Normally, I’d caution “those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.” However, it’s pretty clear right now that Americans aren’t learning anything … past, present, future, sideways, alternate timelines … makes no difference. We are a block-headed people, which brings me to today’s film in which a couple who don’t seem all that block-headed insist upon repeating a past romantic tragedy letter-for-letter.
Michael (LaKeith Stanfield) has flown to semi-rural Louisiana from New York City (“NEW YORK CITY!!”) for a story. Personally, I doubt New York news outlets still send investigative journalists on personal interest micro-stories, but if they didn’t, Michael wouldn’t get to kick off his romance. Louisiana native Isaac (Rob Morgan) is a little too eager to discuss the one that got away three decades ago. *sigh* Christina (Chanté Adams) was a world class photographer with skin the color of milk chocolate and a smile that could warm the entire bayou in the dawn …
Oh crap, I’m stuck on “Wistful” mode … DELETE! DELETE! Stupid MS Word; how do I get back to “Sarcastic?”
… at the apex of her romance with Isaac, a pregnant Christina skipped off for NYC because you know how easy it is to be a jobless single mother of color in midtown Manhattan.
Ah, good. There’s “Sarcastic” mode again. I’m back.
Not sure Michael got his scoop, but he did see The Photograph, the lone picture of young adult Christina in Louisiana. And since they both live in New York, well, hey, why not look her up when he returns, right? What’s the harm? Christina has since died, of course, but she left behind Mae (Issa Rae), who just so happens to be attractive, single, and about Michael’s age. And Michael is just emerging free from a bad romance himself … what were the odds?
LaKeith Stanfield is refreshingly down-to-earth for this role. So many times in romances, I’ve seen this character played by somebody like Michael Ealy or Chadwick Boseman, i.e. somebody who radiates “smooth” like the sun radiates heat. LaKeith is more a member of the Hugh Grant family of romantic leading men – charismatic yes, but about as smooth as a Frontier Airlines flight in turbulence. I find this highly refreshing; it’s easy to go all in for Chadwick Boseman; it takes a little more to commit to LaKeith Stanfield … and that makes the romance all the better.
The parallel foolishness of mother and daughter essentially making the same stupid romantic mistake here was off-putting to say the least. But, darn it, it’s just so hard to find conflict in romance! I liked the moments and characters in The Photograph even if I wasn’t wild about the story. Most of the conflict here seems contrived, but I still wanted the players to overcome their artificial difficulties all the same.
Two lovers and a blueprint so plain
Making the same mistake over again
Like daughter like mother
Taking after another
What’s life without decades of pain?
Rated PG-13, 106 Minutes
Director: Stella Meghie
Writer: Stella Meghie
Genre: Next generation, same mistake
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Romance-aholics
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Realists
