Chi-raq achieved satirical bliss by oversimplifying the cause of homicides in Chicago. The film sets the mood by informing it’s audience on the homicides that devastate the south side of Chicago. The gang violence is the culprit, but the movie fails to elaborate on the hopelessness, lack of jobs and education in the communities ,and most importantly what causes these young men to take up that line of work. The city’s homicide death toll is greater than that of Afghanistan during the war.

The most bizarre part of the film is when the protagonist learns about how Liberian women ended their second Civil War by denying their men sex. The protagonist decides if that worked in Liberia then it should be able to work in Chicago. She is able to rally up the girlfriends and wives of all the gang members to join her in the pursuit to bring peace to the south side by banning sex in order to end the gang wars. Later on the women discuss how John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry and decide that they will raid their local armory. The whole plot seemed far fetched. I was really annoyed by how almost each line rhymed. I found it bizarre that John Cusack played the role of a pastor of a church in the south side of Chicago.

Surprisingly the film failed to explain what everyday Americans can do to help end this trauma. The film failed to push for national gun reform. I really wish that the movie spent more time on the real issues at heart. This film does not even open the dialogue to have difficult discussions on systemic racism. There really should have been a good take away message that movie goers can take and spread to their respective communities.