User reviews

I enjoyed the artistic stylings of the cinematography. They were as much a part of the story as the plot and characters.

This was hard to watch mostly becausse of the unfortunate truths it portrayed.

Injustice is never an easy thing to swallow. At least for me.

This movie is definitely worth watching if only to inform yourself about the darkness of our past.

But at a 2:20 runtime, it felt somewhat tedious.

I get that the long runtime was meant to correspond to the long suffering of african americans and the lengthy civil rights struggle, but ultimately, it's message suffered for it.

Its poignant story might've been better served as quick, aggressive and brutal. Rather than as the slow and painstaking story it told.

Despite all the issues I ended up having with it, I do admired Nickel Boys for delivering a unique experience that doesn't feel like something I've seen in any other movie. It's a very stylistic movie that attempts to tell an important story in an interesting way but unfortunately the story telling method didn't work for me overall. I very much not a fan of POV shots in movies since I find them so distracting and unnatural so filming an entire movie in that way was something I found to be extremely frustrating. It just kept me at a distance from these characters since I'm not seeing how they react during pivotal scenes. Instead of trying to get immersed in the experience I found myself more focused on the camera work in all the wrong ways. It's a very harrowing tale and one that understands the things we don't see on screen are all the more impactful. With it being such a disturbing story a vision that I could've actually gotten on board with would've done so much to get me wrapped up in this experience. But as it is I just found it to be a bit of a miserable watch that dragged unbelievably for me. I do admire the risks that this movie takes and more than that I see what RaMell Ross was going for. It's beautifully acted and did make me feel some genuine emotions while watching it but the main thing I felt when all is said and done is frustration.

This is by no means a bad film, but it is a frustrating one. Sure, we all appreciate a movie that tries to do something different-but let's not confuse "different" with "successful."

The film is shot in a POV style where the camera is meant to represent the character's perspective, which ends up being wildly distracting. Not only does this approach pull you out of the action, but there are moments where you're left wondering what the hell you're even looking at. For example, there are several shots of the back of someone's head. Who is seeing that? Are we supposed to believe the character can see the back of their own skull?

I shouldn't have to ask questions like that. And I wouldn't, if the film had drawn me in. But the overly gimmicky style makes that impossible. This could have been a very powerful movie-the subject matter certainly deserves it. However, the overly clever filmmaking drains it of any real impact.

The acting and writing just barely manage to save it from being a complete disaster, but you still leave the theater wanting so much more.

Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Nickel Boys, a harrowing tale of abuse at a reform school during the Jim Crow era, deserved a cinematic adaptation that captured its potent grief and unflinching brutality. Unfortunately, RaMell Ross's film adaptation falls tragically short, not due to its faithful rendering of the narrative, but because of a deeply misguided and ultimately crippling approach to cinematography that renders the story practically incomprehensible.

The film follows Elwood Curtis, a bright and idealistic young black man wrongly sentenced to the Nickel Academy, a supposed institution of learning that is, in reality, a breeding ground for sadism and racial violence. We witness the horrors through Elwood's eyes, alongside his more cynical companion, Turner. However, witnessing these horrors is a frustratingly difficult task, thanks to Ross's baffling stylistic choices.

Instead of establishing a sense of place and allowing the audience to breathe in the suffocating atmosphere of Nickel, the film throws us into a relentless barrage of close-ups. Faces fill the frame, disembodied and divorced from their surroundings, leaving us with no context for their expressions or the environment that informs them. This constant proximity might have been effective in creating intimacy if it wasn't paired with a dizzying array of first-person perspectives.

We're thrust into the shoes of various characters, often with no clear indication of who we're supposed to be inhabiting. The camera becomes an erratic, disorienting stand-in for the eyes of the boys, sometimes even inexplicably positioned to stare at the back of Elwood's head. This technique, presumably intended to immerse us in the characters' subjective experiences, achieves the opposite effect. It detaches us, leaving us scrambling to understand basic spatial relationships and the narrative flow.

The result is a chaotic, disorienting mess. Scenes that should be emotionally impactful are reduced to a jumble of fragmented images. Key moments of violence are obscured by the shaky, often illegible camerawork. The film's attempts at conveying the psychological toll of trauma are lost in the visual clutter. It's as if the filmmakers were so determined to avoid a conventional approach that they forgot the fundamental purpose of cinematography: to tell a story visually.

