Barry Jenkins’ follow-up doesn’t quite live up to the greatness of Moonlight (the best film of 2016 in this critic’s opinion), but it still deserves plenty of praise. Based on the novel of the same name by James Baldwin, Jenkins brings the story of Tish and Fonny to the screen with what seems to have become his signature style: plenty of vivid colors, character, and heart. The story is one of injustice and unfairness, but through all that shines the perseverance and family bonds that get people through tough times. If Beale Street Could Talk isn’t exactly a nice story, but it is a strangely hopeful one.
The most heartbreaking thing about If Beale Street Could Talk comes with the realization that Tish and Fonny were never going to get a fair deal. They never really had a shot as the cards have been stacked against them from the beginning. We know from the start of the film that Fonny (Stephan James) winds up in jail, with the how and why unfolding over the course of the film. Tish (KiKi Layne) is pregnant with their child and struggling to get him released.
What could have easily been a hackneyed law drama about police corruption or the simple, cliched story of young love is derailed in one powerful and chilling scene. An old friend named Daniel (Brian Tyree Henry) is invited over for supper. While Tish is in the kitchen, he tells Fonny about how he just finished a two-year jail term for a crime he didn’t commit and the horrors he saw there. The scene serves as a warning for Fonny, but as an insight for us. It’s in these moments that the film presents itself for what else it is: a nuanced indictment of the criminal justice system and its bias and prejudice toward black men. This scene is troubling, and the fear of going back inside is written all over Daniel’s face. He never gets specific, but he’s been traumatized, and it shows – and we know that Fonny’s fate will be similar.
But, If Beale Street Could Talk is a love story too – and a good one. Through the injustice, Fonny and Tish never waver. Their bond is strong, and Jenkins takes the time to make us believe this. The story is told from Tish’s perspective, with her narration and voiceover adding inner thoughts to important events. This female perspective adds a level of depth and understanding to the story that would be lost with a simpler, more straightforward narrative. It’s Tish’s recollections that add awareness to her and Fonny’s “present” situation. It’s also refreshing to see a female-centric film about the prison system. We see Fonny struggle through the eyes of Tish’s visits and her emotional reactions to his appearance and attitude.
There are a few hiccups. Much of the first act (the “announcement” scene, for example) feels like a 1960s teleplay, with more than a few nods to Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? But, this is of little consequence when the whole picture is analyzed. Jenkins’ panache and cinematographer James Laxton’s (who also shot Moonlight) use of ethereal light and color more than make up for any potentially stilted dialogue. Let’s also not forget that by adding Regina King to any project is never a bad thing. She has got to be the most underused talent in the entire industry. If Beale Street Could Talk is a very good sophomore effort. And watch out for Barry Jenkins. He’s not done by a long shot.
James is a writer, skateboarder, record collector, wrestling nerd, and tabletop gamer living with his family in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the North Carolina Film Critics Association, and contributes to The Daily Orca, Razorcake Magazine, Mountain Xpress, and Asheville Movies.