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As soon as the credits roll in Barry Jenkins’ adaptation of James Baldwin’s 1974 novel “If Beale Street Could Talk,” he quotes the author: “Every black person born in America was born on Beale Street, whether in Jackson, Miss., or in Harlem, N.Y..” “Beale Street is our legacy,” says the band. Beale Street, according to Baldwin, is more than just a street that runs through Memphis, Tennessee; it is also a street that runs through the DNA of African-Americans, serving as a symbol of our shared experience in the United States. Despite the fact that we are not all of the same mind, we are all obligated to the issues that Baldwin interrogated and challenged with the words he spoke and wrote, issues such as racism, injustice, and other injustices.
The general narrative of history is written by the victorious, but Black history is preserved and passed on by our storytellers, the people—famous and not—whose life lessons filled in the gaps for what was so often missing from, or corrupted by, the larger narrative of history. Those who have survived to tell the tale of their struggles and trials form a generational artery that can never be severed as long as there is someone left to tell the story.
In “If Beale Street Could Talk,” Jenkins made a wise decision by allowing the original storyteller to live and breathe throughout the entire production. When the director and his cinematographer James Laxton execute the director’s trademark of having his actors look into the camera, we can feel Baldwin’s gaze on us. They are literally staring at each other — and, by extension, at us — with a devotion that is as tangible as the image that we are witnessing. The gentlest and most subtle of gestures and emotions can cause this love story to take a fluttery flight, just as they do in all love stories. However, even at his most romantic, Baldwin never allows the reader to become too immersed in the fantasy; the barbed scorpion’s tail of harsh reality is ever-present, ready to strike at any moment and break the spell at any time. Realistic details are presented in such a straightforward manner that they are seamlessly integrated into the narrative without the need for embellishment.
Similarly, the first words we see and the first words we hear are written by Baldwin. Tish (KiKi Layne, making her feature film debut in a stunning performance) says something that can be found on page four of the book: “I hope that no one has ever had to look at anyone they love through a piece of glass.” Fonny (Stephan James), her boyfriend and the father of her unborn child, is the person she holds most dearly behind glass. Fonny is being held in prison for a rape that he did not commit. Every time we see him in prison, we’re reminded of the cruelly taunting symbolism of Baldwin’s line, which is repeated over and over. While glass is transparent to the eye, it is impervious to the touch, just as a lover’s embrace is simultaneously close and far away.
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However, there is no “woe-is-me”-style posturing in these scenes, which is refreshing. Instead, Fonny and Tish discover a semblance of normalcy that is tinged with sadness and boosted by hope, despite their circumstances. Occasionally, the duo will laugh at themselves or at the situations they find themselves in, sharing the gallows humor that has become entrenched in the lives of the oppressed or downtrodden. Throughout “If Beale Street Could Talk,” this type of dark humor weaves its way through the story, sometimes leading to a sense of relief, and other times becoming stuck in one’s throat when situations become tense. In this film, we learn that suffering and happiness are strange bedfellows, diametrically opposed emotions that are quite often drawn together, sometimes even within the same beat.
Thanks to the retelling of his love story, Jenkins is able to tinker with the timeline and keep Fonny out of prison for the majority of the movie. We witness the development of Fonny and Tish from rebellious, somewhat antagonistic children to devoted soulmates over the course of the series. These latter scenes of blossoming affection are masterfully orchestrated by Jenkins, who maintains a sense of pace and timing that, combined with Nicholas Britell’s superb score, makes the viewer swoon. During these moments, there’s a woozy affectation to them, almost like being in love, as Alan Jay Lerner once put it. The result is that whenever the narrative shifts back to Fonny, who is trapped behind that glass, we are left feeling bewildered and bewildered.
The main characters are surrounded by their respective, supportive families. The parents and siblings of Fonny and Tish are as memorable and well-drawn as the main characters, and they are played by a murderers’ row of superb character actors, led by the brilliant Regina King as the mother. Tish’s family is the first people we meet. Tish’s parents, Sharon and Joseph (King and Colman Domingo, respectively), as well as her sister, Ernestine (Teyonah Parris), are the first to learn of her impending pregnancy. A series of meticulously crafted moments unfold throughout the sequence, almost as if they were sculpted by Jenkins and his actors, none of whom are afraid of the awkward pauses that would naturally occur during this type of conversation in real life.
