User reviews

A few memorable lines buried in a straight to video storyline and lots of 1st year film class acting. The main character's supposed 'edgy contradictions' is interesting until one discovers it's being asked to carry a corporate motel bowl of oatmeal to the finish line.

Slow moving, overly melodramatic story not helped by background Beethoven's fifth.

I was excited for this movie before finishing the book. Today I finished it, and watched the movie. I have to say it's a shame. This audience is disappointed.

First, the plot. The movie changed the story setting to modern day that 'racial segregation' seems weird so it doesn't really reflect the true core of the book, that invisible demarcation and the suffocating oppression. Based on this, everything else changed accordingly, how characters talk(lots of swear but no real conflict is shown), act, (why would Bigger stare at George the opera guy for a few second? What does that mean? It's such a stiff act).

Also, it took one hour for Bigger to kill Mary? And where is the snow?!

Second, the characters. I actually had Ashton Sanders in my mind as Big since his role in Moonlight feels like a match as the Big I was reading. However, he changed the style and looks flashy and devil-may-care (may I say trying too hard to be). Now I think Lakeith Stanfield might do a better job. And everyone in it. Mary and Jan's acting feels also cringy, like a white puppet wanting to please their black audience (I understand in the book they truly are progressive but it doesn't work that way in this setting, so I think it backfired a bit).

Third and most importantly, although the movie is adapted from Native Son the novel, where many issues are discussed (the society, politics, life, relationships and above all, race). But is it possible to recreate a movie faithful to that in today's society? Is filming a black family in great poverty a taboo now? Is displaying the racial discrimination that happened for centuries on the silver screen a sin? Is making a good black movie not preachy possible?

By that I mean, the deafening words from Max the lawyer in the court changed nothing. Raising awareness is not enough for THE ISSUES as in the novel . Now the racial issue has changed in a direction Richard had never thought it would: it has become a lifestyle, a slogan for copy. Everybody(the society) is the Daltons(blind) now (this movie seems to be tailored to please/ or at least not to offend black audiences so it lost a lot of essence in the book where real problems/conflicts show). So I guess the novel itself is timeproof but making it into a movie faithful to its origin (aka GREAT) is impossible now.

P. S. I do like the voiceover but not the lines, clearly Bigger Thomas is a lost boy in the book but here he is just a problem child.

(2019) Native Son DRAMA/ SOCIAL COMMENTARY

Adapted from the novel by Richard Wright that chronicles the native Chicago teenager Thomas (Ashton Sanders) as he eventually gets caught up while employed as a chauffeur Thomas (Ashton Sanders) for Henry Dalton (Bill Camp) and his family. Shown in chapters that showcases his daily and routine life while he meets his love interest, Bessie Mears (KiKi Layne) while living with his mom, sister and young brother.

What he carries with him is a revolver, and it would eventually get him into trouble before he then goes on the run. The ending is kind of a downer.

Focus on the storyline just feel disappointing. It's kinda flat and just a story and little bored.