Movie Review: If Beale Street Could Talk

Written by Juliana Ukiomogbe

Director Barry Jenkins has a knack for bringing tenderness to the screen. Through his previous films Medicine for Melancholy and the Oscar-winning Moonlight, he has exceeded expectations and has shown the transformative nature of beautiful filmmaking. In his latest film, Jenkins adapts a novel by James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk.

Set in 1970s Harlem, the story is about 19-year-old Tish who falls in love with her childhood friend Fonny. Their relationship is put through trials and tribulations when Fonny is sent to prison for a crime he did not commit. Some themes that the film presents ranges from romantic love to mass incarceration to sexual assault. All of these ingredients make for a very harrowing and remarkable film.

There are so many notable performances, but especially Regina King (Tish’s mother), Colman Domingo (Tish’s father), Teyonah Parris (Tish’s sister), and last but certainly not least, Brian Tyree Henry (Fonny’s friend). Barry Jenkins does a great job of bringing out the very best of each actor, and their greatness radiates off the screen. The film also looks and sounds very beautiful. The cinematography and score definitely add to Beale Street’s charm.

While the film is great in various ways, there are some things that are worth noting. Tish does some voice-over throughout the film with lines taken directly out of Baldwin’s novel. The main reason why this stylistic choice is a bit jarring is because it felt out of place. The film also jumps between flashbacks to present-day quite a lot and this made the story feel choppy at times and it was hard to know where we were in the overall narrative. These attributes, though evident, do not greatly detract from the beauty of the film.

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Overall, if you’re a fan of Barry Jenkins, James Baldwin, or just love great cinema, I would definitely recommend If Beale Street Could Talk. The way it depicts love is really beautiful and it raises a lot of questions about the prison industrial complex. Please go see it if you haven’t already because it is truly a sight to behold!