While the performances from the young cast are commendable, particularly Ethan Herisse as Elwood, their efforts are ultimately undermined by the film's impenetrable style. "The Nickel Boys" had the potential to be a powerful and necessary piece of cinema, but it is ultimately undone by its own cinematic excesses. Instead of illuminating Whitehead's devastating story, the film buries it under a mountain of ill-conceived visual choices, leaving the audience lost in the dark, struggling to see the tragedy unfolding before them. It's a film that tragically fails to understand that sometimes, less truly is more.

"Nickel Boys" is a strikingly assured and ambitious debut fiction-feature from director RaMell Ross. It is composed almost entirely of POV shots. This has been tried a hand-full of times before in film history, perhaps most famously in the '40s noir, "The Lady of the Lake", but never as intricately and effectively as it is here.

"Nickel Boys" is bi-perspectival. We experience the gazes of two different characters, Elwood and Turner, teenagers incarcerated in a Jim Crowe-era juvenile detention center that amounts to a borderline death-camp for its Black prisoners. I was struck by the similarities and differences between "Nickel Boys" and "Hunger", another overpowering work on life-in-detention. The older film is about the body to a visceral degree that few other movies have attempted and the result is a work of relentless objectivity. "Nickel Boys", by contrast, is about the effects of trauma and imprisonment on the mind and memory- a relentlessly subjective piece.

The tone is thus very different from that of most bleak prison dramas, at times almost affirmational. We're experiencing, literally seeing, the way Elwood and Turner view their conditions in ways that make their situation tolerable- largely by focusing on their friendship- each other's faces- and those of their loved ones. This is not to say that the film is artificially pleasant. One of the best scenes consists of a single long take of a conversation in a bar years after the events depicted in most of the film have taken place. It's a remarkably well staged and performed scene featuring brief but memorable work by actor Sam Malone as Percy, one of the detention center's survivors, uttering the horrors he witnessed in a tone that suggests that even years later he can barely cope with what he saw. Experiences like those inflicted on the characters perhaps cause more damage after the fact than during the actual experience when survival instinct takes over.

The bi-perspectival construction of the film also demonstrates the ways that experiences and memories are never fully constructed or belonging to any one individual. Elwood and Turner, for all of their differences, come to seem almost like one character. We start to forget, or care, about whose perspective we are viewing. These men are forging this part of their lives together- they are co-authors of each other's experience. In this sense, "Nickel Boys" is about themes larger than imprisonment and injustice. It's about the ways that time and memory enact experience, both making it palatable but in the process leaving defining scars. The film's final montage features images of cellular reality- our being recreating itself through creation and destruction even within a single lifetime.

"Nickel Boys" is not a perfect movie. Ross's previous work had been as a documentarian and the script he co-wrote with Joslyn Barnes and Colson Whitehead is characterized by some clunky, overly on-the-nose dialog. However, this makes the powerful performance of said dialog by stars Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, and especially Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Elwood's grandmother, all the more impressive.

A harrowing tale of abuse and mistreatment of colored youths at a reform school. It is exclusively told from the subjective POV of the main character and a fellow intern he befriends at the school. While I appreciate the ambition behind this, it unfortunately and somewhat paradoxically distances me from the main character. Some early scenes felt a bit contrived and forced with this technique, the dialog never flowing in a natural way. Watched this at Stockholm Film Festival without subtitles was also a bit of a challenge since it was very difficult to make out the dialog in certain scenes. You could grasp the events, but details was lost on me. Despite these objections regarding the stylistic choice, the story was still somewhat gripping but overall, it could have been even more so using a more traditional narrative.

One of the most creative, different films i've seen. I think there is a bit of a conflicted stir amongst audiences in how this story was executed. Some people seem to love it, some people seem to hate it. If you'll notice, nobody has anythiing negative to say about the story and source material... It's because its deeply moving and shocking, for those who don't know the story already.

The execution is strikingly different. With such unconventional ways, it is sure to divide audiences. This should not stop you from seeing this film, the story is important enough to be told. And you may end up loving its creative style, i know i did.

I respect this film much more than I enjoyed it. While the director really took a big swing here, this film is a tad overrated. I think that's for two reasons: the way in which this is shot, and the subject matter. While both certainly have merit, simply because a film is doing something innovative, doesn't necessarily mean the film itself is very good. While the film certainly is a real technical achievement, and the subject is touching, I wonder if shooting it in a traditional manner would've made this more palatable and improved the film overall.

