Kerry's depiction of a mother worries for her missing son is highly believable. The fact that she, who is black, is met by a young police officer, who is white, and that they have to grapple with their individual reactions to each other i.e. inexperience and all too common micro aggressions on his part and a different lived experience and suspicion on her part made for uncomfortable but riveting scenes. Also loved the scene between her and the more seasoned cop which, besides displaying an overuse of force by a black officer, also delivered some difficult truths.
I love that there were so many layers to the plot besides the scenes between the mother and the police officers. The film also succeeds in showing the aftermath of a marriage that has completely broken down and just how far people can drift from those first blissful moments in a relationship. Anyone whose ever been through a bitter break-up will surely recognize the truths in these scenes.
The transition from Broadway to television was, in my opinion, extremely well done. The focus was squarely on the four performers which is where it should be and not on a whole lot of Hollywood-type frills. Makes me wish I had seen the original play.
