Today, few people realize that America, as a model of democracy and a lobbyist for equality and tolerance, once persecuted minorities or at the legislative level denounced “immoral” unions. One illustrative example is the story of an interracial married couple Richard and Mildred Laving, who in the distant 1960s defended their right to love, and whose story formed the basis of the historical drama “Laving”.
Synopsis The white man Richard and the colored woman Mildred could not imagine that they would find true love by meeting each other. However, as natives of Virginia with its conservative views on life, they immediately faced the injustice of the state system, literally forbidding them to love each other. Risking to lose not only freedom, but also Lavinga’s life, they decide to fight back and bring the case to a trial that affected the whole country.
Game of actors In fact, the film impressed the work of the cast. First of all, I would like to mention Ruth Negga, who played the role of Mildred Loving, a brave woman who, despite her position and limited status, was ready to meet any obstacle, while remaining a devoted wife and a caring mother. I also liked Joel Edgerton’s performance as Richard Loving, a decent man, far from all prejudices and stereotypes, ready to make any sacrifice for the sake of people he loves.
Directorship As in his previous work “Special Night Show”, director Jeff Nichols puts “fighting the system” as the central theme of “Loving”, but this time, instead of fiction, he uses a real story that happened to real people as the basis. Here the director harmoniously mixes psychological melodrama with social drama. On the one hand, we see the tender and sincere feelings that they feel for each other, there is a love that is imbued with their relationship. On the other hand, we see the pressure of the state and society frozen in conservative views, trying to make the heroes ashamed of this very love, which in fact does no harm to anyone. Surprisingly, there is no pathos in such a film, since, as in reality, the Lavings fought only for their love, but this struggle unwittingly gave other people a chance.
Scenario Unfortunately, I cannot judge how faithfully the plot of the film follows real events and displays real facts. But given the fact that Loving is an artistic, not a documentary picture, this point, in principle, can be left out. It is worth noting that the plot is not so much focused on the struggle of the heroes, since the actual trial remains behind the scenes. Here is more about the side of their lives that remained outside the cameras and headlines of reporters. We see how two people in love are forced to confront “the whole world” to defend their right to love. However, the prejudices of a society that is not ready to accept such an alliance, as well as the local state machine, which is ready to severely punish any attempts to violate “God’s” prohibitions, do not give them peace. And now the heroes are first forced to leave their home district, and Mildred even has to give birth in secret from the authorities. They are humiliatingly sent to prison for being husband and wife. Of course, such humiliations and a half-broken sense of self-esteem and a sense of responsibility for their loved ones, primarily children, give a serious reason to give a decisive rebuff.
Result Like all previous paintings by Jeff Nichols, Loving is distinguished by a rather languid and unhurried development of action and a smoothly built structure. You expect to see another democratic biopic, and as a result you meet a quite tolerable melodramatic story of defending the elementary right to love without excessive pathos or epic inserts. I recommend you to watch it.
It’s hard to say anything about the movie itself. It seems that the actors are not bad, the characters are sustained - at least, it is clear what was meant. Some foolishness of the story itself is inspired by time, and we are not talking about the high-brow elite, but some far-fetched plot is visible even in this form. The real story seems to have been quite different. But I actually liked it.
Perhaps the director wanted to make not only a biography, but also a film about love - about real love, because the director, if he wanted to make a drama, then without departing from reality. Where he blindly follows his biography, and where improvisation is impossible to understand. Love is so personally incomprehensible to me at all, the style of a man from the field and a woman with a bowl of yogurt, but it is, well, I do not understand what you can do. Of the obvious disadvantages - the trial itself remained almost behind the scenes, and this is exactly what is interesting here in the first place. For me, of course.
In general, Joel Edgeton and Ruth Negga, who play the main roles, are very convincing and the film as a whole makes an impression. Again racism, yes, movies about racism have gone.
7 out of 10.