If you go into this film without knowing what it's about, you'd never know it's based on a true story. There are scenes, particularly in the beginning, that don't really add up to much ultimately. For a film about such bleak subject matter, the film feels very dreamlike, fantastical, and over-stylized. Because of this, the film almost feels like a projection or rosy retrospection of the abusuve reform school, in lieu of a realistic portrayal of what that must have been like for the victims. Off of that point, it felt like the director was unsure what he wanted the film to be about: the horrors of the reform school or the power of friendship between the two central boys. Much of the abuse is implied or heard off-screen, so how trying and scary the environment must have been for the boys is never really fleshed out, it's mostly implicit. And while the friendship between the boys is shown, how they went from being bunkmates to being best friends isn't necessarily limned or shown for viewers. The story is quite jumpy, at times includes arbitrary scenes, and thus the plot can feel confusing.

How nice the film looked took away from how impactful it could've actually been. The cinematography is certainly beautiful to look at, but the use of the first-person shots were unnecessary and don't really add much to the story. There are many scenes of characters talking to one another and because the film is in first-person POV, you have the actors talking straight into the camera; it more often than not feels awkward, stilted, and contrived, almost reminiscent of a video game or hologram. It just felt bizarre much of the time.

This easily could've been told in a traditional, third-person way and the film would've been much better than it is. The first-person gimmick also sullies the experience of understanding just how bad things are for the characters because we literally only see two perspectives, not an objective view or the totality of the mistreatment. And the pacing much of the time is unfortunately mediocre. A good half hour could've been trimmed from this film.

The performances are good though, and really carry the film. Aujanue Ellis-Taylor gives a great performance, portraying a grandmother trying to come to grips with a deeply unsettling situation she finds her grandson in. The acting of the two leads is also quite good.

Overall, it's beautiful to look at with some strong acting, and I appreciate the big swing that was taken here by the director, but the story could've been told and edited better than it was.

Wow, what a way to take an emotional and horrifying story and turn it into something that feels totally emotionless! I don't get it. Seriously, I'm baffled by so many writing and directing choices in this film. Why go for POV cinematography that doesn't even feel like a true point of view? Most shots could belong to anyone or anything, except when people are talking directly to the camera. The rest look like they're straight out of a documentary. What's with all the plot holes and vague storytelling? And that ending twist-what was the point? There's no real character development, no genuine exploration of the horrors at The Florida School for Boys, and no effective use of time passing in the story. The pacing is painfully slow, making this fascinating story feel unbearably boring. It just drags on endlessly. I can't tell you how many times I wished for it to just end. What's all the hype about the cinematography and it being the best movie of the year? Are we confusing the story behind the movie with what's actually being told?

There's nothing remarkable about this film. If I had to pick something, it would be the sound design-that's about it. Throughout the whole movie, I kept asking myself those same questions. What if this had been a regular, engaging, emotional, scary drama? Why waste two hours just to show me some news on a computer screen at the end? I don't get it. The only moments that grab your attention are those typical dialogues we see in every movie, except everyone is looking at the camera instead of each other. Even the friendships feel hollow and unconvincing, with multiple betrayals happening for some reason. Some plot points and character decisions just don't make sense.

This is basically an interesting short film dragged out over 140 minutes with hardly any plot development or action happening at all! Even if you call it a vibey movie, I couldn't even connect with that vibe! You might argue that the filmmaker is trying to tone down black trauma porn or that these are vague memories of events, but I'm not buying it. This is just bad filmmaking. Even though it tries to tell the story from a first-person perspective, all character development happens through exposition and computer screens-come on.

I'm really disappointed by this movie on so many levels, and I don't want to dive into themes and subtexts like I usually do because they're too obvious and cliché. The only difference here is that they're buried under all the gimmicks and creative nonsense. I can't recommend this movie at all; don't fall for the critics' unrealistic over-the-top praise about it. It's super overrated, and honestly, it's just bad filmmaking!

"Nickel Boys" is a historical drama film based on the 2019 novel "The Nickel Boys" by Colson Whitehead. Directed by RaMell Ross and starring Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson, it adopts an interesting perspective of showing audiences a very important era in modern American history.

In 1962 in Florida, 17-year-old African-American boy Elwood Curtis (Ethan Herisse) is accepted into a tuition-free study program at the recommendation of his black teacher Mr. Hill (Jimmie Fails). While attempting to hitch a ride to the college campus, Elwood unknowingly accepts a ride from a man driving a stolen car and upon being pulled over by a white police officer is wrongfully convicted of being an accomplice. Due to him being underage, Elwood is sent to Nickel Academy, a racially segregated reform school for him to serve out his sentence until he is legally an adult. Shortly upon arriving, Elwood befriends Turner (Brandon Wilson), a quiet student whose cynical outlook on society greatly contrasts with Elwood's more optimistic views of the ongoing Civil Rights Movement. Over the course of their stay at Nickel Academy, Elwood and Turner experience frequent bullying from the corrupt staff and students, as well as numerous other horrors that test their mental well-being, all among the backdrop of a racially divided America.

