In his Nickel Boys film review, Kevin Bourne says RaMell Ross’ fictional directorial debut film is, “beautiful, poetic, and daring.”
Well, it’s official. Awards season is in full effect. One of the films causing a stir and impressing critics and viewers alike is the historical drama Nickel Boys. Based on the Colson Whitehead‘s 2019 novel “The Nickel Boys” and the now-closed Dozier School for Boys, it follows two African-American teens, Elwood Curtis (Ethan Herisse), a promising and wrongfully accused student, and Jack Turner (Brandon Wilson), who strike up a friendship as they navigate life at a Florida reformatory school.
While former collegiate basketball player and photographer, RaMell Ross, has two acclaimed documentaries under his belt in Hale County This Morning, This Evening and Easter Snap, Nickel Boys marks his directorial debut when it comes to fictional feature films. So far, it has wracked up accolades at film festivals all over the world, as well as a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture – Drama and Critics Choice Awards and Critics Choice Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Cinematography.
In an era of CGI, AI, star studded casts, and big blockbusters with equally big budgets, Nickel Boys is a reminder of what true filmmaking is all about. If you’re a cinema buff who appreciates the beauty and technical elements of visual storytelling, you will appreciate this film. Ross’ background in photography and experimental filmmaking are visible through his use of montages which help to tell the story in a artistic and poetic way that isn’t initially obvious to the viewer. Like a good photograph, the imagery is left there for the viewer to perceive and make sense of for themselves.
Ross broke down his approach in a sit down interview with SHIFTER explaining, “It’s about making an image that is complex enough for you to miss the metaphor, the symbolism and all of the meaning, because it just has the visual interestingness, that is what it looks like through someone’s head.”
What makes the film stand out most is Ross’ use of point of view shots where we see the world through the eyes of Elwood and Jack. While it can be hard to follow at times, it adds to the artistic and poetic feel of the film. For example, early on, Ross uses reflections in store windows and bus windows to subtly introduce viewers to the character of Elwood. This POV style is one of the more unique approaches to filmmaking that we’ve seen in recent years.
When it comes to the performances, Herisse and Wilson deliver memorable performers as the thoughtful and optimistic Elwood and the more cool and laid back Jack, while Academy, Golden Globe, and Critics Choice Award nominated actor Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor shines as Elwood’s mother, delivering an emotional monologue while visiting Elwood at the school.
Overall, Nickel Boys is simply a work of art. It’s beautiful, poetic, and daring. Ross does an excellent job of telling a story of injustice without it coming across of Black trauma porn while being universal to a broader audiences. In the end, it’s really a just beautiful story about friendship, family, and survival in the midst of what should be traumatic experiences; something we can all relate to.
Kevin Bourne is SHIFTER’s Toronto-based editor and Senior Entertainment Reporter focusing on Black music and film & TV. He was named one of 300 international voters for the 81st and 8nd Golden Globe Awards and a Tomatometer-Approved Critic by Rotten Tomatoes.
Related content:
INTERVIEW WITH RAMELL ROSS
https://shiftermagazine.com/film-and-tv/ramell-ross-interview-nickel-boys
