I miss writing about movies on regular basis and, unfortunately, the football grind became completely overwhelming down the stretch in 2022 and I was facing some serious burnout. However, the beginning of 2023 has me feeling rejuvenated and ready to get back into it but I do have a lot of ’22 movies to catch up on. So, we are going to try something new to help me work my way through it.
It’s time for “Round-Up Roulette!!”
I’m taking all the ’22 movies on my review to-do list, putting them on the wheel of destiny, and letting the wheel do the rest. On the first spin, the wheel has chosen Chinonye Chukwu’s film Till based on the true story of Mamie Till-Mobley and the lynching of her son Emmett. Till is a somber and brutal story of racism in the American South in 1955 but also a tale of grief, resilience, and a poignant reminder of how often history repeats itself.
After Emmett Till is lynched in Mississippi, his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley must face down her immense grief and take action in an attempt to bring her son’s killers to justice.
I saw this film in November during a stretch of other films that were getting lined up for awards season and it was one of many that fell to the back burner. However, it’s recently popped back up because of the Oscar nominations and the exclusion/snubbing of Danielle Deadwyler from the Best Actress conversation.
Deadwyler was great in this film and it couldn’t have been easy to play a real person of such importance and also carry the kind of emotional ballast needed to portray a grieving mother in her most vulnerable moments. We have to witness her shatter and slowly start to rebuild and she pulls it off with poise and grace.
I had seen Tár a few weeks before this and Cate Blanchett set the bar almost impossibly high for ’22, but that’s not really fair to Deadwyler’s very different style of character and the portrayal of her. She is the heart and soul of the film and she is also very much the best part of it by a decent margin. While I still have my own rankings for best performances from a leading actress, taking a step back and looking at the Academy nominees, I can say with full confidence that Deadwyler should be in there.
Writer/Director Chinoye Chukwu seems to be clearly drawing parallels between the tragic story of Emmett Till and more recent events like the killing of George Floyd. However, one of my favorite aspects of the script from Chukwu, Michael Reilly, and Keith Beauchamp is how it more subtly (maybe unintentionally) decries co-opting personal tragedy. Mamie was trying to grieve for her son and make sense of everything that happened, and she is approached on all sides by people trying to steer her in one direction or another to their own end.
Because she is vulnerable, she doesn’t have much choice but to rely on what seems like the kind-heartedness of others. However, there’s one scene in particular where she’s quietly processing things on her porch and she’s approached to be the face of the cause. She’s essentially being guilted into cooperation in that scene and does, in fact, come around to that position but I couldn’t help but feel even more sorry that her mourning was being infringed upon. Whether that was the point or not, having experienced a lot of personal loss myself, it made me question those who would invade that space to pressure a grieving mother…regardless of their intention.
We are also treated to a reminder that Whoopi Goldberg is a fantastic actress when she turns it on. Here she plays Mamie’s mom (IIRC) and she is in the unfortunate position of not only losing her grandson but also having to watch her own child grieve that loss. Goldberg navigates those corridors precariously but with purpose and it makes me want to see her in more stuff like that.
While it skews toward the more formulaic approach, it’s a solid and well-made film that’s worthwhile for its message and relevance.
Recommendation: If for no other reason, see it for Deadwyler’s performance.
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