If I had to pinpoint the most historically significant 20th century era for the United States, it would most likely be the 1960s. This is due to the fact that this particular decade contained some of the most crucial moments that defined America's identity as a superpower, such as its involvement in the Vietnam War, the escalating Cold War with the USSR, the space race, and of course the Civil Rights Movement. The latter example naturally unfolded on a domestic front, paving way for the country's African-American population's acceptance among their white counterparts. However, as many should be aware of by now, this was not achieved so easily, as many violent, unnecessary deaths and other problematic factors occurred that left a noted impact on both the American public and pop culture. The 2024 film "Nickel Boys" shows this turbulent age for America from the viewpoint of two young African-American boys in a way that helps viewers understand some of the pain many like them must have endured.

Taking on a first person point-of-view, the film begins by showing us the early life of the protagonist Elwood Curtis in 1960s America. We watch as the young Elwood lies on the grass gazing up at the fruit trees belonging to his loving grandmother Hattie (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor), embracing the carefreeness of his youth. As well as this, Elwood observes numerous other occurrences happening all around him, including the undignified ways African-Americans are viewed by their Caucasian peers. Later, Elwood passes by a store with television sets in the window broadcasting a live speech of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., essentially opening his eyes to the prospect that black and white people can happily co-exist with each other one day. Though these scenes may be brief, they do a nice enough job of depicting what it must have been like to be a young African-American boy in this era, growing up around all of these world-changing events occurring at the same time.

Sometime later, we see a teenaged Elwood attempting to make his way to college, where he ignorantly rides along with a driver in a stolen car. After being pulled over by the police, the white cop immediately arrests both of them for theft, despite the fact that Elwood is innocent in this situation, something of which an all-white police force will never believe during this time in history. As punishment, Elwood is send to Nickel Academy reform school, where he meets fellow student Turner. At this point in the film, the story switches from Elwood's point-of-view over to Turner's, who sees the world far differently than his more positive-minded friend. Because of this sudden shift to a new lead character with a different world view, the film's tone becomes decidedly darker, as we are transitioning from an optimist to a pessimist. Over the course of the story, the film sometimes flips back and forth between Elwood and Turner, likely as a way for the audience to understand the differing perspectives that each respective character has adopted as a result of their personal experiences. In most other cases, this would be a bizarre creative choice, but it actually works in the film's favour for the most part.

As mentioned earlier, the film is told from a first person perspective, as though the audience is literally seeing the action take place from the characters' eyes. Director RaMell Ross handles this unorthodox creativity in the best way he can; by balancing out Elwood's and Turner's conflicting personalities throughout the plot. I actually found myself genuinely curious to see how each character was going to handle which situation the story throws at them, whether it's Elwood reading a classic piece of literature or Turner reacting in shock over uncovering a terrible secret that the Nickel Academy has been hiding from the general public. In addition to this, Ross also intersperses the occasional news reel footage of the Civil Rights Movement taking place in Alabama and even scenes from the racially motivated 1958 movie "The Defiant Ones", usually during parts where characters are watching TV. Though this may seem tacky at first, they actually serve a purpose in the long run, as they add a great deal of atmosphere to the immersive nature of watching the action unfold before the two lead characters.

While we don't often see their faces, or even their full bodies for that matter, both Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson do a reasonable enough job of playing their characters to leave an impression on the viewer. Herisse manages to bring out a great deal of emotion in Elwood, who despite having his bright future taken away from him, remains hopeful that he may be able to reclaim it once African-Americans like himself are granted their much-demanded Civil Rights. On the other hand, Wilson's performances is far more nuanced, likely suppressing his trauma over all of the terrible things he has witnessed from inside Nickel Academy. These two actors, whether visible on screen or not, are responsible for giving the film some much needed heart among the hostilities on display throughout the rest of the story. You really get the sense you are walking in their shoes at any given time.

Although it may not be as confronting as one might hope, "Nickel Boys" nonetheless works on most every other level thanks to its intriguingly creative execution and watchable lead performances. There aren't many films out there capable of actually inviting the viewer to watch events play out from the exact viewpoint as its main characters, and this one found a way to make it work without feeling too gimmicky. It shows us that while America has come a long way since the 1960s, a decade that defined their status as a superpower for better and for worse, many of the same problems that existed back then still exist today. So long as the same mistakes keep being made, no one will learn a thing.

I rate it 8/10.

