McGovern provides some strong supporting work as the town's wealthy matron.

Ultimately, Showing Roots is a film about the power of art to change lives. Through their experiences with Roots, the women of Whynot are able to overcome their prejudices and see each other as individuals. It's a message that echoes through time and remains just as relevant today. The film is a must-watch for anyone who cares about the state of race relations in the United States.

Showing Roots is a 2016 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.8.