If Beale Street Could Talk - A Film By Barry Jenkins

[Kane52630]

 

[Lencho01]

Some info...

The film opens November 30th and stars Kiki Layne, Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Dave Franco, Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal, Ed Skrein, Brian Tyree Henry, and Regina King.

Here’s the synopsis for James Baldwin’s If Beale Street Could Talk:

In this honest and stunning novel, James Baldwin has given America a moving story of love in the face of injustice. Told through the eyes of Tish, a nineteen-year-old girl, in love with Fonny, a young sculptor who is the father of her child, Baldwin’s story mixes the sweet and the sad. Tish and Fonny have pledged to get married, but Fonny is falsely accused of a terrible crime and imprisoned. Their families set out to clear his name, and as they face an uncertain future, the young lovers experience a kaleidoscope of emotions–affection, despair, and hope. In a love story that evokes the blues, where passion and sadness are inevitably intertwined, Baldwin has created two characters so alive and profoundly realized that they are unforgettably ingrained in the American psyche.
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[Persona]

This looks phenomenal. I liked Moonlight but this looks like maybe Jenkins kicked it up another notch. The vision looks more assured than ever, the cinematography is extra gorgeous this time out.

And as far as the trailer goes, man, that audio clip of James Baldwin is used to perfection.

 

[Lencho01]

Toronto Film Review: ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’
'If Beale Street Could Talk': Film Review | TIFF 2018
Barry Jenkins delivers a tragic '70s love story in If Beale Street Could Talk: EW TIFF review
‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ Review: Barry Jenkins Turns James Baldwin Novel Into a Masterful Poetic Romance — TIFF
If Beale Street Could Talk review – Barry Jenkins' tragic romance soars
Like James Baldwin’s Best Work, If Beale Street Could Talk Contains Multitudes
If Beale Street Could Talk TIFF 2018 Review
TIFF 2018 REVIEW: IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK Is Another Barry Jenkins Masterpiece

 

[James.B]

 

[terry78]

classic story, will definitely be checking it out.

 

[Incrediblejeff]

I read the book recently and I can't wait for this.

 

[Persona]

Book is amazing, one of the better American novels, I think.

2nd trailer not as effective as the first, but this still looks pretty great.

Poster is weak.

 

[Lencho01]

TCFF Review: IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK Is A Perfect Marriage Of Auteur And Adaptation

 

[Lencho01]

This Moody Track From the Beale Street Score Will Put You Right in Your Feelings

 

[Lencho01]

 

[Slick]

Beautiful score.

 

[AResistor]

This right here is the film that should win best picture. My interest in it from the trailers was mild, but the movie itself - I felt like I was watching an instant classic and that doesn't happen very often. I saw 161 films this year and by and far 'If Beale Street Could Talk' was the best.

 

[OnTheAir]

 

[samsnee]

She’s come a long way from playing Cuba Gooding’s wife. Well deserved.

 

[a user]

Why didn't this get a Best Picture nomination? Eight isn't the maximum, is it?

 

[terry78]

I did finally see it and it really should have been in that spot. But I guess more than two black themed flicks was one too many.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I think it was because the studio behind this movie put more emphasis on Vice. Vice had a robust above the line showing (it was nominated for every big prize except Best Actress) whereas If Beale Street Could Talk had only Regina King's supporting Actress nom going for it along-with best adapted screenplay.

 

[Lencho01]

Today’s Work Soundtrack Is If Beale Street Was Chopped and I’m Going to Flourish Because of It

 

[scarlet-witch]

The production company did a terrible job of marketing this. They were banking on word of mouth instead of actually promoting it. The problem was they weren't releasing it in enough cities for people to actually see it. My own theater didn't open it until the weekend of the Oscars, then only held on to it for a week or two after the fact.

 

[Deck Rickard]

This was the best film of 2018. It’s tragic that this didn’t even get a best picture nomination. I’m glad Regina King won, but this should have also gotten noms for director, cinematography and actor (Stephan James). This film was powerful and it’s a film that feels very pertinent right now.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

This movie was powerful, spoke to me on so many levels as a black man. I just cannot get that musical score out of my head. The scene where they made love for the first time reminded me of Love and Basketball with a little bit of The Wood thrown in.

 

[Deck Rickard]

It’s an excellent movie. Pretty much perfect, I’d say.

 

[Persona]

This is on Hulu now!

So, hmm. Man. It's weird, this is an almost slavishly faithful adaptation of the book (though a couple important moments are left out and I'm really not sure why, especially when the film seemed to be ready to go into those moments--particularly one involving Fonny's dad) and it's a truly great book and this has some very fine performances, lovely camerawork, truly wonderful score... but.

It's a good movie. But something didn't quite click into place for me. There are numerous moments where you can almost feel it about to become great--like Daniel Carty's scene--but then it loses it.

I don't know, maybe the fragmentary nature of the book doesn't work as well when translated into cinema. The movie never finds a way to build its mood or tension or really anything, and the central relationship is ably acted but doesn't have quite enough chemistry to fully convince you. The film really lingers on some scenes that maybe it could have lingered less on (though a number of scenes are also great for that lingering and measured pace), and glosses over other moments that could have probably used a bit more time.

It's really odd because Jenkins does add some stuff to the ending to try to give it more of a resolution, I guess, but in a weird way it feels less resolved than the ending of the book, and I think that's because the movie doesn't really spend enough time laying the thematic groundwork for the ending it delivers. It's an ending that works more in a context outside of the film and if you know anything about James Baldwin, but in terms of the movie itself it feels almost tacked on.

Like I said, good movie, but something's holding it back from great, in my mind, and it's kind of hard to pinpoint exactly what that is aside from some of the stuff I mentioned above.