The story this movie tells is fantastic and heart wrenching. The acting is superb. At times the director makes brilliant choices. Ok done with the good stuff.

What a train wreck. Seriously. I think this director has a great future, but he threw everything into this film but the kitchen sink. I hated the hand held shaky cam stuff. Why did he do that? It tended to be more shaky early in the film so it kind of set me off early and the story and acting had to win me back. The way POV was utilized throughout was very distracting. We are seeing everything unfold through the character on the screens eyes. At times it is really confusing. The camera is the character. No normal film type interactions at all. Sure if works from time to time, but overall it is annoying. The set up to when Elwood gets in trouble is very long and not well constructed. I have not read the novel but I would guess it has a section about the (limited?) legal process that occurs. It would have been a nice touch. Loved some of the odd montages. Hated others. I still gave it a 7., for the gripping story this film tells, but man ,what a weird film.

60s-based civil-rights drama "Nickel Boys" has noble intent, but the heavy-handed art-house approach (including first-person POV shooting) of writer / director RaMell Ross (with his second movie) renders it a LONG (2hrs 20mins), frustrating, painful watch. Good African-American teen Ethan Herisse is unfairly incarcerated in the Nickel Academy reform school (with the likes of Brandon Wilson & Luke Tennie, under staff like Hamish Linklater & Fred Hechinger) where he witnesses corruption & abuse. Ross' huge imbalance of style over substance makes almost all the performances appear poor however, and dilutes the film's message. It is a mess, which is a shame.

RaMell Ross transforms Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer-winning novel into an immersive cinematic experience that confronts systemic racism with unflinching honesty and artistic brilliance.

RaMell Ross's Nickel Boys is not a film that watches passively. It demands engagement, understanding, and empathy from its audience, much like the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead on which it is based. Through its daring visuals and emotionally charged storytelling, Nickel Boys immerses viewers in the horrors of the fictional Nickel Academy, a reform school in 1960s Florida modeled after the real-life Dozier School for Boys.

The film follows Elwood (Ethan Herisse) and Turner (Brandon Wilson), two young Black men navigating the systemic abuse, violence, and dehumanization at Nickel Academy. Ross opts for an intimate, first-person cinematic technique with the help of director of photography Jomo Fray, ensuring the audience doesn't just watch the story but experiences it through the eyes of its protagonists. From the stolen car that seals Elwood's fate to the mirrored ceiling reflecting fleeting moments of connection, the cinematography is both haunting and poetic.

Ross doesn't shy away from discomfort. Instead, he leans into it, capturing moments of injustice with brutal authenticity. One of the film's most harrowing sequences involves a Nickel supervisor (Hamish Linklater) doling out punishment. The violence occurs off-screen, but the chilling sound of the strap and the visceral reactions of the boys leave an indelible mark. The film also uses historical references, like cutting in scenes from 1958's The Defiant Ones, to deepen the emotional resonance of Elwood and Turner's attempted prison break.

The performances are as captivating as the story. Herisse brings a quiet determination to Elwood, while Wilson's Turner is a revelation, showcasing a raw vulnerability that makes his arc unforgettable. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor delivers a heartbreaking turn as Elwood's grandmother, Hattie, and Fred Hechinger exudes sinister menace as a trustee of the academy. In flash-forwards, Daveed Diggs portrays one of the survivors grappling with the haunting legacy of Nickel, a reminder that systemic racism's scars endure far beyond the immediate trauma.

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Ross masterfully balances artistry and substance, using his background as a photographer and documentarian (Hale County This Morning, This Evening) to craft a narrative that feels both tactile and transcendent. The visuals are stunning-orange trees swaying in the breeze, civil rights protests flickering on storefront TVs-but they never overshadow the film's thematic weight. The film dares to ask: How do you bear witness to atrocities while maintaining hope for a better future?

Ross's unique approach to storytelling is complemented by an equally daring narrative structure. The film's immersive technique places the audience directly into the emotional and physical landscapes of its characters. By shifting perspectives between Elwood and Turner, the audience is given a multi-faceted view of life at Nickel Academy-its suffocating oppression and fleeting moments of resilience. These shifting perspectives create a layered narrative that resonates on both personal and societal levels.

Some may find Ross's immersive, collage-like approach challenging, but it's precisely this audacity that makes Nickel Boys a must-watch. It's not just a film about the past but a searing indictment of a present still shaped by institutional racism in new and disturbing forms. The juxtaposition of Elwood's unyielding hope with Turner's hardened pragmatism paints a poignant picture of the different ways individuals navigate systemic oppression. This duality adds emotional depth to the story, making it both heart-wrenching and thought-provoking.

