Teyonah Parris, seemingly ready for a full-on breakout after attracting attention last year in Dear White People, leads the charge in Spike Lee’s latest, a modern adaptation of Aristophanes’ ancient Greek play Lysistrata. The narrative focuses on the efforts of the title heroine who rallies women to withhold sexual favors as a means of forcing warriors to lay down their arms. Lee repositions the tactic, setting it against the backdrop of gang violence in Chicago. His contemporary Lysistrata (Parris) seeks to bring an end to black-on-black killings in one of the most violent American cities, and it appears that Lee is not at all shy about introducing a host of theatrical techniques into the mix in order to entertain, engage and educate us, like the Spike Lee of old. (Opens wide Friday) (R) Not screened in time for review
