IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK – “Oozes quality in nearly every way”
RATING
DIRECTOR
Barry Jenkins (Moonlight – 2016)
STARRING
- KiKi Layne as Clementine "Tish" Rivers
- Stephan James as Alonzo "Fonny" Hunt
- Regina King as Sharon Rivers, Tish's mother
- Teyonah Parris as Ernestine Rivers, Tish's sister
- Colman Domingo as Joseph Rivers, Tish's father
- Ed Skrein as Officer Bell, a racist police officer
- Emily Rios as Victoria Rogers
- Michael Beach as Frank Hunt, Fonny's father
- Aunjanue Ellis as Mrs. Hunt, Fonny's mother
SYNOPSIS
Based on James Baldwin's novel of the same name.
In early 1970s Harlem, daughter and wife-to-be Tish vividly recalls the passion, respect and trust that have connected her and her artist fiancé Alonzo Hunt (Fonny). Friends since childhood, the devoted couple dream of a future together, but their plans are derailed when Fonny is arrested for a crime he did not commit.
REVIEW SUMMARY
If Beale Street Could Talk is a master class in directing, cinematography, musical scoring and acting. The story itself is as affecting and emotional as Jenkin’s equally great (but sometimes tedious) Academy Award winning film Moonlight. In the acting department, Regina King is effortlessly fantastic in the role of a mother trying to keep it all together. If there is any justice in the world, a certain Oscar will be calling her name this year in the Supporting Actress category. And while it’s a little on the artsy side, you can best believe this movie oozes quality in nearly every way.
BOX OFFICE TOP 5
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