Ross also introduces moments of unexpected beauty amidst the darkness. The tactile warmth of a breeze on an orange tree, the quiet solidarity of shared meals, and the fleeting joy of stolen moments all serve as reminders of the humanity that persists even in the face of unimaginable cruelty. These moments are not mere embellishments but integral parts of the narrative, highlighting the resilience of the human spirit.

The film's climax, centered around Elwood and Turner's daring escape, is a masterclass in tension and emotional weight. The use of intercut scenes from The Defiant Ones adds a layer of meta-commentary on the history of cinematic depictions of race and resistance. The pursuit by a white trustee, portrayed with chilling menace by Fred Hechinger, serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive and relentless nature of systemic racism.

Nickel Boys is more than a movie-it's a cry for justice, a call to action, and a work of art that demands to be felt as much as seen. RaMell Ross's fearless storytelling, coupled with extraordinary performances, ensures this adaptation is both unforgettable and necessary. It challenges us to confront our shared history while offering glimmers of hope that change, however incremental, is possible.

Reviewed At Opening Night of the 62nd New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall on September 27, 2024.

A potentially compelling story told in the most boring and uninteresting way possible.

So dull, it's impossible to not wish for the sweet release of death.

The choice of first-person camera perspective made me wish the entire time that I was watching Peep Show instead.

There are numerous better and more impactful films about racism and inequality. I wished I was watching them as well.

If the aim of the filmmaker was to put the viewer in the place of the protagonists, then do it in a more interesting way, PLEASE!

Just because things happened, doesn't make them worth watching without the basic principles of dramatic storytelling.

Dull as dishwater. An absolute yawnfest.

'Nickel Boys' tries new methods in the film. The camera stays at the eye-level of young Elwood, and this is effective because it embodies the happy and cozy childhood of small Elwood. This eye-level camera movement implies that he's taken care of, given attention, and loved. That's the only good part of RaMell Ross's 'NEW methods'.

I'm now going to list all those 'fresh' approaches of the director. However, I cannot find the 'purpose' of these approaches. Why does he choose these specific tools and forms to create what effect on the audience? None of them are answered. First, screen ratio. The director chooses a 1.33:1 ratio. It rather feels stuffed, blocking a wider view. My sight is blocked the whole time. Second, lots of montage, jagged editing, and lots of quick cuts. Again, I don't know why the director chooses this way, and I'm sure his intention has failed because It feels chopped and segmented, hindering the continuity and the flow of the movie and making the ending more confusing. In addition to these editing problems, story development is slow, making things worse.

Some films hit us hard not just because of what they tell, but because of how they tell it. "Nickel Boys," directed by RaMell Ross, is one of those rare cases where narrative and aesthetics intertwine in an almost hypnotic way. Adapting Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer-winning novel, the film dives into the story of Elwood (Ethan Herisse) and Turner (Brandon Wilson), two Black boys in segregated Florida who end up trapped in the brutal Nickel Academy. But this isn't just a story about systemic injustice-it's a study of hope, resilience, and how time reshapes memory and trauma. The result is a devastatingly powerful film that pulls us in without relying on easy sentimentality, demanding that the audience see and feel without spoon-feeding everything.

From the very first frame, Ross establishes a cinematic language that defies conventional expectations of a historical drama. Instead of leaning on a linear narrative or obvious emotional beats, he crafts a sensory experience where the characters' glances and gestures speak as loudly as their words. Jomo Fray's cinematography is a spectacle in itself, shifting between almost documentary-style compositions and images of breathtaking lyricism that cruelly contrast with the protagonists' harsh reality. It's a film that understands the power of silence, space, and contemplation, making us feel the passage of time and the weight of oppression in an organic, unsettling way.

Ethan Herisse delivers a heartbreaking performance as Elwood, an idealistic young man who believes in Martin Luther King's teachings and the possibility of a better future. His optimism, however, is brutally tested when he is unjustly sent to Nickel Academy. His counterpoint is Turner, a boy who learned early on not to trust promises and sees survival as the only real form of resistance. Their relationship is the beating heart of the film, and the screenplay wisely avoids turning them into mere symbols, instead presenting them as deeply complex, layered characters. They aren't just victims of a cruel system-they're individuals with fears, desires, and conflicting worldviews.

The film doesn't just reconstruct the brutality of Nickel Academy through explicit violence but through the psychological scars it leaves on its characters. Ross avoids the usual tricks of social injustice dramas and instead makes us feel the weight of this experience through a more subjective approach. The decision to shift between different perspectives and timelines adds a fascinating depth, allowing the story to breathe and unfold gradually. The transitions between past and present are seamless, and the use of archival footage creates a connection between fiction and historical reality that makes everything even more impactful.

