Review by steiner-sam

It's an African American historical drama set from 1962 to 1967 and 1988 in Tallahassee and Marianna, Florida, and New York City in 1988. It primarily follows Elwood Curtis (Ethan Cole/Ethan Herisse/Daveed Diggs), a gifted teenage African American living with his grandmother, Hattie (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor). He's inspired by his teacher, Mr. Hill (Jimmie Falls), engaged in the early Civil Rights movement, and looks forward to college. However, he accepts a ride in a stolen car and is sent to the infamous Nickel Academy reform school, a segregated facility.

At Nickel, Elwood becomes good friends with Turner (Brandon Wilson), an African American of similar age who has been at Nickel for some time and teaches Elwood the ropes. The film follows events at Nickel, where brutality and misconduct by white staff are routine. The 1988 scenes show Elwood trying to track and document the illegal activity at the now-closed Nickel Academy.

"Nickel Boys" fairly reflects Colson Whitehead's novel but does so through a deliberate art movie approach. The perspective is usually through the eyes of either Elwood or Turner, which makes for some awkward, in my view, camera work. Director Ross also uses period film footage from the 1960s related both to Civil Rights and the space program. For me, Ross's creative urges reduced the film's potential impact. I like my movies more straight-forward. Your results may differ.