Unsure About Their Future, a Couple Uses Love to Keep Going

KiKi Layne and Stephan James in
"If Beale Street Could Talk"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Before this year, writer-director Barry Jenkins found a calling for telling stories of people in love and dealing with the troubles that surface.  He did this in 2008 with his debut feature, “Medicine for Melancholy,” then in 2016 for “Moonlight.”  These films capture both the joys and hardships that come with being in a relationship, and he explores this concept through two different and heartfelt scenarios.

Jenkins chooses this as his area of focus again for the romantic drama, “If Beale Street Could Talk.”  Through Jenkins’ customary mix of accomplished direction, rich performances, a layered story, and technical proficiency, he offers another deep view into a relationship that must overcome the obstacles that get in the way of two peoples’ devotion to each other.

In early 1970s Harlem, Tish Rivers (KiKi Layne) and Alonzo Hunt (Stephan James) fall in love.  When Tish becomes pregnant, the two are ready to begin the next chapter of their life.  When Alonzo is accused of assaulting a woman and sent to jail, Tish, her family, and Alonzo’s family will do whatever they can to prove his innocence.

Layne provides a superb breakout performance of a young woman who exemplifies intense commitment to her family and boyfriend as she tries to help Alonzo get out of prison, while also preparing to bring their baby into the world.  Layne gives us a character who's soft-spoken, but one who isn’t afraid to let her feelings out when she needs to be heard.  She brings an unbridled strength as she shows Tish going through her pregnancy and starting a new chapter in her life, all while not knowing whether or not Alonzo will be coming home.  The depth of quiet, yet powerful emotion that Layne puts into her role makes this career-making work that shouldn’t be missed.     

James offers a performance that shows his determination in providing Tish with the best life that he can give her, with a highlighted in a charming scene where they go visit a potential loft.  The happiness that he feels when he’s around Tish makes his time in prison much more heartbreaking because James evokes the feeling of intense loneliness and helplessness as he’s separated from Tish and his family.  Just like Tish, Alonzo doesn’t know what his future holds, and James has to exhibit a range of feelings to reflect that in his character, and he does so to great success.

Regina King, who portrays Tish’s mother, Sharon, shows the understanding and care that her daughter needs during this uncertain time in her life.  In her scenes, King exhibits the protectiveness that her character has for Tish, always being at Tish’s side as the latter experiences her hardships.  Later in the movie, when Sharon travels to Puerto Rico to speak with Alonso’s accuser, who has fled America, King brings out her character’s strong will to prove Alonzo’s innocence, an affecting look out how accepting she is of having Alonzo as part of her family, despite most of his family disagreeing with the matter.   

The supporting cast comes equipped with several memorable performances, such as Teyonah Parris and Colman Domingo as Tish’s sister and father; Aunjanue Ellis and Michael Beach as Alfonzo’s mother and father; and Brian Tyree Henry as Alfonzo’s friend, who’s a standout amongst these performances and is given one of the best scenes in the movie, where he provides Alfonzo with some details about his time in prison, and although it’s played out in an understated manner, it’s nevertheless tense and disquieting.

Jenkins’ screenplay, which is based on James Baldwin’s 1974 novel of the same name, uses narration from Tish as a way to go back and forth between the past and present as we see her and Alonzo’s time together before the latter’s arrest.  During the sequences that occur in the past, we’re given a beautiful look into Tish and Alonzo’s relationship as the possibilities of the world seem endless to them.  What makes the transitions between the past and present so potent is how we’re able to feel Tish’s sense of longing for simpler times as she recalls the happier moments that she experienced with Alonzo.  We see these events along with her, but are then taken back with her into the present where she has to contend with Alonzo being away from her.  It’s a poignant examination of dedicating your life to someone who you love and having your joyful memories of that person help you get through difficult times and keeping that love alive.

Jenkins re-teams with James Laxton, who provided the cinematography for both of director’s previous films.  Just like with “Medicine for Melancholy” and “Moonlight,” Laxton uses several long takes as a way to let events play out in real time, making us feel closer to the goings-on for the characters and letting us experience them as they do.

Another similarity between “If Beale Street Could Talk” and Jenkins’ previous two films is that he often has passages of the movie transpire with little dialogue, or none at all.  Through these scenes, we’re drawn further into the lives of the characters, and with magnificent framing from Laxton and a beautiful score from Nicholas Britell (who provided the music for “Moonlight”), there’s magic that’s brought to these scenes.  One of the best examples of this is the opening scene where we have Tish and Alonzo taking a walk, and they ask each other if they’re ready to take the next step in their relationship.  With these minimal-dialogue and dialogue-free scenes that focus on Tish and Alonzo, you get a strong sense of their love, a bond that will help them rise above whatever misfortunes that life brings. 

After gaining attention with “Moonlight,” Jenkins became a cinematic vision to follow, and his work with “If Beale Street Could Talk” continues to present him as such with this deep and genuine love story. 

Grade: A