Another striking aspect is how the film questions the very notion of heroism. Elwood believes in peaceful resistance and the power of morality, while Turner sees that as an impossible luxury in a system that only understands the language of brutality. Their relationship draws parallels to dynamics seen in films like "12 Years a Slave," but "Nickel Boys" dismantles any idea of a simplistic resolution. There are no easy promises of justice or redemption-only the harsh realization that, for many, freedom comes at an unbearably high price.

The minimalist score and sound design add to the film's oppressive atmosphere, emphasizing both the fleeting beauty of hopeful moments and the suffocating tension that lingers over every scene in the academy. The empty spaces, echoing hallways, and constant sense of surveillance turn Nickel into a silent nightmare, where the real horror lies in the banality of evil and the impunity that sustains it.

The third act holds a revelation that redefines everything we've seen up to that point, and Ross handles this moment with rare subtlety, trusting the audience's intelligence to connect the dots. It's a bitter ending but one that feels profoundly true to everything the film has built. "Nickel Boys" isn't looking to offer catharsis or comfort-it's an unsettling but necessary gaze into history's wounds and how they continue to reverberate in the present.

Ultimately, what makes "Nickel Boys" so powerful is precisely its refusal to be an "easy" film. It doesn't simplify its message, it doesn't offer ready-made answers, and it doesn't seek comfort in sentimentality. It's a work that demands attention, empathy, and reflection-one that, above all, reaffirms cinema's ability to make us see the world in new ways.

I went into this film knowing nothing about the plot. I didn't even know it was based on a Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel. When films are as acclaimed as this one, I like going in with zero knowledge if possible.

As someone who hadn't read the book, I found the movie's handling of the plot to be very confusing. It was difficult to follow the narrative because of the aggressively fragmented technique and the camera work, which was usually POV and sometimes duplicative. The ending, in particular, made little sense to this uninitiated viewer. I entertained several theories about exactly what happened during those crucial 60 seconds or so and had to resort to the Internet when I got home to learn the implication of what I'd just seen. Maybe engendering that level of confusion was the filmmaker's intention...but for me it was problematic.

Beyond feeling confused, I was also not so taken with what I'll call the film's going-for-broke artsiness. There were frequent intrusions of extraneous footage, some historical...some "atmospheric"... some indecipherable. Ordinary activities like picking oranges were heavily labored, as if just showing simple actions in a straightforward manner was somehow unseemly.

Basically I'd say the film is attempting to give the viewer as much of a taste of the direct experience as it was lived by the characters as is possible in a movie. It's kind of an immersion technique, but I didn't feel it was overly successful. Certainly I felt very uncomfortable watching the brutality and racism highlighted here, but I'm not sure the way the brutality and racism were actually handled in terms of the story fragmentation and camera work strengthened the point the film was trying to make or diluted that point.

In sum, this is a highly ambitious, thought- (and gut-) provoking film that did not reach the heights to which it aspired. I recommend it highly for its subject matter but not so much for its technique.

Greetings again from the darkness. I don't recall a more unusual opening seven or eight minutes for a film (even including Terrence Malick). Slightly disorienting fragments of scenes from odd angles are made more obscure through nearly indistinguishable dialogue. The surreal images form a dreamlike montage of a playground, a sale on color TV's, Martin Luther King's speech, and more. A few more minutes pass before we get an actual look at Elwood, whose story we are about to follow.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning 2019 novel by Colson Whitehead is adapted for the screen by writer-director RaMell Ross and co-writer Joslyn Barnes. Though the story and characters are a work of fiction, the Nickel Academy is based on the Dozier School, a Florida panhandle-based reform school that operated for 111 years prior to unmarked graves being discovered.

Elwood (Ethan Herisse) is an intelligent high schooler being raised by his wise and hardworking grandmother Hattie (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, KING RICHARD, 2021). His teacher is so convinced of Ethan's potential that he guides him towards a local college that accepts black students and offers scholarships. It doesn't take us long to gain an affinity for Elwood and realize he has a promising future. Well, that's right up to the moment he mindlessly accepts a ride in a stolen car. The police treat him as an accomplice, and poof, he's in a patrol car headed to reform school. The contrast between the environments for white kids at Nickel Academy versus black kids is startling.

