By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: A.V. Rockwell
Starring: Aaron Kingsley Adetola | Aven Courtney | Josiah Cross | Teyana Taylor | William Catlet
Year: 2023
Running time: 117
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12427158/reference/
Diane says: “This is my 7th film ‘at’ Sundance.
“First-timer A.V. Rockwell wrote and directed this movie to honor Black mothers.
“Inez, newly released from Rikers, heads back to Harlem to get her old life back and reclaim her little boy, Terry, from foster care. Over a dozen years, Inez does her best to lead him to opportunities but, as she tells her husband, ‘Damaged people don’t know how to love each other.’ Terry is smart, but he doesn’t seem to have any grounding or direction outside his family.
“The gentrification and over-policing wrought by Giuliani and Bloomberg add obstacles to the family’s well-being. By the end of the movie, the bright walls of Harlem have faded to corporate grays.
“Screenplay and acting are the standouts here. I believe this was a festival award-winner. 4 cats.”