Movie review
April 20, 2023 · 104 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
Chevalier is a 2023 biographical drama about Joseph Bologne, the mixed-race 18th-century French-Caribbean violinist, composer, and fencer who rises through pre-revolutionary French court society under Marie Antoinette before facing rejection and turning toward revolutionary ideals. The story centers on his internal conflict over his African heritage, romantic affairs, and professional ambitions amid overt and institutional racism. Racism, racial identity denial versus awakening, and systemic exclusion in elite French institutions appear as recurring, audience-visible themes with explicit modern parallels emphasized by the director.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Chevalier.
Woke representation / casting
Accurate historical casting of the biracial lead by a suitable Black actor with period-appropriate white supporting cast; no audience-visible forced diversity or story-inappropriate mismatches.
Woke political dialogue
Recurring direct depictions of racism (animal comparisons, marriage bans, exclusion from positions) and revolutionary equality rhetoric tied to personal rejection, without constant overt sermons.
Identity-driven story themes
Protagonist’s central arc revolves around denying his African heritage to assimilate into white French elite society, followed by awakening, reconnection with his mother and Black roots, natural hair, and revolutionary alignment as racial affirmation.
Western institutional / cultural critique
French monarchy, aristocracy, opera establishment, and legal codes (Code Noir) are explicitly framed as racially exclusionary systems with hypocrisy and barriers highlighted in ways that echo modern systemic critiques.
Woke character or canon changes
Notable timeline compression, invented personal awakening scenes, and shifted political motivations that prioritize racial identity crisis over documented biography.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Niche conservative critiques label it agenda-driven historical revision for racial politics; no broad public outcry or viral debate, with most coverage positive or indifferent.
Creator track record context
Director’s Watchmen episode and writer’s Atlanta credits establish a documented pattern of projects centered on racial identity, trauma, and social commentary.
Production
