Film Review - If Beale Street Could Talk

Tish (KiKi Layne) and Fonny (Stephan James) have a true love forged over a friendship that started in childhood then blossomed when they became adults. They would do anything for each other  pledging to stand by each other then Tish becomes pregnant just before outside forces rip them apart. As in James Baldwin's source material novel director Barry Jenkins sees Beale street as larger than this couple, their story, the street in Memphis where blues is said to have originated a neighbourhood in Memphis, New York or Chicago its instead a commentary on what happens to young black men in America on a regular basis. A theme explored multiple times in 2018 in The Hate U Give, Blindspotting  and Monsters and Men to name just a few. Fonny is accused of a rape where the victim is long gone from the country and not coming back to testify. As she is out of the picture the policeman who has a beef with Fonny and brought the charges is on the other side of the ledger. Tish's mom Sharon (Regina King) goes as far as traveling to Puerto Rico to convince the victim to come back and tell the truth. She is a polar opposite to Fonny's devoutly religious mother (Aunjanue Ellis) flanked by Fonny's sisters who don't and never have approved of Tish setting the stage for one of the best family exchanges on film in 2018 when Tish calls the families together to announce that she is pregnant.

Jenkins takes his time to tell the tale that is set in the present of Fonny's incarceration but jumps to happier times in the past, when they get their first apartment, Fonny introducing Tish to his Village neighbourhood hangouts and friends, and when the couple makes love for the first time. The lush colours are centre stage throughout under the watchful eye of Jenkin's cinematographer James Laxton.

Relative newcomer leads Kiki Layne and Stephan James play the eternal optimist despite the latter's incarceration setting years of at penal facilities. Regina King commands the screen
as Tish's mom Sandra. She's the main advocate for the couple, gets Fonny a credible lawyer doing whatever she can to help his case. Look for Brian Tyree Henry of Atlanta fame who also has a significant role in Steve McQueen's Widows as Fonny's longtime friend who just was released from prison telling a haunting tale of his experiences while inside.

If Beale Street Could Talk is at its centre a tragic love story. Jenkins presentation pulls at the audience's heartstrings in his non- linear telling of the events. The heart wrenching never wavering, love, devotion, and commitment of the couple rings true as they grow older evidenced by their son growing up in front of us coming to see Dad in prison. Its a nuanced tale that found the right hand to guide it making it a film that I can highly recommend.

**** Out of 4.

If Beale Street Could Talk | Barry Jenkins | U.S.A. | 2018 | 119 Minutes.

Tags: Harlem, Pregnancy, Rape, Victim, Line Up, Prison, Religion, Visitation, Puerto Rico, Beat Cop, False Accusation.