The Photograph

This film is just very boring. The story is contrived, and I cannot connect with any of the characters at all. The constant heavy rain outside is annoying as well.

The Photograph (2020) is a movie my fiancée and I caught in theaters as soon as it was released. The story centers around a woman who feels incapable of finding happiness without sabotaging it-something that plagued her mother and that she believes she inherited. Meanwhile, a man she meets has a father who regrets not pursuing the love of his life, instead choosing to stick with what was safe and familiar. Both characters hope to learn from their parents' mistakes and make better choices for their futures.

Directed by Stella Meghie (The Weekend), the film stars Issa Rae (Insecure), LaKeith Stanfield (Get Out), Lil Rel Howery (Bird Box), Chanté Adams (Bad Hair), and Y'lan Noel (Insecure).

The storyline is solid and well-paced, and I appreciated how the various love stories were intertwined. The concept and writing were strong, but the acting was unfortunately uneven. Issa Rae often plays awkward characters, and in this role, I'm not sure it suited her skillset. The chemistry between her and Stanfield felt forced and unnatural, more acted than believable. Despite the quality writing and engaging subplots, the film fell a bit short for me.

That said, it's still a good movie with a worthwhile story, even if it doesn't reach the emotional heights of something like The Notebook. I'd give it a solid 7/10.

I loved the imagery, the backdrop of New Orleans, the story, though predictable, developed well. Good love story, romantic and endearing.

I saw this movie on Valentine's Day with my besties, and we were all enamored by the film. Strong nuanced characters and good writing. Oh, and the souundtrack was amazing. It was two love stories in one and both narratives unfolded in a charming way.

Production: Pretty basic all around. Nothing really stands out, but it isn't bad. Some continuity issues just like every other film. The music really sets the tone of the film. The script is a little dull/generic. 6/10.

On Screen: The acting was okay. Lakeith Stanfield made his character Michael Block, believable but, on the other hand, Issa Rae's character Mae Morton, wasn't. She didn't really have acting range. It's like she is uncomfortable the entire film. Additionally, the secondary characters are just cookie cutouts typical love movie motifs. Also, there are some plot holes that made the secondary story a little confusing. 6/10.

Content/Impact: To see black love portrayed in film is a rarity in itself. The best way to describe this film is love. The love that they show between black men and women, black women, and black men in a positive light, for the most part, is essential to tell our stories from a normalized perspective. This is what happens when we tell our own stories. 8/10.

Overall: It's a solid Valentine's day film to see with your loved ones, but because of the slow nature of this film, the performances needs to be outstanding and this falls short. I'll give it an 6.6/10.