Detroit Movie: The True Story of the Algiers Motel Tragedy

Detroit is a 2017 American crime drama film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal.

The movie is based on the Algiers Motel incident during Detroit's 12th Street Riots of 1967. The movie's release commemorates the 50th anniversary of the event.

The movie stars John Boyega, Will Poulter, Algee Smith, Jason Mitchell, John Krasinski, and Anthony Mackie. According to Rotten Tomatoes reviews, the movie has an 83% approval rating based on 254 reviews, and an average rating of 7.6/10.

Detroit Movie Synopsis

The plot begins on July 23, 1967, when the Detroit Police Department raids an illegal club during a celebration of black veterans returning from the Vietnam War. When the suspect is arrested, a crowd forms and begins throwing rocks at the officers before robbing nearby stores and setting fires, starting the 12th Street Riots.

With state authorities, elected representatives, and emergency services unable to maintain order, Governor George W. Romney authorized the Michigan National Guard and President Lyndon B. Johnson authorized Army parachute troops to enter Detroit to provide assistance.

On the second day of the riots, two policemen chased a fleeing robber. One of them, Philip Krauss, killed the man with a broken rifle without a license, but was allowed to remain on duty until their superiors decided whether to charge him with murder.

The Dramatics, a professional black R&B group, arrived in Detroit hoping to land a record deal. Seconds before their performance at a music hall, the police shut down the venue and ordered them to leave the city.

On the way, their bus was attacked by looters and the group was separated, with lead singer Larry Reed and his friend Fred Temple renting a room at the local Algiers Motel for the night. They met two white girls, Julie Ann and Karen, who introduced them to their friends Carl Cooper and Aubrey Pollard.

Carl and another friend devised a prank using a starter pistol, which annoyed Julie and Karen and moved to the room of Greene, a Vietnam War veteran, while Larry and Fred returned to their own room.

Melvin Dismukes, a private security guard, is assigned to protect a grocery store from robbers and introduces himself to the Garda members. Carl decides to fire a few blank rounds from his pistol at the troops to scare them, but they misinterpret it as a sniper attack and indicate it's from Algiers because of the muzzle flash.

The Detroit movie synopsis then recounts, the Michigan State Police, National Guard, and Detroit Police arrived at the motel to investigate, led by Detroit police officer Krauss. Upon entering the building, they shot Carl dead as he attempted to flee, and planted a knife next to his body as he was mortally wounded and died.

They gathered everyone in the hotel and lined them up against the wall, demanding to know who the sniper was. Despite not finding any weapons during the search of the rooms, Krauss frightens and interrogates the hotel occupants. Dismukes came to try to help. Not wanting to get involved, most of the state police and National Guard left without telling anyone about Krauss' abuse.

Krauss ordered some suspects to be moved to different rooms and subjected to fake executions to scare the others into confessing. One of the policemen actually killed Aubrey, as he did not understand that the execution was supposed to be fake. Julie and Karen were taken to a room upstairs where they started screaming, and Julie's clothes were torn off. Disgusted, a member of the Guard returned, and managed to free them from custody. Fearing arrest, Krauss allowed the remaining suspects to leave, but only if they swore to remain silent. Greene and Larry agree, but Fred is killed when he refuses.

Here is the synopsis of the movie Detroit.