Nickel Boys
Back in 1978, the groundbreaking television series “M*A*S*H” aired an episode in which the camera represented the eyes, or point of view, of a wounded soldier. We never actually saw the soldier; we were the soldier. We saw all the medical personnel and other wounded GIs just as he would see them. It was a novel approach, and it put viewers into the action in a way that had never been executed before on TV.
Point-of-view technique
Now, director RaMell Ross has essentially done the same thing with his mostly brilliant new film “Nickel Boys,” based on Colson Whitehead’s 2019 novel of the same name. Ross and his cinematographer Jomo Fray use the camera to see through the eyes of protagonist Elwood, an intelligent young African American boy about to enter his freshman year at an historically black university. Elwood hitches a ride with a man who, unbeknownst to him, is driving a stolen car. Elwood is apprehended and sentenced to the Nickel Academy, which is representative of Southern reform schools which were eliminated during and following the Civil Rights Movement.
At first, Ross’ point-of-view camera is jarring. We’re not sure exactly what we’re seeing, as we anticipate the camera eventually pulling back to allow us to view an entire room or landscape. Then, when Elwood arrives at Nickel, he befriends another smart, but much more cynical, boy named Turner. Ross’ camera then switches to Turner’s point of view. Fortunately, we are eventually allowed to “see” both boys in a more traditional manner; the unique stylistic technique is used only sparingly during the film’s second half. But it allows us to put ourselves in the shoes of the main characters in a way that hasn’t been done before. Kudos to Ross and Fray for advancing the art of filmmaking by leaps and bounds in just one theatrical effort.
The narrative
As far as the narrative is concerned, we soon learn Nickel houses its black inmates in worse conditions than those of their white counterparts. We also learn that very little attempt is made to teach these boys anything. And we find out the primary purpose of Nickel (and presumably other reform “schools”) is to provide slave labor for the nearby farms – in this case, the Florida orange groves. Young men who have run afoul of the law – if only by weak association, in Elwood’s case – are used to provide penal labor, even though the practice was outlawed by the 13th Amendment.
Civil Rights backdrop
“Nickel Boys” is a fictitious account of a practice which actually did exist. And the boys’ story is peppered throughout with news accounts of the Civil Rights Movement and the ministry and activism of Dr. Martin Luther King. We’re keenly aware institutions like Nickel would cease to exist in the near future, but this is an episode of American history with which most of us are unaware. In this respect, “Nickel Boys” is jarring and discordant.
The cast
The young actors playing Elwood and Turner are Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson, who are relatively unknown to most audiences, and are both excellent in their roles. The only familiar face amongst the supporting cast is Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor – so great in last year’s “Origin” – who plays Elwood’s grandmother, the person who raised him. Her futile efforts to bring justice to Elwood and expose the Nickel Academy are disheartening. As usual, Ellis-Taylor brings a personal touch to her character that is essential to the success of the film.
Hazy ending
My only issue with “Nickel Boys” is that the conclusion is difficult to follow. As the two young men escape the academy, one of them is killed by the authorities, and it’s hard to identify whom. We assume it is Elwood, as we’ve been privy to flash-forward scenes of adult Elwood investigating the buried remains of boys uncovered on the grounds of the former reform school. But it’s still not clear, and Ross’ and Joslyn Barnes’ adapted screenplay muddies the water in this respect. This is one instance in which the point-of-view cinematography works against the film.
Inventive & unique
But overall, “Nickel Boys” is a very inventive and unique work of cinematic art. I’m not sure exactly what to take from this account, other than it exposes a sad chapter of Americana most of us don’t know about. I don’t believe there is any correlation to be made between this story and modern-day experience. While it is true that African Americans have yet to achieve true equality, we can all take solace in the fact that these institutions are a relic of the quite distant past.
Andy Ray‘s reviews also appear on https://townepost.com/