A familiar but well done movie romance.
While this may be the same basic love story I have seen in a thousand or so movies, I can't deny that this film told it very well. The characters are not the two dimensional caricatures, that you see in too many of these movies, but rather they feel like real human beings. This is due both to the acting of our two leads (LaKeith Stanfield, Issa Rae) and some cleverly written dialogue by Stella Meghie (who also directed the movie). This makes some of the cliché bits feel earned since we care about these characters and do want to see them get together.
While the main characters are not two dimensional caricatures, pretty much all the supporting characters are. Also while our main characters are given some smart dialogue, the supporting cast is given much more cliché and less interesting things to say.
There is no way to talk about this movie without praising its fantastic musical score. Robert Glasper's lovely jazz influenced score is beyond lovely to listen to. Glasper has said in the past that Miles Davis was a major influence on him (he even scored a movie about Miles Davis, Miles Ahead (2015)) and that influence definitely can be heard here. I admit to being a bit of a newcomer to Miles Davis' music (re-watching the movie, Elevator to the Gallows (1958), for which Miles did the score converted me), but I would be lying if I didn't say I was in love with the music. While no one can sound quite like Miles, Robert has some of the same pure passion that makes his influence's music so powerful. There is a soft powerful beauty to the music here, that just captured me from the second the film started. This movie has made me want to check out some of Robert Glasper's non-film music and I think that is one of the best compliments I can give a film score. This movie also uses some R&B songs on the soundtrack and each one is used perfectly.
This film also features lovely cinematography from Marc Swartzbard, who makes the movie feel like you are stepping into the way an artist like Mae's mother sees the world around her.
This is far from a perfect movie, but there is a lot to recommend here. Heck the score alone is reason enough to see this film.
-Michael J. Ruhland
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