Drama in which a pregnant woman tries to clear her fiancé's name when he is wrongly accused of a crime.
Another beautifully played, gorgeously photographed snapshot of the African-American experience.
A sort of Romeo And Juliet with systemic racism replacing the family feud, this is romantic and infuriating, hopeful and despairing. A sensory, desperately emotional experience for lovers and fighters alike.
Jenkins has cemented his status as a very big deal.
Beale Street may seem a little arch at times, but it is also magical filmmaking which looks for, and finds, beauty in the most unlikely places.
Barry Jenkins follows his Oscar-winner Moonlight with the moving, beautifully told tale of a pregnant black woman fighting for justice in 70s New York.
While the film is a love story and a tragedy, it’s not a tragic love story. Tish and Fonny’s love for each other transcends their circumstances. They’re not the film’s tragic characters; that role falls to America.
As is Nicholas Britell’s score which, together with James Laxton’s cinematography, is perfectly married to the complexity of the characters, the poetry of the dialogue and the inarguable conclusion that “the game has been rigged”.
Barry Jenkins on If Beale Street Could Talk: 'It's like I had a contract with myself. This was the best thing to do.'
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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