Heat Wave- The Watts Riots

The film, Heat Wave, depicts the story of the becoming of a family in Los Angeles during the time right before the Watts Riots, circa 1964. A colored family from Alabama moves to Los Angeles in hope for a brighter future, more opportunities, and less racial segregation. The move west does not solve any of these issues for most of the family, and instead causes more problems and raises more questions about the true meaning of free will and opportunity. This film does an excellent job portraying the issues that many families dealt with, and it does not sugar coat any of the dilemmas for the sake of the story. The characters are lovable and relatable for many during the time leading up to the riots, and it definitely adds to the plot and development of the movie. The Watts Riots definitely created a lot of controversy, but they were fundamental towards the development of the fight for fair rights of people of all races, backgrounds, and social classes. This fight continues to this day, and it takes entire generations to implement these fair and justified morals into the minds of our society. Progress is a process, and the cooperation of the majority is necessary for true change.