Or boring. The topic in our time is not particularly relevant, there is a continuous tolerance around, and then suddenly there are memories of terrible laws. Completely helpless script and production. No drama, no action, no nothing at all. Heroes with immutable acid mines go back and forth, their silence, apparently, should express emotions and inner suffering, but does not express. Silently love, silently marry, silently reproduce, silently sit by the bed of a traumatized silent child who, in fact, must either cry or be weeping. "It's been 5 years..." - well, add wrinkles, events, a new dress or hairstyle. No, everything is unchanged, as well as the bricks that the main character lays daily. Does it have to be a symbol?
Was it a landmark court case that changed the Constitution? We are simply told about it without showing any court hearings or the work of lawyers. Again, the fault of the writer, and the director, and the director.
Don't waste your time.
1 in 10
1 I usually make movies that I didn’t need to make.
A film about racial segregation in the United States, which the creators described as apolitical. In many ways, this characteristic is identical to what is seen on the screen. Unlike Selma’s recent film, where segregation is presented in a broader sense, the focus is on human emotions and the reaction of spouses within the situation. Even the state of Virginia, which is the antagonist of history, is represented for the most part impersonally without direct intrusion into the minds of the characters. Their experiences are more a consequence of their own deeply personal reactions to the world around them and to their connection with each other.
The fact that the story is based on the fate of real people, almost ten years defending their own beliefs, gives what is happening emotional sharpness. The question of historical accuracy is always there, but here the story is so personal and tied more to the relationship of the characters than to the judicial vicissitudes, which, most often, generally remain on the frame or they are not given importance, more than situational. After watching, the interest leads to the full story of the Loving couple from open sources, including for a better understanding of racial segregation in the United States. If in the movie “The Servant” played the theme of shared and separate toilets, then here two spouses are forbidden to be in the same state at the same time, not that in the room.
With the general drama of the story told in the film “Loving” and reflecting a difficult era, it is a very beautiful movie. The atmosphere of the American South, known from other works, is conveyed exactly so much that you believe in it while watching. The palette of warm shades complements the romantic component and the connection between the two main characters. By the way, they attract maximum attention - the background of the film is actually invisible. Joel Edgerton portrayed apathetic, but devoted to his love man who is ready to go against the imposed opinion of others. This is not the best role of an actor, but a worthy addition to the track record.
7 out of 10
In recent years, viewers willingly accuse modern cinema of numerous self-repeats and criticize for a tangible reluctance to invent and tell something new. It makes me feel like “I’ve seen it somewhere.” At the same time forgetting that there are a lot of stories of ordinary people who deserve to be heard and this film directed by Jeff Nichols is the most worthy confirmation of this.
“Loving” directed by Jeff Nichols literally immerses the viewer in the epicenter of America in the late 50s of the last century. Long before the march of Martin Luther King and the policy decisions of the Kennedy brothers served as the first impetus for social equality between the white and colored population of the country.
Unlike most films on this topic, which in every possible way speculate on political positions and some propaganda, this film directed by Jeff Nichols goes a different way. In fact, pushing this very theme of the huge gulf between the white and colored population of the planet to a certain background. Thus, presenting on the screen an almost documentary excursion into the history of the life and incredible love of Richard and Mildred Loving as an example of what a real married couple should be. Where a man appears as a real earner, protector of his family and a loving spouse, ready to move mountains for his wife. The wife is a real keeper of the hearth and a lever of emotional support for the family even in the most difficult moments.
Despite such a heavy and severe at first glance theme, the director of the film Jeff Nichols managed to make a very touching, melodramatic and beautiful film. Beautiful both physically and mentally and recharge this very soulfulness is not difficult when watching the tape. Allowing them to be so deeply imbued with family drama and the lives of the main characters that it is possible to empathize with them with special ease and zeal throughout the film.
Having played Spielberg in Midnight Special, director Jeff Nichols returned to his home theater. Where once again he showed himself above all praise. Practically turning the story of the life of an American family into a real anthem of the incredible power of such feelings as love, which knows no boundaries, barriers and prohibitions. After all, true love is like conquering everything and in the case of the history of the Loving spouses, I want to believe in this especially.
