It's Valentine's Day Weekend, which means The Photograph is now in theaters! It's always beautiful to see black love on the big screen, and especially when it is as beautifully done as it is in The Photograph. Issa Rae (Insecure, Little) and Lakeith Stanfield (Atlanta, Sorry to Bother You) delivered a very real and relatable awkward, early stages of romance. Even in the way that they looked at each other. Stanfield gazed at her in a way that you could see his character, Michael, was quickly falling for Mae (Rae); which aligned with what we learned about Michael from his brother (played by Lil Rel Howery). He falls fast and seems to mess things up just as fast. On the other hand, with Mae (Rae), you can see in the way she looks at him that she still has a guard up. The assumption being this is related to her relationship with her mother, who according to Mae did not really show much affection or love.
It is that lack of affection or showing of love that I expected the film to really delve into, but unfortunately, it is glaringly lacking in the film. Towards the end of the film, there are scenes where Mae is emotionally reacting to her relationship to her mother, upon learning more about her mother's experiences in a letter from her mother, but it would be easier for the audience to connect with Mae's emotion if more was shared about their actual relationship. In fact, the film does not seem to really go into their relationship beyond a few conversations where Mae notes their relationship lacking love, but the audience never sees this. Since the point of the film is to tell two love stories, one in the present and one in the 80's (that of Mae's mother and Isaac, played by Chanté Adams and Y'lan Noel), it is a bit understandable why the film did not go on a tangent by showing scenes perhaps with Mae and Christina during Mae's teenage years or early twenties; though that would have definitely helped to get the audience emotionally engaged in their relationship and how it is impacting Mae in the present time. What would have been a nice compromise would have been to perhaps have the scenes with Christina narrating the letter she wrote for Mae include Christina at least verbally speaking to their relationship and what it looked like; instead of focusing mostly on Christina's relationship with Isaac.
It is Mae and Christina's relationship that really is meant to be the connecting force between the two relationships, Mae and Michael and Christina and Isaac. Not only should Mae and Christina's relationship inform Mae's relationship with Michael, as it would impact the way Mae engages with others when it comes to love, but it is the cornerstone of the story. After all, the title is based on a photograph of Christina. The audience is left to make assumptions about how Mae's relationship with her mother is playing a role in her relationship with Michael, without even knowing what it looks like for Mae to feel like Christina did not show love towards her, and therefore leaving the audience unable to clearly identify what parts of Mae and Michael's relationship are intertwined with Mae's relationship with her mother (as well as her mother's relationship with Isaac). This leaves us with two love stories that are really just connected by parental title and common locations when it could have been much deeper and more emotionally-driven. This did not by any means make the film a poor experience, it just left more to be desired.
Overall, it was a beautiful film with a beautiful representation of Black love past and present. It's a drama, romance, but with plenty of laughs; especially from Lil Rel Howery's character and his wife, played by Teyonah Parris. And the film score was absolutely beautiful, elevating the romance of the film. It is a great film for Valentine's Day Weekend, or any date night or girls night. Let's show our support at the box office!
ABOUT THE FILM:
On Valentine's Day, Issa Rae (HBO's Insecure, Little) and LaKeith Stanfield (FX's Atlanta, Sorry to Bother You) connect in a romance where a woman must learn from the secrets in her mother's past if she is to move forward and allow herself to love and be loved.
When famed photographer Christina Eames unexpectedly dies, she leaves her estranged daughter Mae Morton (Rae) hurt, angry and full of questions. When a photograph tucked away in a safe-deposit box is found, Mae finds herself on a journey delving into her mother's early life and ignites a powerful, unexpected romance with a rising-star journalist, Michael Block (Stanfield).
From writer-director Stella Meghie (The Weekend, Jean of the Joneses) from her original screenplay comes a sweeping love story about forgiveness and finding the courage to seek the truth, no matter where it may lead you.
The Photograph is produced by Will Packer, blockbuster producer of Girls Trip, the Ride Along franchise, and ten movies that have opened No. 1 at the U.S. box office, including Night School, No Good Deed and Think Like a Man, and by James Lopez, president of Will Packer Productions. The film is executive produced by Meghie, Erika Hampson (co-producer Late Night, Life Itself) and Rae.