Coffy
dir. Jack Hill · 1973
Feature
Revenge & Justice
Mood
Dark / Tense
Look
raw, gritty cinematography with a focus on urban decay
Structure
linear with flashbacks to establish motivation
Plot
Nurse "Coffy" Coffin leads a double life. During the day, she's a nurse at work. At night, she's an avenging angel on a personal vendetta, tracking down the drug pushers who hooked her younger sister on drugs. Along the way, she meets a honest police detective who also is leading a double life.
Why watch
"Coffy" is a visceral exploration of vengeance and justice, where a nurse transforms into a fierce vigilante against the backdrop of a gritty urban landscape. With its raw aesthetic and complex moral dilemmas, this film is a powerful statement on the exploitation of women and the lengths one will go to protect their loved ones.
Cultural context
1970s Blaxploitation movementfeminist themes in cinemaurban drug crisis