The over-arching theme of "If Beale Street Could Talk" is the enduring power of love although it emphasizes the oppressive force of racism. Some might view this as a political movie, but it's also a tale of love, survival and humanity. The story is narrated by Tish Rivers (Kiki Layne), the 19-year old protagonist. Her boyfriend and the father of her unborn child, Fonny Hunt (Stephan James), has been incarcerated for a rape he didn't commit. Director Barry Jenkins makes it clear from the outset that Fonny is innocent, but a racist cop and a brutalized woman without a clear memory of the event conspire to put an innocent man behind bars. And despite the efforts of a white lawyer (Finn Wittrock), an acquittal is an elusive dream. This is a world where Atticus Finch is fictional and plea bargains are the only realistic way to avoid the hammer of a mostly white jury.
Like any well-made movie with a social conscience, "If Beale Street Could Talk" fills the viewer with a sense of righteous indignation that any person (regardless of color or sex) could be subjected to such injustice. The film's ensemble cast provides a case study in emotionally powerful acting. Outside of the nameless cop, there are no villains. Newcomer Kiki Layne, making her feature film debut, brings a mixture of sweetness and strength to Tish, a stand-by-her-man woman who offers a measure of her resolve to her boyfriend and fights for his rights. Stephan James, who played Jesse Owens in the 2016 film Race, portrays Fonny as accepting his bleak reality without surrendering to despair. Effective support is provided by Regina King as Tish's fierce mother, who goes to Puerto Rico to talk to the distraught woman accusing Fonny. "If Beale Street Could Talk" works as a timeless romance, a family drama, legal thriller and a social commentary. It deserves its current accolades and should be seen.
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