NOTHING IS BLACK AND WHITE.
In the 1920s, Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson) gets reacquainted with a light-skinned former friend (Ruth Negga) who married a white man (Alexander SkarsgĆ„rd) and let him believe that sheās also white. Rebecca Hallās directing debut is an adaptation of a novel published in 1929, at a time when the idea of āracial passingā was highly controversial. Very stylishly photographed in New York, the filmās beauty goes hand in glove with Hallās delicate approach to the portrait of two women who share an emotional and challenging friendship. Thompson and Negga are fine, but everything in the film is too quiet, too muted.
2021-U.S. 99 min. B/W. Written and directed byĀ Rebecca Hall. Novel: Nella Larsen. Cinematography: Eduard Grau. Cast: Tessa Thompson (Irene Redfield), Ruth Negga (Clare Bellew), AndrĆ© Holland (Brian Redfield), Bill Camp, Alexander SkarsgĆ„rd, Gbenga Akinnagbe.
Trivia: Co-produced by Hall and Forest Whitaker; co-executive produced by the two stars.