Such a strong impression is certainly achieved due to the strong acting of the duo Negga-Edgerton. Ruth Negga without any exaggeration played a strong role in her career, which fully exposed the dramatic talent of the actress vegetating in secondary roles. The strongest impression was made by Joel Edgerton, who completely dissolved in his image on the screen. In fact, playing a real working man - frowning, not always showing his emotions, but caring and ready to do anything for the sake of his family.
9 out of 10
Loving is not just another feature film, but something much more important. Almost 10 years from the life of an interracial married couple, which is worth taking an example. The story of the greatest love that changed the face of America once and for all. It’s an amazing piece that can teach you a lot. No words. Some emotions.
Dedicated to all lovers and especially to one beautiful girl who came into my life and turned it upside down. Love, be loved, and don’t be afraid to show your feelings. After all, love is the best and most beautiful feeling that pushes us to commit bold actions, makes us better than we are and simply brings a special meaning to our lives.
The film is about an interracial couple. The white guy Richard played, already well known to us from the Great Gatsby, Joel Edgerton. His wife Mildred was played by a less familiar Ethiopian actress Ruth Negga. Living in a small town in Virginia in 1958, they manage to legalize their relationship at their own risk. Local authorities naturally take this fact as a spit in their direction, which has consequences.
The film, lasting 2 hours, is divided into 2 parts. The first hour we monotonously, without undue tension show how unfairly treats lovers court. Humbly obeying his unjust decision, they are forced to leave their small homeland, so as not to turn the eyes of the sheriff and the judge.
But already in the second part, events begin to develop more dynamically. Mildred decides to fight for her rights, and her loving husband follows her. It is from the second hour, in principle, that the story begins, which eventually made an amendment to the US Constitution. And before that comes, so to speak, the background. And if you survive the first 60 minutes, then you will not regret that you decided to see this picture.
Director Jeff Nichols wanted, first of all, to show a love story, which went through many trials, faced with the ignorance of citizens. So he prioritized a leisurely narrative rather than a lawsuit itself that would give the film more emotional coloring. Directors often resort to this method to draw attention to the picture. Jeff Nichols took a risk and won, gaining the acclaim of film critics.
P.S. It is a pity that J. Edgerton did not receive his Oscar nomination as his partner R. Negga. In the film, they played on equal footing.
Racial discrimination will always be a hot topic, but during the film's run (the late '50s) when discrimination peaked, it shows us desperate people who dared to stand up against the state from which they were literally kicked out.
The movie is very real. The beautiful landscapes of the countryside contrast strongly with the mud of urban life. The main character, who lived all her life “in freedom” despite the threat of arrest, returns home.
Ruth Nega can truly be called the opening of 2016. After the sensational "Preacher" to see her in such a successful image of a strong and purposeful mother of the family was extremely unexpected. Her first Oscar nomination is well deserved.
Joel Edgetron perfectly conveyed the character of his hero. A person may not be the most intelligent, but strong, kind and loving. Knowing how to care and not looking at the color of the skin.
In some places it may seem long, but it is definitely worth watching.
7 out of 10
The film tells the true story of the family of a white guy Richard Loving and a black girl Mildred, who married in 1958. Under Virginia law, interracial marriage was strictly prohibited at the time. Once in the sights of justice, the Loving family was sentenced to 25 years in exile. Subsequently, they managed to achieve justice in the Supreme Court, amend the Constitution and thereby enter the history of the United States.
Director and screenwriter Jeff Nichols, in implementing the project “Loving”, obviously wanted to approach the history of this family not from the public side regarding the trial, detailed in the same Wikipedia, but from the inside – that is, to show the life and family relationships of these unjustly convicted people. This move can still be called quite original, although, of course, Nichols was not the first who decided to resort to his help. Of the most famous examples, one immediately recalls Stephen Hawking’s Universe, in which the focus was also shifted from the social achievements of the great scientist-popularizer to the burden of family life, more so for his wife. But if in that film the move worked flawlessly, and even being supported by the brilliant performance of Redmayne and strong performance of Felicity Jones, then in the case of the tape “Loving”, I unfortunately can not say this. The picture still turned out to be nothing more than an emotionally colored appendix to a newspaper essay about the trial of Loving v. Virginia. Dry dialogue, ragged pace, some detachment - all this did not go to the ribbon for good.
