If Beale Street Could Talk

Well directed and acted. Pacing is very slow even by slow-burn standards. Not much payoff. Repetitive at times. Interesting topics brought up and explored. Good sense of details. Feels authentic and warm. Feels like a short story made into a feature film that could use a lot more trimming and material.

This film is based on James Baldwin's novel of the same name. I read it at the time and was very moved. It told me so much I didn't know. But that was in 1974, and one has heard the same story over and over since then. Barry Jenkins is telling a period piece, a mood piece. It is brilliantly acted and gorgeously shot. The music is too loud, but maybe that is deliberately appropriate. The narrative moves very slowly, with the deceptive languor of the South. That might work if it were set in the South, but it's not; it's Harlem. It has the feel of 1974, and it certainly could be New York - or Philadelphia or Baltimore - or Chicago or Detroit (which was only beginning to disintegrate then). In short, it doesn't feel tethered. Memphis, it is not. The result is that, unlike Moonlight, which was very involving, this film is rather stereotypical. Again, that was new in 1974. But not now. Today, we see the same stories over and over on TV screens - some of which are sadly still all too true, and others which are probably ginned up and definitely exploitive. I kept looking at my watch and thinking, "will nothing ever happen?", and it didn't. In short, If Beale Street Could Talk does look impressive. (Jenkins' fans are already gushing. And I am one, but I'm not blown away.) Moonlight it is not.

This movie was amazing! It was refreshing to see your true love story. I also love the way it told the story of a generation of lost men and shattered families at the hands of institutionalized racism. And how I generation of single mothers came to exist in America. Well written, well acted and beautifully shot.

Two years after sending shockwaves through the film world with "Moonlight," which went on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, Barry Jenkins is back with "If Beale Street Could Talk." Needless to say, the film is excellent and is everything one could hope a follow-up to "Moonlight" would be. The film follows a young African-American couple in Harlem before and during when the man is wrongfully accused of sexual assault. While such difficult subject matter could feel slightly tone-deaf to some in the era of #MeToo, viewers should rest assured that Jenkins handles the material with a delicate and incredibly thoughtful sense of sensitivity. Like "Moonlight," the film's aesthetic qualities feel almost lyrical in tone, which is a beautiful sight to behold. The score is also superb as well, managing to be both quietly rousing and emotionally stirring.

Jenkins' technique of characterizing the setting or settings where his films are set is put to great use here. New York City feels almost like a character in this film, as it adds a rich tapestry to the film's narrative. This sense is heightened further when paired with a meticulous sound design, where even simple and day-to-day sounds like a subway car rolling into the station enhance the viewing experience. The acting is strong and quietly powerful from beginning to end, and the amount of thoughtful character development that Jenkins deploys throughout the story's narrative is commendable. The same can be said to the film's frequent use of narration. In many other films, this could have come off as annoying, but the film uses this tactic to great ends here by primarily using it to enhance the audience's emotional connection to the characters. Such a connection further builds up the powerful nature of the film's narrative, which makes a powerful and deeply tragic statement on the nature of racism without ever resorting to feeling heavy-handed by the end. I will note that the film does take some time to get going and has a few minor redundancies in its beginning scenes. But otherwise, this film is superb and on par with "Moonlight" in quality. Baldwin's prose is not just honored in this film, but it is cherished. 9/10

I think it is safe to say that If Beale Street Could Talk was my most anticipated film of 2018, given how masterful the trailer was. I was so excited. The trailer made me sob tears of sadness, but also of joy, and I could not wait for the film. Well, I saw the film today, and despite how excellent the film was, I was slightly disappointed. And when I say disappointed, I do not mean the film was bad by any means. But aw man, I was really expecting a flipping masterpiece.

Now, here are the positives. If Beale Street Could Talk is the most aesthetically pleasing film I have ever seen. From the vibrant colors (especially the shades of yellow) to the 360 degree camera movement to the beautiful close ups of every man and woman's face, I could not help but be in awe of the cinematography and editing in this film. It is extraordinary. This is hands down the most beautiful film I have ever seen. It was absolutely superb.

I also thought this was the best acted film of probably the past several years, if I am being honest. Newcomer KiKi Layne delivers such an extraordinary performance, from her subtle facial movements to her beautiful inflections in her voice to her mannerisms. I loved her performance so much. I also thought Stephan James had the most charming and romantic dialogue, but his delivery made it even more consistent and real. The chemistry between the two blew Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's interactions from A Star is Born out of the water. I also do not want to neglect all of the supporting cast, especially from Colman Domingo and Regina King.

The music broke my heart. It is constructed so eloquently, and as I listen to "Agape" by Nicholas Britell, I want to start sobbing. It is that well-done. The score has this sense of mysterious intrigue, yet euphoric hypnotism that also has a hint of sadness and uncertainty that draws you in so perfectly. It is my favorite score of the decade, if I am being honest. It is that well-composed.

Now, I can go on and on about the merits of this film, because there are tons. But I do have some problems, and it breaks my heart that there is even anything "wrong" with this movie. Now, I was under the impression that this film would be about the love story between two African Americans during the 1970s, that would be tested amidst a false accusation and an unexpected pregnancy. Now, while I was up for all of that, I feel like the film becomes a tad bit unfocused. While the first half of the film deals with the love story so passionately, the second half takes time away from our two leads and gives time to supporting characters that are not as important to me. I understand that the false accusation had to be delved into a bit, but the film got a little too involved with that, and it made me kind of disappointed that the love story was being neglected for the sake of explaining more of something I didn't care as much about. I just feel like Barry Jenkins gave everything his all with about eighty percent of the film, but he wasn't as into some of the legal/false accusation stuff, and felt the need to include it for whatever reason. That is just me though. I also think a minor performance from a character was kind of awful. It was a very small, yet critical part of the film, and given how superb everyone else was, this one woman's acting stuck out like a sore thumb.Along with that, a friend of Fonny shows up, and although he delivers a fantastic performance, I think the scene involving him was unimportant and did not really tie with the rest of the film all that much.

I also think the film was not just unfocused, but a little tonally inconsistent too. One second, the film has you in tears, but without even giving time for the audience to breathe, a narration happens with pumped up jazz and Harlem Renaissance music that feels a little too soon. There are moments of sadness, tears, despair, but also hope, feelings that I thought were displayed perfectly here. However, some comedy was included along with some genuine moments of suspense, but I don't think they really fit. What I am really trying to say is that all of these individual elements are phenomenal on their own, but they do not mesh well together at certain parts here, which makes the film drag in some places, which I really hate saying, because I loved so much of the film.

Anyways, I want to see this film over and over again, regardless of my complaints. It is a such a fantastic and unique love story that is in the backdrop of some horrible times within the United States. Perhaps, the problems I have will be forgiven in the future. Only time will tell. Regardless of what happens, the film's score will always have a special place in my ears.