Waves - Le onde della vita

I've said this before, but I will also never be tired of saying it; A24 is easily the best studio out there today, in terms of releasing quality content. Their endless devotion to finding original and exciting projects has always been an admiration of mine. Each year, they seem to be building a bigger catalogue of movies. Waves is one of their latest films to be produced and will hit theatres this November. Here's why, even though it may be a tough pill to swallow at times, you should absolutely be seeking it out.

I will start off and say that I'm going to keep the premise very brief, because it's the type of film that consistently surprises its audience, becoming a completely different film by the end. For this reason alone, I'll simply say that Waves is a film about a relationship and a family who slowly falls apart in unexpected ways. I was incredibly invested in the set-up for this film and all of the characters in it, so when a certain moment occurs, I was floored. This movie moved me to tears in ways that I never thought it would.

Written and directed by Trey Edward Shultz (It Comes at Night, Krisha), he very carefully crafts this story in a way that feels true to life, while also having levity in times of crisis or grief. On top of the stellar writing and direction, the cinematography by Drew Daniels, who happens to have worked with this director for years, is out of this world. From the way the camera spins to tell a story or frames things perfectly for an aspect ratio change, I would be shocked if Daniels isn't talked about for his work here.

It goes without saying that Sterling K. Brown has deliver an amazing performance, and his work here is nothing short of that word. I believe he will be recognized for awards this coming season, but I would like to mention Taylor Russell as well. Playing sort of the backbone of this family, her character has a lot on her shoulders and there are a few scenes where she absolutely steals the show. Alexa Demie, Kelin Harrison Jr., and Renée Elise Goldsberry are all terrific as well, but there was just something I couldn't put my finger on when watching Waves unfold.

135 minutes doesn't seem too long for a film in hindsight, but the way this story plays out will probably make some audiences impatient. There are a couple of instances when this movie feels like it ends, but there's still a lot left to explore. Looking back on this possible negative though, I feel that a rewatch may have me forgiving that aspect, and that has everything to do with the score. Even in the moments where a movie like this would seem to drag, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross provide a pulse-pounding score that will keep you invested, even during the slow moments in this family's life.

In the end, for what Waves sets out to be, it's nearly perfect. The route this film takes toward the end will probably not sit well with some viewers, but that aspect is what impacted me the most and took the film from great to incredible. It can be quite upsetting and depressing at times, so if you're not into that, I would suggest looking for a different film. With that said, this is easily one of the best movies I've seen in 2019 and I can't see myself changing my mind on that. This movie is a human drama that just goes for it and it tore a hole in my heart by the end. Waves is stellar.

High school senior Tyler Williams is on top of the world. His family is supportive and well off. He has his friends and a beautiful girlfriend. He's a star wrestler at school. His father (Sterling K. Brown) pushes hard but he does it out of concern. A nagging injury turns out to be more. A series of self-inflicted problems and unforeseen difficulties come at him in waves.

I like this movie as soon as it starts. It begins with a great cinematic vision. Then it turns into a compelling character study of a family. I am a little conflicted about the divide in the movie. It would have been perfectly great to wrap up the movie soon after the midway point. I do see the value of the change over but it does split the movie in two. Also, it gets a little long at over two hours. It may be worthwhile to give the sister more screen time in the first half. Overall, it's a compelling study of this family.

This treasure of a film explores the emotions, circumstance and consequence after a moment of chaos, that moment when in an instant the world begins to crumble and the lives and directions of so many are instantly and irredeemably altered. An original story, beautifully shot, elegantly performed and imaginatively directed. Left me asking the question: are any of us as bad as our worst fifteen minutes?

There's some exquisite lighting effects in "Waves," from a crackling fire to police light bars and rainbows, which is complimented by occasionally kinetic montage and hand-held camera movement. Quite a few shots tracking behind figures' heads in this one. And all of the bobbing of the frame coalesces with the rhythm of the soundtrack. The narrative is something of a rigmarole, though. Following the oscillations of a suburban African-American family in crisis, from teenage son wrestler abusing painkillers for his injured shoulder while fighting with his girlfriend over pregnancy, to the daughter dating one of her brother's teammates, I guess, while the father and mother struggle with their relationship and business. The melodramatic climax actually occurs in the middle of the picture, and it's intense. Even the aspect ratio closes in from the usual rectangle to more of a square tending to frame the characters' faces.

Yet, tracking the immature emotional waves of teenagers for over two hours, in what is essentially two pictures in one with two separate protagonists, is exhausting. Nary any intellectual engagement is to be had. The score is all over the place and generally prominent. Maybe you'll like the music and maybe you won't, or perhaps you'll be like me and like some it and not the rest. The problem, however, is that the picture relies too heavily upon it. Teens, their music and feelings. Lots of scenes merely of figures riding around in cars. Drama frequently trying to be wrought from texting and social media. When the tortuous theatrics are, at last, wrapped up, it comes as a relief.

31-year-old director Trey Edward Shults didn't decide to go modest with his third feature. Waves is a big, broad movie, about many relationships, many deep feelings, many social issues. It doesn't always succeed, but boy, it was worth the effort!

Shults focuses on an upscale African-American family in an affluent suburb in Florida. The son's a HS wrestling star, the daughter is quiet and sweet, the dad's successful but tough on his kids because he knows the cost of success particularly for a black family, and the mom, who's in medicine, is an empathic parent. But this seemingly idyllic set-up is shattered in the first minute by the jumping camera and raucous music. The tension is palpable. Something is going to happen throughout this film, but we don't quite know what. (Fear of the unknown was a hallmark of Shults's other notable film, It Comes at Night.)

So this movie is not for the faint-hearted, but it's got a lot to say. About fathers and sons, parents and children, young love, sharing (or not sharing) secrets, hate, anger, and forgiveness, and the effects that great pain - physical and psychic - have on the soul. Needless to say, with this ambitious an agenda, some things work better than others. Some silly plot errors bugged me, but maybe it just doesn't matter much. Another issue that's been raised: a white director working with a black-centric story; didn't bother me, but it's been talked about. Still, the film is never boring, never static, and never mails it in. Even if 75% of the plot and message works, that was good enough for me. It is NOT easy to watch, but it has a lot to say.

Fasten your seatbelts!