This gut wrenching film about two young Black teens who forge a friendship at a brutal reform school during the Jim Crow South is a tough watch. But Director RaMell Ross uses groundbreaking filmmaking and a great cast for this Golden Globe nominated Drama.
Director RaMell Ross chose his leads well. Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson plays Elwood and Turner. Acclaimed actress, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Elwood’s Aunt Hattie gives a committed performance. Ross uses a unique technique called sentient perspective, using the camera as if it is seeing what the character is seeing, to give it a more personal, “touchy/feely” vantage point. Ross calls it the Jomo Fray technique, named for his Director of Photography. They also use movement, time lapse and stylized archival photos to keep you totally immersed in the boys’ story.
Watch our interview with Ross about how he chose the cast and shot the film to make the storytelling from the characters’ personal point of view.
Ross starts and ends the film with a curious scene, shot from behind a man sitting at a bar. Exposition takes place in the bar a few times during the film, giving just enough information to keep you wondering why it was shot there. You’ll find out.
It’s based on the 2020 Pulitzer Prize-winning book “The Nickel Boys,” by Colson Whitehead about the notorious Dozier School, also called The Nickel Academy which existed for more than 100 years. This film forces the audience to experience the pain and terror of the boys who were left in the school. Ethan’s eyes playing Elwood go right through you, while Brandon as Turner seems to try anything just to stay under the radar.
Elwood was supposed to go to college, but ended up at Nickel Academy through no fault of his own. The boys come from very different backgrounds, yet they find common ground, looking for something positive when and wherever they can. They soon find out that no matter what they do, if it doesn’t please the white power structure of the school, they can face brutal punishment, including being thrown into a hot box on the roof of the school to sweat to the limit in the Florida heat. It’s a painful scene.
Ellwood and Turner try to look out for each other as best they can. Elwood is the naive optimist and Turner is the savvy realist who knows how to play the angles. They learn from each other as they become friends.
The scene where Aunt Hattie shows up outside the school after not receiving any communication from Elwood is emotional. She’s all kindness and smiles playing to the camera, showing a stranger the envelope she just wants to deliver to her nephew any way she can. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is so effusive, genuine and convincing in her portrayal of a heartbroken family member who only wanted to see and give Elwood a hug and smile to make sure he was all right. Ellis-Taylor lights up the screen
The movie depicts a series of incidents that expose the injustice and oppression of the Jim Crow era in the South as a daily fact of life. The pace and the structure of this film are very effective, even though it’s long. You come to like and care for these boys as their friendship becomes their tool for survival. Ross has created a way of shooting this story from a distinctively personal viewpoint that is beautiful, and terrifying, at the same time.
Amazon MGM Studios 2 hours 20 minutes PG-13
