With breathtaking cinematography and engaging storytelling, If Beale Street Could Talk is a beautiful piece of cinema.
Based on James Baldwin’s 1974 novel of the same name, If Beale Street Could Talk focuses on the lives of an African-American family living in New York. Childhood sweethearts Tish (KiKi Lanye) and Fonny (Stephan James) are expecting a baby when Fonny is arrested for a rape that he is unlikely to have been able to commit, the film follows the couple and their extended family trying to pick up the pieces of Fonny’s imprisonment.
As you might expect from Barry Jenkins, the director of the Oscar-winning Moonlight, this is at times at staggeringly beautiful film; its subtle but effective. The combination of the cinematography and the superb performances from the leads really pull you into the emotion of the story. That being said it never quite hits the heights of his previous film, but not a lot does so that can hardly be levelled as a criticism.
Jenkin’s writing is once again superb. The dialogue is utterly convincing and you are left as engaged with the extended family as you are with the couple themselves. There isn’t an underdeveloped character in sight and this is perhaps as much to do with the supporting cast as the writer himself. Regina King (deservedly Oscar-nominated) and Colman Domingo are both outstanding as Tish’s parents but there isn’t a sub-par performance from anyone central to the story.
It’s hard to pick holes in something as technically competent as this, but there is one pretty major gripe and that’s with the ‘stunt casting’ of recognisable Hollywood stars in minor supporting roles; Dave Franco appears towards to middle of the film and whilst his performance is fine it’s a jarring occurrence that takes you immediately out of the story (think Brad Pitt turning up in 12 Years a Slave and you won’t be far off the mark).
Small issues aside, this film is still a fantastic piece of work and when you consider that this is only the director’s third feature film, Barry Jenkins can already consider himself cemented in the upper echelon of directors working today.
Author: Paul, Bath store