As for the cast, first of all, I would like to mention Joel Edgerton, who has long proved to everyone that he is an actor with a very wide range. In this film, he showed an image that I have never seen in his performance: a quiet, introverted hard worker who just wants to live with his beloved woman in his house and get everyone behind him. A kind of hero involuntarily. But Ruth Negga, in my opinion, did not show anything special in this film. Believe me, I’m usually the last person to believe in conspiracy theories and sociopolitical machinations, but in this case I can’t shake the feeling that her appearance in the top five Academy Award nominees for Best Actress is the result of last year’s #OscarSoWhite scandal. I think Amy Adams can be very, very hurtful right now.
As a result, I can state that for me “Laving” is a rather passable biographical film, the time spent on which is not a pity, but I will hardly remember it later and analyze something. And an actress named Ruth Negga has yet to prove that she is truly a talent, not an object of racial speculation.
Formally, Jeff Nichols grows as a specialist in his resume, each of his new projects pays more and more attention, but in the same hour, his films Midnight Special and Loving leave many comments behind the scenes. And most of them are that with this kind of material, both films could have been made more spectacular.
It is the effectivity "Shelter" the director just lacks in his subsequent works, the problem "Loving" in his predictable downward trajectory. After a rather emotional beginning and an excellent story, the tape gradually turns into an evening program under which it is not lazy to fall asleep.
The main actors, though they look lifelike, and perhaps even reliably portrayed the real heroes of this story, but the hero of Edgerton has some kind of not removed hand brake in front of the nose, and in the heroine of Negga there are somehow very few “colored” qualities, and this does not take into account the fact that compared to the rest of the race, it is closer to whites than African Americans.
Also, the film is killed by absolutely meaningless secondary characters, not a single odious secondary hero, even Michael Shannon, who knows how to snatch attention even in seconds, was powerless here. A good story, but a bad production, a sense of indifference. Jeff Nichols could have squeezed much more out of this film, although apparently, based on criticism, he is unlikely to be particularly upset with the result.
I hope that this film will be a success in our country, despite the fact that after reading the synopsis, many people will think that this topic is a little incomprehensible to us, far away. That's not true. It's really just the background. The film is much deeper.
For me, it's very wild when people just love each other, don't kill anyone, don't steal anything, they just love each other, and they want to put them in jail for it. Because their love is not one race.
I really liked the fact that the director did not become the main theme of the fight for equality, the fight for marriage, to put it first and clearly show it. To be honest, all of these topics are so beat up, especially at the 2017 Oscars. Here, in this film, I believe that the main theme is love, family.
I really enjoyed watching Richard and Mildred’s love stories. In their family there is happiness, harmony, love. They had real adult love. For me, “adult love” is the ideal of family relations, when spouses silently, without words understand each other, when the husband takes everything into his own hands, and the wife is the guardian of the family hearth. Love is proved not by words, but by deeds.
Rutt Negga played in this film. You can see how the actress got used to her role, as if she had always been “Beans”. Her heroine has a very strong character, but at the same time she is very feminine, wise. She's ready to fight for her family. I am very happy that she was noticed and nominated for an Oscar.
Joel Edgerton played Mildred's wife. His character is less emotional, but he is a man, he betrayed all emotions with his eyes and facial expressions. Anger, pain, perhaps fatigue from a protracted process and constant concern for his family, all this was perfectly conveyed by Joel Edgerton.
I recommend watching a beautiful film based on real events, about love, family.
7 out of 10
Oscar 2017 marathon. Movie #10: "I can take care of you!"
We are all equal, and that is the truth. I wholeheartedly agree with that. However, the films on this topic that have flooded various film awards have long been tired. I want something new, something fresh, something that hasn’t been discussed yet. So I sat down to watch this movie.
