Loving (B+ or 3/4 stars)
100 yrs. after the Civil War abolished slavery, miscegenation laws enforced racial segregation, criminalized marriage, & sometimes 'sex', btwn. members of different races. 16 states had such bans until the 1967 Supreme Court decision on Loving vs. Virginia declared said laws unconstitutional. And writer/director Jeff Nichols (Mud, Midnight Special) turns that history into this intimate domestic drama, simply titled: 'Loving'. Based on the experiences of Richard & Mildred Loving (the real-life plaintiffs in that landmark case) this film shows how far America has come in its views of race & equality, but also how far is has to go. As of 1958 {when this story begins}, Virginia doesn't allow interracial marriage. So, to legitimatize their union & their unborn baby, Richard & Mildred (Aussie Joel Edgerton & Ethiopian/Irish stunner Ruth Negga, both totally believable as a Virginian couple) travel to Washington D.C. where a justice of the peace names them man & wife; and they return to their beloved small town & resume their lives.
Staying with Mildred's family, Richard, a bricklayer, prepares to build the house that will become their home. But the secrecy surrounding their marriage doesn't last long {especially in small towns}, and local sheriff (a smug, sanctimonious Marton Csokas) shows up in the dead of night to arrest the stunned couple. Their lawyer arranges a plea bargain & the judge agrees to suspend their sentence if they plead guilty, leave Virginia immediately, & stay away - as a couple - for 25 yrs. At 1st, they're 'ok' with the matter because they love each other, want to be married, and long to be left alone. However, the sentence, which is difficult enough for Richard, proves intolerable for Mildred (missing her relatives & the sprawling land they grew up on), and it's only a matter of time before they violate the judge's terms & place their freedom in jeopardy. All of this turmoil causes the demure Mildred to write a letter to then-U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy asking for help. Amazingly, he read the letter & turned it over to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which convinced the reluctant Lovings (especially Richard) to let them take on their case; a case that would go all the way to the Supreme Court, where in June 1967 ... it made history.
As straightforward based on a true story films go, 'Loving' is solid & offers a strong account of the events that led to that landmark 1967 decision. Well-acted & occasionally moving, this movie is both aided by, yet hampered by Jeff Nichols' no-frills approach to the circumstances leading up to the case. This is a genteel film that has good performances, looks good (cinematography, authentic sets, costumes), sounds good, IS good... but offers little more than a tactful history lesson to those of us who hadn't known the case before. 'Loving' focuses more so on the domestic aspects of the Loving’s marriage, rather than the legal/history-changing part of the story; which is of surprisingly secondary concern, here. Nick Kroll & Jon Bass are fine as the ACLU lawyers, but their arguments in front of the Supreme Court are only briefly highlighted.
Joel Edgerton & Ruth Negga are superb; subdued yet powerful, & are the main reason this film works. As Richard, Edgerton inhabits the character of a strong, taciturn type with a sensitive soul. Richard isn't warm & fuzzy, but there's NO doubt how genuine his love & devotion is to Mildred. What you see is what you get with Richard - from beginning to end. On the other hand, Mildred blossoms, transforming from a shy, meek, unassuming housewife into a more determined young woman who embraces the media attention; persistent in pursuit for legalized fair treatment. Edgerton & Ruth Negga's acting radiates authenticity. His immaculate stillness & her expressive face fills in gaps left by the dialogue. Her eyes, in particular, convey an inner sadness that gives way to strength, courage, & hope. Together, they make a touching team. And Michael Shannon has a fun cameo as Life magazine photographer Grey Villet, hired by the Loving’s lawyers to take pictures of the couple so as to help their case; an iconic couch photo would follow.
