The Photograph

Finally a film showing beautiful brown actors in normal, healthy and mature relationships, telling a romantic story where neither race, violence nor toxic, dysfunctional behavior are used as crux. Love scenes between the characters and the family portrayals were far more realistic than we've seen with typical films featuring people of color. In fact the fact that the characters were people of color made absolutely no difference- it's as it should be. The musical soundtrack really resonates by subtly showcasing many iconic 80s and contemporary R&B tracks that are generally not in frequent rotation; these brought back so many wonderful, long-forgotten memories. There was no cgi, no gun or other violence, no angry foul behavior ... and we need more films like this. I felt great during and after watching this film and I can't say that about many films these days. Well done.

The Photograph (2020) is a movie my fiancée and I caught in theaters as soon as it was released. The story centers around a woman who feels incapable of finding happiness without sabotaging it-something that plagued her mother and that she believes she inherited. Meanwhile, a man she meets has a father who regrets not pursuing the love of his life, instead choosing to stick with what was safe and familiar. Both characters hope to learn from their parents' mistakes and make better choices for their futures.

Directed by Stella Meghie (The Weekend), the film stars Issa Rae (Insecure), LaKeith Stanfield (Get Out), Lil Rel Howery (Bird Box), Chanté Adams (Bad Hair), and Y'lan Noel (Insecure).

The storyline is solid and well-paced, and I appreciated how the various love stories were intertwined. The concept and writing were strong, but the acting was unfortunately uneven. Issa Rae often plays awkward characters, and in this role, I'm not sure it suited her skillset. The chemistry between her and Stanfield felt forced and unnatural, more acted than believable. Despite the quality writing and engaging subplots, the film fell a bit short for me.

That said, it's still a good movie with a worthwhile story, even if it doesn't reach the emotional heights of something like The Notebook. I'd give it a solid 7/10.

The soundtrack to this movie is the smoothest I've heard in a long time. This was a slick movie to listen to and to watch. A Love Jones redux if you will. The acting by Lakeith and Issa was solid although, I feel that Lakeith was given more to do. We get two stories that intertwine but the problem is that I didn't feel for the lead characters (the mom, and Issa Rae's character). I wanted to root and cheer for them, but we weren't given much to go on. The script was like the shell of a house. Great start, but then you forgot to add the plumbing, floors, doors, insulation, etc... There are a lot of stolen glances, soft touches, and sip and smiles but I didn't care about the relationship between Issa and Lakeith either way. I realllllly wanted to like the film more than I did, but I just felt indifferent about it. And for a movie in the romance genre, you really need to have characters you cheer for, even if they don't end up together.

I saw this movie on Valentine's Day with my besties, and we were all enamored by the film. Strong nuanced characters and good writing. Oh, and the souundtrack was amazing. It was two love stories in one and both narratives unfolded in a charming way.

Fueled by the fiery chemistry between Issa Rae and Lakeith Stanfield, "The Photograph" gives viewers a love story that transcends time and is worth sticking around for. . In this romantic drama, the estranged daughter of a famous photographer falls in love with the journalist who is investigating her late mother's life. . Beautifully shot, wonderfully acted and even original at times, "The Photograph" is slow paced and won't be for everyone but the pay out is worth it. Issa Rae and Lakeith Stanfield burn up the screen with their intense performances, you'd think they were actually a couple. I thought the premise was interesting and even though "The Photograph" is not perfect, it felt good to watch a romantic drama; a genre that isn't as tackled in this day and age of film. . Follow @snobmedia for more reviews!