If Beale Street Could Talk
23/02/19 Filed in: Cinema
Another film that I knew little about before arriving at the cinema, but it has been well reviewed and is strongly considered to be a contender for the Oscars. From Barry Jenkins, the director of Moonlight, here we have another film that explores the depth of human emotions, this time a love story between two young people in Harlem. Life isn't easy in Harlem, and when Tish finds she is pregnant with Fonny's baby, it's far from plain sailing. They are very much in love, and plan to marry, but his bible-quoting mother, along with her daughters, regard Tish as a fallen woman, and say so in no uncertain terms when invited to celebrate the news. Fonny's father puts his wife firmly in her place, very firmly, but it's not a very auspicious start for the young couple. Fortunately Tish's parents are loving and supportive, and when Tish and Fonny finally find a loft, and a landlord who doesn't turn them away because they're black, everything seems to be going to plan.
But no sooner than they have celebrated finding a place, a white man comes on to Tish in a shop, while Fonny is elsewhere buying cigarettes. Fonny arrives and throws the man out but a police officer witnesses the commotion, and although he's assured that Tish and Fonny are 'good people', he has marked Fonny out for retribution. He doesn't have to wait long, implicating Fonny in a rape, despite the evidence showing that he couldn't have been the assailant. But the victim, a Peurto Ricon woman, just wants justice, any justice, so when the police officer says that he saw Fonny fleeing from the crime, she's happy to go along with it. Once in prison Fonny stands little chance of beating the system, despite the valiant efforts of a young white lawyer.
We therefore witness their deep emotions as these two young lovers endure separation while all the time the birth of their child approaches. Tish and her mother are trying everything to clear his name, while her father adopts some less than legal strategies to get the money to pay the lawyer. But the American system doesn't favour a black man in prison, and seems to work harder to keep him there than to evaluate the evidence on his behalf. This, of course, is not a new revelation!
This is a beautifully acted film, with great cinematography and soundtrack. The two leads are utterly convincing, while the supporting roles complete the mesmerising experience.
It is definitely a film worth seeing if you like human drama.
We therefore witness their deep emotions as these two young lovers endure separation while all the time the birth of their child approaches. Tish and her mother are trying everything to clear his name, while her father adopts some less than legal strategies to get the money to pay the lawyer. But the American system doesn't favour a black man in prison, and seems to work harder to keep him there than to evaluate the evidence on his behalf. This, of course, is not a new revelation!
This is a beautifully acted film, with great cinematography and soundtrack. The two leads are utterly convincing, while the supporting roles complete the mesmerising experience.
It is definitely a film worth seeing if you like human drama.