The true story of Richard and Mildred Loving an interracial couple who were punished in Virginia for being together. The fight they must endure for their love to be recognised will eventually change America.
I was rather interested to see this film after hearing a little buzz around the performances and subject matter of it. The trailer gets you drawn in and then you go to see the film. It is not a bad film and the performances are ok, but I was not overly impressed with it to be completely honest. I thought we were going to get an incredible love story with passion and emotions thrown in, we don’t see that.
We get what feels like a long drawn out and at times boring story. It is just lacking edge, the pair don’t really look like they actually enjoy being together in the end and appear to doubt if the possibility of prison is worth it. Which I am guessing is not what it was supposed to look like at all. At times you struggle to understand Edgerton as he mumbles and left with a question mark how Negga is nominated. She doesn’t really show much emotion in the film, just sadness.
I mean the film jumps ahead many years very quickly as we see the family expand, at one point all three children looked the same age which certainly added some confusion. It was just for a scene or two but still surely they could have made sure the age differences were still apparent. The worst thing is though is that I really did have high hopes for the film a romantic drama based on a real life story is certainly my ideal film. This was just wide of the mark for my liking, in a similar type of set up I much preferred A United Kingdom which hasn’t (for some reason) been mentioned for any awards, now that was a powerful film.
The story was key to changing the laws in the United States yet that is only briefly touched upon and mentioned. Surely that should have been a much bigger moment and deal for the film to really work? That is a personal opinion of course. I guess this is just another film that falls into the awards trap with a performance being nominated.
I am guessing that this film won’t be on at the cinema in the UK for very long as I just don’t think it has enough behind it to pull in the audiences. I guess I haven’t really said anything to help you go out and see it either. I just feel as though it could have been a made for TV film rather than a cinematic release. I am hoping that others who have already seen it agree with me? Or am I being extremely harsh?
A romantic drama with very little romance and obviously a huge drama but not actually on the screen, such a shame that this was much lower than the expectations I had for it!
