1 hour 45 minutes.
Historical. Inspiring. Intersectional.
‘Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story’ is not a challenging documentary to watch. Simply constructed, it consists of talking-head interviews and old race footage. However, this simplicity does not make it any less passionate and insightful. It is an analysis of racial tension in America post the 1965 Civil Rights Act into the 1990s, through the lens of race car driving. The passion of the interviewees in the documentary and the titular Willy T. Ribbs makes this documentary gripping. There is no requirement to know anything about race car driving before watching, as it explains enough to understand the sport. It invites people who might not care about racing to see the entertainment, the skill, and the community of the sport. Furthermore, it reveals and discusses both the covert and overt racism within the sport, many southern American states, and corporate America. It educates the viewer on racial injustice just as much as it educates them on racing.
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