I have seen disappointingly few films likely to get major Oscar nods this year. Since Barry Jenkins also directed Moonlight and this is closer in popularity to that than to Dear White People, I gave it priority.
In early-'70s Harlem, a young man nicknamed Fonny gets charged with rape of a random stranger, Victoria. Fonny's girlfriend, Tish, doesn't believe the testimony for a moment, not just because she trusts him but because quite a few details don't add up. Getting the jury to see it her way is another matter, as Victoria leaves for Puerto Rico and Officer Bell evidently has it in for Fonny. Complicating the situation is Tish's newfound pregnancy, blessed by some relatives and condemned by the more zealous. Regardless, Tish's family already had trouble making ends meet.
Nowhere is the era officially stated; I merely surmised it from the basis on a '74 James Baldwin book, as well as frequent use of the slang "cat." I suspect that the filmmakers didn't want us to view it as a period piece, because they wouldn't be surprised if the same sort of events unfolded today.
We're clearly meant to dwell on Jenkins' pet message that African Americans have it tough. This time, there's a more explicit complaint than in Moonlight about White racism being the cause of their troubles. I note that while some of the Black characters privately decry the entire White race, we don't get well acquainted with many White characters, none of whom acts openly racist. The ones we know best are a decently behaved, if insufficient, defense attorney and a friendly landlord. Even Bell might be biased for other reasons, such as Fonny's prior criminal record and having performed an act of violence (slightly justified but excessive under the law) almost right in front of Bell.
The story of a false rape accusation is extra interesting in the wake of many high-profile sexual assault accusations. From what we see, Victoria isn't some hater out to get a random Black man in trouble; nor did anyone pay her to. She probably was raped by someone else. She may even believe it was Fonny, as she stands by her claim in the presence of only Tish's mom. But it's obvious that Bell influenced her certainty, and she's in no mood to reminisce on the experience. It may be a good idea to keep this story in mind when considering real-life cases.
Jenkins takes the Christopher Nolan approach this time, jumping between the present crisis and the courtship between Tish and Fonny. Fortunately, the chronology is never hard to figure out. Unfortunately, the technique does not help our sense of plot progression when Fonny is in jail in the first scene and still hasn't had his trial near the end. The pace is far from consistent, sometimes nearly glossing over important things and sometimes letting them simmer for emotional impact, whether that means a heated exchange about the coming baby or just a graphic sex scene. I leave it to you to decide whether that's a plus or a minus.
The acting is generally good, perhaps more consistently so than in Moonlight. That said, I'm not sure that anyone stands out above the rest, so I wouldn't know whom to nominate for an award. Several secondary characters get their chance to shine.
IBSCT ends with hope, but it's still not exactly uplifting. Would I support its winning Best Picture at the Academy Awards? That remains to be seen after I check out its competition. I do like it better than The Favourite at least.
No comments:
Post a Comment