'Loving' succeeds because it paints a picture of a couple who just wants to be left alone to live & love as they wish. The through-line in this film is the strength of their love for one another and, director Jeff Nichols lays HEAVY on that. He dramatizes the story honestly, with almost zero artistic license. And it's difficult to do that; tell an important American story without providing cheap sentiment or sappy manipulation to earn the emotional payoffs. Nichols is a real Southern storyteller & he’s given the movie a true sense of time & place. Everything & every performance drips with authenticity. And I like the message that love can conquer hatred & prejudice. And yet, I wasn't bowled over by 'Loving'. This is a solid motion picture all around; a gem, really. But I wish that some of the drama was depicted in a more dynamic way; the emotional impact was somewhat lessened. Nichols' understated approach kept me at an arm's length to the monumental story at hand, even though I was responding to the performances wholeheartedly.
Staying with Mildred's family, Richard, a bricklayer, prepares to build the house that will become their home. But the secrecy surrounding their marriage doesn't last long {especially in small towns}, and local sheriff (a smug, sanctimonious Marton Csokas) shows up in the dead of night to arrest the stunned couple. Their lawyer arranges a plea bargain & the judge agrees to suspend their sentence if they plead guilty, leave Virginia immediately, & stay away - as a couple - for 25 yrs. At 1st, they're 'ok' with the matter because they love each other, want to be married, and long to be left alone. However, the sentence, which is difficult enough for Richard, proves intolerable for Mildred (missing her relatives & the sprawling land they grew up on), and it's only a matter of time before they violate the judge's terms & place their freedom in jeopardy. All of this turmoil causes the demure Mildred to write a letter to then-U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy asking for help. Amazingly, he read the letter & turned it over to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which convinced the reluctant Lovings (especially Richard) to let them take on their case; a case that would go all the way to the Supreme Court, where in June 1967 ... it made history.
As straightforward based on a true story films go, 'Loving' is solid & offers a strong account of the events that led to that landmark 1967 decision. Well-acted & occasionally moving, this movie is both aided by, yet hampered by Jeff Nichols' no-frills approach to the circumstances leading up to the case. This is a genteel film that has good performances, looks good (cinematography, authentic sets, costumes), sounds good, IS good... but offers little more than a tactful history lesson to those of us who hadn't known the case before. 'Loving' focuses more so on the domestic aspects of the Loving’s marriage, rather than the legal/history-changing part of the story; which is of surprisingly secondary concern, here. Nick Kroll & Jon Bass are fine as the ACLU lawyers, but their arguments in front of the Supreme Court are only briefly highlighted.
Joel Edgerton & Ruth Negga are superb; subdued yet powerful, & are the main reason this film works. As Richard, Edgerton inhabits the character of a strong, taciturn type with a sensitive soul. Richard isn't warm & fuzzy, but there's NO doubt how genuine his love & devotion is to Mildred. What you see is what you get with Richard - from beginning to end. On the other hand, Mildred blossoms, transforming from a shy, meek, unassuming housewife into a more determined young woman who embraces the media attention; persistent in pursuit for legalized fair treatment. Edgerton & Ruth Negga's acting radiates authenticity. His immaculate stillness & her expressive face fills in gaps left by the dialogue. Her eyes, in particular, convey an inner sadness that gives way to strength, courage, & hope. Together, they make a touching team. And Michael Shannon has a fun cameo as Life magazine photographer Grey Villet, hired by the Loving’s lawyers to take pictures of the couple so as to help their case; an iconic couch photo would follow.
'Loving' succeeds because it paints a picture of a couple who just wants to be left alone to live & love as they wish. The through-line in this film is the strength of their love for one another and, director Jeff Nichols lays HEAVY on that. He dramatizes the story honestly, with almost zero artistic license. And it's difficult to do that; tell an important American story without providing cheap sentiment or sappy manipulation to earn the emotional payoffs. Nichols is a real Southern storyteller & he’s given the movie a true sense of time & place. Everything & every performance drips with authenticity. And I like the message that love can conquer hatred & prejudice. And yet, I wasn't bowled over by 'Loving'. This is a solid motion picture all around; a gem, really. But I wish that some of the drama was depicted in a more dynamic way; the emotional impact was somewhat lessened. Nichols' understated approach kept me at an arm's length to the monumental story at hand, even though I was responding to the performances wholeheartedly.