(1989)
3
Josh Ralske
Chameleon Street is a fascinating, funny, and literate examination of black identity. It was released in a hopeful time for black filmmakers. But along with another uniquely intelligent and thoughtful examination of black life, Charles Burnett's To Sleep With Anger, it didn't find the audience it deserved. The film's budgetary limitations are clearly visible in the threadbare production. It was Wendell B. Harris' feature debut as a writer, director, and actor, and the uneven performances may reflect his lack of experience. But Harris' ambition and erudition more than compensate for the film's technical shortcomings. Harris plays Doug Street as a charismatic, clever, and deeply troubled man. Harris never soft-pedals Street's misogyny or his cynicism; he allows the viewer to see how close Street is to the edge of sanity. But Harris also incisively portrays the societal pressures that push Street to criminality, and the character's determination to live by his wits is oddly heartening. With Harris' booming bass narration deconstructing every scene, referencing Jean Cocteau and Edith Piaf, one finds oneself rooting for Street. There are three scenes in Chameleon Street that particularly point to its singular unconventionality. In Street's skillful verbal destruction of a "peckerwood" racist, in his completely unqualified performance of major surgery, and in his grotesque "play" with his young daughter, the film achieves a synthesis of tension and wit that is rarely matched in cinema.
Chameleon Street on AllMovie
Chameleon Street (1989)
