I hope Teyana Taylor doesn't pay too much attention to awards because she will be ignored for the reasons we all know - lol, not even esteemed black actresses with excellent performances in big studio films are recognized - but she has every reason to be proud of this work. It's a big surprise to me, as she didn't even take the easy route in this role, which would have been to go a bit over-the-top in the more emotional scenes. No, she always remains restrained, yet still able to convey all the emotions, making everything real and grounded. William Catlett as Lucky also has his standout moments, and all three actors who portray Terry - with Josiah Cross standing out, although I'm not convinced that 4 years is enough for a change of actor - add more emotional weight, humanity, and realism to it all.
A lot of credit has to be given, obviously, to what A. V. Rockwell was capable to build here. With a fairly simple story and a bit eventless for some, she always manages to keep us interested. The writer and director does it through characters that feel like real people, through a mystery that even when not being discussed, lingers in the air, and she does it by showing us a very vibrant city. You can tell that these people are just a part of that place, of that community, and that many more stories like theirs exist. In that aspect, her approaches to opportunities, the prejudices these people face from birth, the struggle against accumulating obstacles, and about gentrification are very good, even if not very deep.
The mood, the calmness that doesn't mean an absence of conflict, and the way it incorporates culture and music into the story, at times, reminds me of the excellent "The Last Black Man in San Francisco," but this is a story that - despite the parallels - has its differences, and the final act is as surprising as it is emotional, with scenes that will hardly leave my memory. One of the best of the year until now.
A lot of credit has to be given, obviously, to what A. V. Rockwell was capable to build here. With a fairly simple story and a bit eventless for some, she always manages to keep us interested. The writer and director does it through characters that feel like real people, through a mystery that even when not being discussed, lingers in the air, and she does it by showing us a very vibrant city. You can tell that these people are just a part of that place, of that community, and that many more stories like theirs exist. In that aspect, her approaches to opportunities, the prejudices these people face from birth, the struggle against accumulating obstacles, and about gentrification are very good, even if not very deep.
The mood, the calmness that doesn't mean an absence of conflict, and the way it incorporates culture and music into the story, at times, reminds me of the excellent "The Last Black Man in San Francisco," but this is a story that - despite the parallels - has its differences, and the final act is as surprising as it is emotional, with scenes that will hardly leave my memory. One of the best of the year until now.