The film is based on real events, and I thought that the viewer, along with the main characters, would be dragged to the courts, made to feel the smell of hatred, the smell of injustice. But what was my surprise when most of the screen time I watched the weekdays of a happy family.
Yeah, exactly happy. When the husband is truly a breadwinner and protector, and the wife is a faithful keeper of the hearth. When there is respect, and most importantly, love. When the slightest discomfort of the wife affects the husband, and he is ready to move mountains, just to correct the situation. When your home is your fortress. When you don’t need words to understand each other. When the wife is the neck and the man is the head. When the wife is feminine, and the husband is a real support and a strong shoulder. Have you seen many such families in our time? I would give anything for such a relationship and fight for any rights to lose my pulse for such happiness.
The film is valuable because it presents us with an external canvas through the inner. Explains the general through the personal. And that's definitely a huge plus. It is impossible not to empathize with such a harmonious, such a real, such a strong family.
Ruth Negga is very organic in her role, as if all her life was Mildred Loving. But Joel Edgerton hit a lot more. I remember him after the role of the teacher-boxer in “Warrior”. But he's different here. This defective talk, the ever-bleak face, is a real hard worker. And how did Richard change when he saw his wife? How warm his eyes were. And concern for the family is there in every gesture and movement. It is a pity that he was not nominated.
Despite the specifics, the film is primarily about love. Even the names of the heroes (and these are real people, the story is real) speaks in favor of this fact. I personally found in him a model of family relationships, an example of family, close to the ideal in my understanding.
We can often appreciate something only if we lose or are threatened with loss. Don’t wait for these moments, appreciate your family now! I hope the Loving family will help you with this.
The director of the film Jeff Nichols is very ambiguous, after the dubious "Midnight Special" hope for a movie worthy in all senses of the word, disappeared. But after the announcement of the Oscar nominees, she appeared. No, I do not always agree with the choice of nominees by critics, but I always watch the paintings presented in this fight for a prestigious award in the world of cinema.
This is a story about how modern laws operate in modern society. The story of a couple of different nationalities, who loved each other with all their heart and fastened this love with the knot of marriage. But what makes this story extraordinary is that in their home state there is a law prohibiting blood fusion and putting the couple in a difficult choice.
I have used the word history many times because it is literally the story of two real people who happened to them in 1958 in Virginia.
The picture is simple, it is about ordinary people with whom such a failure occurred, if you can say so. The film is smooth, uniform and not intermittent, hello "Law of the Night". A very heartwarming and touching film, it makes us see once again that many years after the abolition of the slavery law, the perception that people are not equal has not completely disappeared. Echoes of slave laws still exist today.
In addition, one of the main themes of the film is the theme of family and marriage, the fundamental unit of society and the state. Everyone has the right to marry and create a family, regardless of anything. The story, among other things, tells about the violation of human rights and the destruction of the institution of the family, as well as the change of the Constitution, the most important law.
A stunning picture, landscapes and every detail in the frame pleases the eye. Without pathos and bombast, an atmosphere of modesty.
Choosing the roles of Ruth Neggie and Joel Edgerton is a great decision of the filmmakers, how well they played, that there is no doubt about the reality of what is happening in general and with them. It’s a pity Joel Edgerton wasn’t nominated for the award, but he played so naturally as if the events in the film were actually with him.
If you like social drama, this movie is for you.
9 out of 10
In 1958, Richard and Mildred Loving were sentenced to prison in Virginia for interracial marriage.
There have been several films this year on a similar theme. Two of them became Oscar nominees. And I want to say that it was the loving that could easily become the 10th film in the best film category. Why?
In this film there is a historical fact that attracts viewing. This fact has had a positive impact on other interracial marriages, and has almost completely eliminated racism in the future.
Loving is a fairly high-quality movie, thanks to its director, an excellent game of actors who were very similar to real people, on which the film was shot, as well as excellent music that accompanies the actions in the film.
Therefore, in general, there was a great movie, shot very beautifully, interesting, which deserves definitely attention. Loving is a film about love, and how anyone has the right to marry, have children and a family.
8 out of 10