This film adaptation of James Baldwin's novel about a young black couple in New York City in the mid-20th century is a revelation. It brings to life a story of hope and tragedy in an era that feels both distant and yet not all that different from the present day.
Barry Jenkins shows his master craft in depicting two young people who come from starkly different families, one very religious and the other of a more free-wheeling working class mentality, who find love and companionship with one another. Early on, the young woman discovers she is pregnant with the young man's child. Their lives take a dramatic turn when he is accused of rape.
The film veers from one mood to another, from hope to angst to despair and back again. An incredibly potent soundtrack makes quiet, normal conversations seem pulsatingly tense and seething with emotion. Performances here are extraordinary, especially by Kiki Layne and Stephan James as the young couple.
Not many films offer the kind of evocative, old school storytelling that is at work here. Quiet and deliberate but never less than compelling, this film leaves a mark. Grandly recommended.
Barry Jenkins shows his master craft in depicting two young people who come from starkly different families, one very religious and the other of a more free-wheeling working class mentality, who find love and companionship with one another. Early on, the young woman discovers she is pregnant with the young man's child. Their lives take a dramatic turn when he is accused of rape.
The film veers from one mood to another, from hope to angst to despair and back again. An incredibly potent soundtrack makes quiet, normal conversations seem pulsatingly tense and seething with emotion. Performances here are extraordinary, especially by Kiki Layne and Stephan James as the young couple.
Not many films offer the kind of evocative, old school storytelling that is at work here. Quiet and deliberate but never less than compelling, this film leaves a mark. Grandly recommended.