Netflix’s World War II drama The Six Triple Eight is a great story that’s told quite well

The Six Triple Eight
3 out of 5 stars
Director: Tyler Perry
Authors: Tyler Perry, Kevin Hymel
With: Kerry Washington, Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Shanice Shantay
Rated: PG-13 for language, including racial slurs, thematic material and some war violence.

Summary: “The Six Triple Eight” is inspired by the first and only colored unit of the Women’s Army Corps to serve overseas during World War II. Faced with an extraordinary mission and united in their determination, these unsung heroes have given hope and broken down barriers.

Review: Just when you think you know everything about World War II, along comes a film like “The Six Triple Eight.” I hadn’t really thought much about mail delivery during the war. Apparently this wasn’t the case with the US Army either, as thousands upon thousands of letters from and to the front were gathering dust in a high school in Europe.

Only when Eleanor Roosevelt is made aware of the situation is a plan put into action. A Black Women’s Army Corps will be tasked with sorting mail and delivering it to soldiers and their families at home. It is to be expected that they will fail in this task. History tells a different story, as the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion made history as the only all-black, all-female battalion to serve overseas in the war.

While “The Six Triple Eight” never rises to the level of a Hallmark or Lifetime teledrama, it is probably less aggressive than it needs to be. Racism and sexism are present throughout, but when the film hits, they come with fists hidden in well-padded gloves to soften the blows.

I’m not particularly familiar with director/co-writer Tyler Perry’s work. I know him more by reputation. I think I’ve only seen one of his films. Maybe this is as heavy and dark as Perry wants or can go.

The performances are strong. I always enjoy watching Kerry Washington and she doesn’t disappoint as Maj. Adams. Her co-stars are incredibly approachable. The cinematography is fine, the story moves at a reasonable pace, the script is definitely on point and it’s a story you need to know. I think it could be better told in a film that dares to go deeper beneath the surface and into the hearts of these incredible women who, despite remaining almost completely unheralded, changed the course of history by changing the moral in the in – and abroad improved. How much history would have been lost if they had failed? Would the war have gone in a different direction? I think so.

I recommend watching The Six Triple Eight on Netflix. If you can get past the tenderness of the film, there is an important part of the story to see.