If Beale Street Could Talk Quiz
King conducts herself in this scene as if she already knows what her daughter is about to reveal to her. Sharon’s “yes, baby?” response to Tish’s “yes, baby?” call before pausing to formulate her thoughts is so delicate and impeccably rendered that we’re amazed that King could wring that much maternal love out of just two words. Parris amplifies the impact of the moment even further. The fierceness in her voice is meant to instill pride in the listener. “Unbow your head, sister,” she says. The bond that has formed between these women appears to be unbreakable, which is a testament to the actors’ ability to create it in such a short period of time.
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As an added bonus, Ernestine provides some comic relief during the extremely tense meeting that takes place after James decides to invite Fonny’s parents over to share the good news with them. Fonny’s parents are played by Michael Beach and Aunjanue Ellis, both of whom are always a pleasure to see. They are joined by Fonny’s sisters for the journey (Ebony Obsidian and Dominique Thorne). While the men get along like a house on fire, there is a palpable tension among the women, who appear to tolerate one another less robustly than the men do. “It’s like a house on fire,” says one of the women. The Hunt women clearly believe they are superior, and Tish’s pregnancy will undoubtedly provide them with something to brag about in the future.
Jenkins’ casting of this parental meeting, which is the novel’s most memorable scene, reveals itself to be extremely clever, especially if you are familiar with the actors involved. Beach is always a slang term for someone who is unimportant, Domingo is boisterous but unflappable, and Ellis is a master at quickly defining her conceited and self-centered characters. The Hunts are a Sanctified family who will immediately elicit nods of recognition from anyone who has Sanctified ancestors, despite the fact that Mr. Hunt is not a strict adherent of the religious doctrine. One of those moments occurs when things come to a boil in a vicious manner, and big laughs are followed by even bigger surprises. Despite the fact that Jenkins softens Baldwin’s verbal vitriol, the scene is just as effective as it is in the book.
Each of Fonny and Tish’s memorable scenes together is a standout, from their first night of lovemaking to their attempt to rent an apartment in a neighborhood where the current tenants do not want them to live. This latter scene features Dave Franco in the role of a landlord, which at first glance appeared to be a stunt casting choice (the critics at my screening audibly groaned, in fact). His colleagues Layne and James work together to create an ebullient, magical scene of pantomime that, in less capable hands, would come across as silly and cliched. It’s the most upbeat scene in the entire film. However, because we know what is in store for Fonny in the future, there is an underlying sadness as well.
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Despite the fact that “If Beale Street Could Talk” is a collection of vignettes, the film is more cohesive than most films of this genre. Each individual piece is connected to the dual running threads of its own love story as well as its own story of injustice. Despite the fact that there are White cops in the latter story who are clearly villainous, the mistaken rape victim is also a person of color who has fled to Puerto Rico in order to deal with her traumatic experience. As a result of this development, Sharon travels to Puerto Rico in an attempt to bring her back so that she can clear Fonny’s name. Sharon mulls over how she should dress before attempting to track down the woman in question. This scene unfolds without the use of words, but King performs it so physically well that no words are required. When she’s deciding whether to wear a wig or her natural hair, there’s an unapologetic Blackness to her thought process—the it’s hairstyle equivalent of code-shifting—and whatever she decides on seems right, at least in that moment.
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“If Beale Street Could Talk” leaves the viewer with feelings of rage at the fate that society forces Fonny to accept, but it also inspires hope for Fonny and Tish’s future together. Despite the fact that this isn’t a happy film, it isn’t a hopeless one, either. The most striking thing you’ll take away from this experience is that although Baldwin’s novel was written 44 years ago, it is still relevant today. For people of color, not much has changed, which is probably not surprising given the author’s background. Despite this, he would insist that we not give up. That message is conveyed effectively in this film. The struggle is real, but the joy is also there. We are born, we grow up, we laugh, we love, and we die. We, on the other hand, are not gone. Our story continues, with our storytellers bringing it to a close.
“If Beale Street Could Talk” is currently available to watch on Hulu.
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