Exhibiting Forgiveness

Honestly, I went into watching 'Exhibiting Forgiveness' with no expectations at all. There's a stellar cast here and I figured anything with Aujunue Ellis was bound to be descent. I was so pleasantly surprised by this film that really tackles some taboo subjects in the Black community like drug abuse, physical abuse, generational trauma, religious abuse, etc. It goes in and takes such a realistic look at the grieving process and what forgiveness actually looks like. The dialog was fantastic and this was my first time seeing Andre Holland in a film. POWERHOUSE. Thank goodness this didn't rely on the tropes that we often see in cinema surrounding this subject matter. Very strong feature debut from Titus Kaphur. I can't wait to see him share more of his art with the world.

Watched this at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

Titus Kaphar creates a strong emotional drama with strong themes, writing, and a wonderful performance from Andre Holland. Holland's performance was amazing as his performance created an good essence and personality to his character which felt purposeful and insightful. Including the rest of the performances from the other cast members. Kaphar's direction and writing provides interesting themes of forgiveness, estranged family relationship, art, generational trauma, and healing from the Black community and each of the themes were handled gracefully and were well-executed.

Many of the dialogue moments were strong as each dialogue from the characters felt real and raw. I really connected with Holland's character as I felt emotionally invested and pretty bad for him throughout. Having known peers who have similar lives to Holland's character, made the movie more powerful and compelling. Forgiveness can be messy and Kaphar perfectly demonstrates how tough, messy and emotional forgiveness can be.

The production designs, camerawork, and the soundtrack choices are wonderful. The pacing does have some slow moments but it didn't ruin the experience. Overall, strong debut from Titus Kaphar and I look forward to see what Kaphar has next.

"Exhibiting Forgiveness" exceeded all my expectations. I went to this film based on its trailer and successful film festival run. But I wasn't sure what I'd actually be seeing when I entered the cinema. What I saw when I watched this film was this - a moving story, with a strong emotional core; characters with complexity, humanity, flaws. There was sadness, but also humor. A lovely story about an African American artist and his family, all struggling in different ways with the past. It was deep but I didn't look at the time on my phone once during the 2 hour run time. The acting was phenomenal. It should be remembered at awards time.

I'm truly at a loss for words. Exhibiting Forgiveness is a powerful and emotionally charged film that dives deep into themes of healing, reconciliation, and inner strength. It's incredibly realistic, heartfelt, and soulful-every scene feels genuine and impactful. The storytelling is layered and thought-provoking, prompting reflection on one's own experiences and relationships. It left me sitting in silence, processing everything I had just witnessed. A beautifully crafted piece of cinema. Kudos to the entire team for creating something so profound and moving. I will gladly be looking out for more.

In his feature film directorial and screenwriting debut, artist Titus Kaphar has confidently created a semi-autobiographical work that deserves a wider audience than it has received. This powerful, unsentimental 2024 film tenderly explores a familiar movie trope, a father-son estrangement, but through an unflinching lens of toxic masculinity, familial rage, and generational trauma. A stellar quartet of accomplished actors fully embodies the often painful story of Tarrell, a burgeoning artist whose father La'Ron, a recovering crack addict, re-enters his life at the behest of his endearing, religious mother Mama Joyce. While Tarrell pushes Joyce to pack her house and move closer to his own family of three, she remains steadfast in realizing a reconciliation that proves devastating for all involved. Still memorable as Kevin in "Moonlight", Andre Holland is riveting as Tarrell as he manages to convey fierce resentment and anger with palpable currents of loss and exhaustion. John Earl Jelks maintains potent gravitas as La'Ron desperate to be forgiven for his past sins, and Andra Day plays Tarrell's musician wife Aisha with economic precision. It's no surprise to me that Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor ("Nickel Boys") handily dominates the film with her gut wrenching performance as Mama Joyce. Special mention should be given to Ian Foreman's heartbreaking turn as young Tarrell in the painful flashback scenes. There are a few flaws. While the details of past traumas are unpeeled effectively, they add marginally less to the story as they function more as reference points. Also, some of Kaphar's dialogue is too on-the-nose to be fully resonant. Regardless, the commitment of the superb cast takes this film to the next level.