Night Catches Us

I just recently watched this movie and thought to myself. This movie is phenomenal especially with Kerry Washington. A must see with a outstanding cast and incredible storyline.

Night Catches Us (2010)

A really fascinating look at an African-American reality in Philadelphia in 1976. The plot hook is more sensational than the movie itself—a former Black Panther returning home has to adjust to regular life and accusations of tattling. What really grips you, though, is the "regular life" part, because the acting and direction make this all feel honest and revealing. A slice of life done well.

If the core of the movie is how Blacks of different attitudes and philosophies learn to get along (and not get along) with each other, there is also the more expected acrimony between the Black community and the mostly White cops patrolling it. It's hard to know how accurate this part is, because here we are shown clichés of some very dumb and mean and hardheaded white cops, and maybe that was the norm. I'd like to think that some other movies have it right when there are those bad eggs on the force, but that many make an effort to get along and be reasonable with the people they are protecting.

But maybe one message of the movie taken whole is just how different it was back then, in the shadow of the truly radical and violent 1960s, as the Muslim influence was rising, as power was promising to shift more evenly between groups but was lurching too slowly. Maybe it was just filled with such distrust it led to caricatures for real. There are several segments of archival footage of Panthers and other protesting, and the gritty roughness of those scenes reveals some kind of glossing over of the situation for this fictional version made 35 years later.

The leading actor, Anthony Mackie, and leading actress, Kerry Washington, are both likable and excellent. You might say too likable and excellent—there is a modern feel to their demeanors that's hard to put your finger on. But they're both a joy to watch act and interact. The intentions are low key, and the result is easy going despite the tensions around them. It's a love story after all! Writer and director Tanya Hamilton is making her first feature film here, and she makes the most of her modest intentions.

As a commentary on race relations it is nearly the opposite of Spike Lee's approaches in their highly produced flair. And whatever the limitations of the film and its script, it has the net gain of a feeling of sincerity. Which goes a long way.

Night Catches Us (2010) is a movie I recently watched on Tubi. The storyline follows a man who returns home to his neighborhood after his father passes away. He wants to help his family fix-up the house but quickly comes to the realization he isn't wanted around by his former friends or family. There is one single mother who appreciates who he was and who he is and together they try to overcome some of their inner demons. This movie is directed by Tanya Hamilton (The Chi) in her directorial debut and stars Kerry Washington (Scandal), Anthony Mackie (Avengers), Ron Simons (27 Dresses) and Tariq Trotter (Yelling to the Sky). The storyline for this picture is very interesting and fun to watch unfold. There's numerous mysteries of each other's pasts for the two main characters that keep the audience intrigued. The acting is very good as is the cinematography, settings and backdrops. The character interactions also have the appropriate level of intensity. Overall, this is far from one of the best movies in this genre but is still worth a viewing. I'd score this a 6.5-7/10.

I'd encourage anyone interested in watching good acting and film-making to watch "Night Catches Us".

The movie is set in 1976, in Philadelphia, and it is not "Rocky's" S. Philadelphia. The main characters have all had experience/involvement in the Black Panther movement, and the movie cuts a path through the complex feelings and realities that have evolved since they were once involved with it.

It's one of those films that revolves around a core group of characters who've all turned into somewhat different people from when they first knew each other. The dynamic is even more intense because each of the main characters has a tie-in to someone who was obviously a leader or loved one -- indeed it was his death years earlier that led the group to disperse.

I'm kinda bummed that awards seasons might be passing by this gem. Kerry Washington is great, but it's Anthony Mackie's film; he has an intensity and dignity. No overwrought acting.

The late Sixties found people in life quandaries they could not have imagined based on how they were raised. As the US government continued to kill thousands in other countries they turned also upon their citizens and sought to dampen dissent through the murder of those on what they defined to be the fringes of society. The Black Panthers, Students for A Democratic Society, the Weather Underground, students at Jackson State, Kent State; members found political commitments tied to life and death decisions. How far does one go to dissent? To what does one commit oneself with all their heart and soul? What price is one willing to pay when the corruption and moral bankruptcy of one's nation is no longer tolerable. "Night Catches Us"illuminates the maze of personal and political commitments necessary for living through those times. People no longer put their lives on the line in quite the same way. The US continues to murder thousands across the globe but the protest is only seen on cable television. Gil Scott Heron could not have realized that in the end the revolution would be televised. It just wouldn't have any real impact or foment real change.