Directed by: Chinonye Chukwu
Written by: Michael Reilly, Keith Beauchamp, Chinonye Chukwu
Cast: Danielle Deadwyler, Jalyn Hall, Whoopi Goldberg, Haley Bennett, Sean Patrick Thomas
Till is a biographical drama film that showcases the life and untimely death of the 14-year-old Emmett Till. The film is predominantly told from the perspective of Emmett’s mother “Mamie Till-Mobley.” It is hard to write a review on Till, because the film is a tough watch but feels mandatory.
Till feels like a mandatory watch, because the film goes beyond a basic re-telling of the lynching of Emmet Till. Till showcases the horrors any mother would face with the loss of their child but also showcases the struggles of growing up in the 1950s.
Till opens with Emmett Till (played by Jalyn Hall) and Mamie Till (played by Danielle Deadwyler) singing happily together in their car. What starts as a joyous moment quickly turns to dread and horror as Mamie realizes the world she lives in is not as safe as this moment feels. This is expertly illustrated by Chukwu’s direction. The scene shows the camera zooming into Mamie’s face as the music can still be heard in the background. The moment is acted expertly by Danielle Deadwyler as she goes from smiling to an almost panicked and near crying facial expression. You can tell she is holding back tears, as to not let her son see what she is feeling. It is a powerful moment and prepares you for the tone of the entire film.
It is soon explained that Mamie feels this sense of dread, because Emmett is days away from leaving Chicago. Emmett plans to visit family in Mississippi for a few days which greatly disturbs his mother. This proves a great risk in Mamie’s eyes, because Mississippi is one of the worst states for a person of color to visit or live in during this time period (1955). The cast is rounded out with Whoopi Goldberg as Alma Carthan (Emmett’s Grandmother), Haley Bennett as Carolyn Bryant, and Sean Patrick Thomas as Gene Mobley (Mamie’s partner).
Till’s story depicts Mamie’s struggles to defend her image against two major losses. The first is the loss of her husband in the military. Till showcases the relentless judgment Mamie faces choosing to date Gene Mobley and allow Gene to parent her son Emmet. The second struggle depicted in this film is Mamie’s choice to have an open casket funeral for her 14-year-old son. For those who may not know the story of Emmett Till’s lynching, this might be confusing to read. If you are amongst this group, I implore you to watch this film. I say this, because I believe this film was made for that exact audience.
While predominantly taking on the perspective of Mamie Till, Till also illustrates the difference of perspective for every character involved in Emmett’s lynching. This ranges from Emmett, witnesses to the lynching and even Carolyn Bryant. I find this choice particularly moving, because it gives the audience a greater opportunity to understand the time period in which Till takes place. It also provides extensive context for those who may already know about this horrible moment in history.
The way Till is directed in its pivotal moments had me think to myself “Is this a horror movie?” From the aforementioned opening scene to the discovery of Emmett’s body, this film does not hold back on any of the gruesome elements. Continually, what makes this even more difficult is that all of this is based on real events.
Where there are genuinely difficult moments in Till, there are also genuinely heart-warming moments in the film. You can tell by watching how every actor takes pride in not only their work, but also giving their best for the real-world person they are portraying. There are tender moments of joy and love to balance out the tough moments showcased in Till. It is pacing like this that makes Till a palatable film despite its very strong subject matters.
I believe the intention behind Till is to move its audience and to make them feel a part of the community that has lost young Emmett Till. Till is rated PG-13, but I would suggest only audiences fifteen or older should see this film. Despite that I would recommend all in that age bracket see this movie as it does a great job with its storytelling and cinematography.
From me, Till gets an 8/10 because of its impactful visuals, great acting, and extensive study on the aftermath of Till’s lynching both in and outside of his community.