Elwood and Turner (Brandon Wilson, THE WAY BACK, 2020) form an unlikely friendship. Turner, who has no family, is from Houston and has a big city viewpoint of societal racism compared to Elwood's mostly hopeful nature. Two sides of a coin one might say. Director Ross references the classic film THE DEFIANT ONES a few times - noting the differences between the Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis characters. Another creative choice from Ross is the alternating timeframes as the story is told. Of course, there is young Elwood (Ethan Cole Sharp) and reform school Elwood (Herisse), and we find ourselves intrigued by 'adult' Elwood (Daveed Diggs). Ross shows mostly the back of his head as he starts his own business - Ace Moving Company - and works through relationship issues.

Still, most of the film's story occurs while Elwood and Turner negotiate each day through the abuse and mistreatment ... and fear of the sweatbox. It's through their eyes that we 'see' what they say. This distinctive camera work from cinematographer Jomo Fray would likely be distracting in most films, but here, it works to plop us right into an environment we'd likely never experience on our own. Supporting work comes from Hamish Linklater as the home's director and Fred Hechinger as a foreman who cuts the boys some slack. It's Linklater's character who methodically lays out the steps for the boys to achieve release. It's only with time that they discover these steps are nothing but a pipe dream.

It's a long movie with some heartbreaking moments. It's also one that frequent movie goers will recognize as a true work of art. As adult Elwood follows the excavation of the Nickel Academy site, the impact of a place that laid the foundation of animosity becomes quite clear. There are lessons to be learned from history, if only we take heed.

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.

Adapting any Colson Whitehead book to the screen is tough, but Ross pulls off something miraculous here: he faithfully adapts a powerful book...and creates a film that is entirely its own. I have been watching movies for over 4 decades and I've never seen anything quite like this. Every shot tells a story, and many of them will stay with me. Whether someone was looking up at the trees or through a shop window or across a field or up from the bottom of a pool, I felt like I was encountering real moments and memories. I stepped into someone else's story, and I saw my own story (really our own story as a country) in a new light. This movie may not be an easy watch, but it sure is a beautiful one.

Director RaMell Ross makes his debut with his first film after his three great documentaries. This time he adapts Colson Whitehead's fantastic book that won him his second Pulitzer Prize for this raw story based on real events.

A daring staging.

There are decisions that mark when it comes to rewarding a job or not, and that is the case that brings us to the staging that RaMell Ross decides and this subjective vision that he applies to his two main characters. In a certain way it is a decision that I do value quite a lot for a director who wants to make a new impression in his debut on the big screen. If I agree completely with that, well no, because it greatly limits being able to enter in a better way into a story as powerful as what he has in his hands. For those film lovers who are looking for new sensations, this is a bet that will be very popular, and this is confirmed by its nomination for best film at the next Oscars. However, for a more traditional viewer it will be an experience that they will not be able to fully enjoy, because it is true that the film and its script are difficult to follow.

Boldness does not come sustained to the end.

While the film is quite captivating in its first hour, when the moment of explosion arrives, this same audacity at the beginning prevents us from enjoying more intensely its final outcome, which deserved a much less revolutionary intention to understand the great final climax that it has on its shoulders. In any case, the direction is neat and calculated, but it does not end up being a satisfactory blow for everyone.

His story is so powerful, it makes up for everything.

Although it is not visually perfect, it is a deep, sad and meaningful story that compensates for certain decisions when we begin to understand the entire path that this pair of friends travel within the hell that their environment represents. Its script supports certain monologues and scenes that captivate and connect with the viewer who decides to give this proposal by RaMell Ross a chance until the end . It is also helped by a good cast that manages to make this visual proposal by its director emotionally bearable.

Conclusion.

Ultimately, we are faced with a film that has the appeal to conquer a large part of the public, with a risky visual proposal imprinted by a director who seeks to give his own touch to a moving and heartbreaking story that may have been much more powerful with other decisions in tow, but it is still an assumption. The reality is that Nickel Boys has its own merits to validate its place among the best of 2024, it may not be for all viewers, but, nevertheless, it is worth giving it a chance to have your own impression of its final result.

RaMell Ross might be a big noise in the world of commercial photography but here he proves that using the medium of the "moving picture" is something that is beyond him. He should have actually learnt some lessons from the iconic film he references in this film - Stanley Kramer's "The Defiant Ones" - which shows that you don't need filmic trickery to tell a story of racial prejudice in the USA's Deep South. Is there any point to telling the same scene from the point of view of the two participants in it? Am I the only one who finds this disruptive to the narrative's drive? The one salient point I found from watching this film was that heinous crimes were not just enacted by whites on blacks but equally evil by blacks on blacks. Let's hope that the next picture Ross makes is a bit more coherent and not just a sequence of still pictures.