Middle of Nowhere

Middle of Nowhere ***1/2 (2012) 1hr. 41 min.

Ava Duvernay is one of a new exciting filmmakers in independent cinema, whose stories about relationships about black Americans and issues surrounding their spouses, parents, siblings, etc. and how complicated and loyal black women can be when it comes to black men. Some black women go through enormous sacrifices of personal happiness within themselves and in this film, shows how loyalty can lead to question one's purpose on earth, in which, that very dedication is tested, when she meets a man one day and she questions that very attachment to her significant other.

The story is about a young black woman, a registered nurse named Ruby (Emayatzy Corinealdi) who lives with her sister a waitress named Rosie (Edwina Findley Dickerson) and her young son. Ruby is paying for an attorney to represent a case involving Ruby's husband Derek (Omari Hardwick) who has been in jail for 4 years on a weapons charge. She loves him and is focused on having the life they planned before he was incarcerated when he is released from jail. When the parole hearing occurs, with Ruby being the attentive dutiful wife-- hears a bombshell in the courtroom. Ruby questions her commitment to the marriage, which leads to a budding romance with a Bus driver Brian (David Oyelowo). Brian knows that she is married but senses tension within the marriage by Ruby's nonverbal behavior and seeing a ring that appears on her left finger to be a wedding ring. Ruby then has to decide to either continue with her marriage to Derek or begin another romance with a new suitor. Ruby also has to deal with the relationship with her mother and her disappointment of her daughter's lifestyles choices.

The film is beautifully written by Ava Duvernay the dialogue is very poetic and introspective of the inner dialogue she gives Ruby, who is a woman who loves her husband, but has to deal with one obstacle after another because of her husband irresponsible behavior. Ruby represents a lot of black women who are dedicated spouses who put with a lot of nonsense of their boyfriends or husbands, because of the racist society that we live in. Many black women feel the black man in America today, get such a raw deal, by the systematic racism that exists in America. Despite years of laws that should have made discrimination less and less problematic, which has unfortunately, had limited effectiveness to curb racism in large numbers.

All the performances are quite good and Troussaint has great moment when she's at the dinner table, at her daughters house, she is disappointed with one daughter's choice of profession and an ex- boyfriend who is an absentee father and Rosie, not wanting Mother Ruth to spend time with her grandson and the other daughter Ruby, who is too loyal to a man who is not worthy of her daughter. "Middle of Nowhere" is a fine second feature and gives Duvernay the opportunity to make more intellectual and thoughtful movies, about people in complicated relationships and situations. I predict Duvernay will make more thought provoking films in the future years to come.

Enjoyed the work. It was engaging, sad, poignant, deep, and delved into many facets in the web of relationships. I don't understand and likely won't why an accomplished, beautiful, young, intelligent, caring, kind person could allow themselves to be so completely consumed with a situation so dysfunctional. And not just dysfunctional, but a situation which could have derailed their life or even resulted in death by law enforcement. Fortunately, they didn't lose themselves completely and were able to lift up from the despair. It's one thing to love and support our incarcerated loved ones, it's another thing to totally subjugate our lives to the situation. This film is a powerful portrayal of choices.

Desperately searching indie sites to find something to watch. Idie Wire had Emayatzy Corinealdi's performance as one of the best in the decade and I had not seen the film so I watched it. Her performance is perfect, can't wait to see her other stuff. I loved this movie because it is a true love story. As the years pass while she waits for her husband to get out of jail she grows in the best of ways. She sees her part in how she got into the situation. The repeated scenes where she imagines being in bed with or walking hand and hand with her incarcerated husband really struck home. Not because I have had an incarcerated love but because sometimes intense love continues even when it is over. This movie touched my heart. I have not seen another movie that nailed that feeling inside that I have about my past great love. It must be a hard thing to do in a movie since I have not seen any other film maker get it right until now.

It is always refreshing to see good indie movies exploring dark themes in a sensitive and almost lyric way. These are, incidentally, the two major strong points of this movie.

There are many titles, some rather good ones, exploring incarceration an its effects on the person behind bars. Multiple angles and story lines are explored, almost always from the incarcerated point of view.

'Middle of Nowhere', instead, puts the focus on an accomplished young woman whose life hangs still when her young husband is incarcerated for a long term, and makes the movie about the effects of incarceration on people who are on the outside, supposedly free, but actually suffering by proxy a set of restrictions and struggles that derive from the fact that a loved one or in-law is not present. That is an interesting take on the subject.

Nonetheless, the script is just too slow. There are several cogent reasons for a script to be slow, such as character development, parallel narratives - but none of them could possible justify it here. Thus, it becomes very difficult to keep paying attention on what the director had in mind as dozens of minutes are just fillers that, in turn, are juxtaposed with some pivotal scenes that are paradoxically too hurried up.

Go and see this film!! Ignore the critics and lame ratings!! This movie unfolds like a blossom and it's a great film for both men and women! It is a powerful and emotionally deep experience - without being heavy handed. The acting is phenomenal and the characters are She's innocent, hopeful, committed, determined and blind. Her husband is cautious, realistic, hanging on, while trying to push her away. This is a movie of incredible dialog and subtle physicality - the twitch of a lip, the pleading or twinkling in the eyes, and the anger/frustration in tightly drawn lips. I love the film's murkiness and incomplete glimpses of the couple's history. There's not a lot of time spent trying to show how they got to where they are.

The portrayal of a family as strained, fragmented and individually isolated was stunning and the scenes between the mother and her 2 daughters -- acted as levers that the director used to shift the film's pace. The movie also gently taps at class and socio-economic constructs within the African-American community.

"Variety" magazine's reckless and inaccurate review (IMHO) completely missed the point of the movie and of the ONE line he quoted - yet misinterpreted. Hint/hint: the line is "an ode to the fact that most men -- even black men 'ie, brothas' lean toward flicks - where you don't have to follow the dialog; that is...you don't really have to pay attention!! It was NOT a statement alluding to actual or perceived reading abilities.

The movie feels much longer than it is, but it was a wonderful savoring. At the end, I was satisfied...yet still would have been content with more! Compared to the movie "Blue Valentine" featuring Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling, this movie is a true 10!