First, the Recap:
True love knows no color. It is 1958, and in Caroline County, Virginia, white bricklayer/construction worker Richard Loving (Joel Edgerton) makes what was to become a nation-altering choice–marrying the love of his life, African-American Mildred (Ruth Negga)–who is also pregnant with his child. Unable to perform the ceremony in Virginia due to the societal times and miscegenation laws, Richard drives the couple to Washington, D.C. to have the rites performed. Happy with their newly blossoming life, word gets out of their arrangement, evoking the ire of the local sheriff, Brooks (Marton Csokas), leading to the couple’s subsequent arrest. Forced to make a heart-wrenching choice to maintain their married status, both Richard and Mildred ultimately make a further decision to come back to their home and fight for their rights as a couple, leading all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and a groundbreaking change in State policy.
Worth Seeing: Yes
“Mud” and “Midnight Special” writer/director Jeff Nichols brings a very deep, effective, evocative sense of intent and relevancy to the screen in the telling of this true life story that honestly comes at a needed time overall when general racial tensions are mounting again in this nation. A perfect portrait of how real love and commitment knows no color boundaries, the film flows along with a slightly slower pacing, but this isn’t a detriment since the weight of what’s being portrayed both dramatically and historically will keep you engaged. Edgerton is fantastic as Loving, a simple, non-complicated, hard-working man whose sole goal is to care for the woman he loves deeply, provide for her, and live in peace. His initial hesitations as to how to fight the against the law trying to negate their relationship is very well portrayed, even as Negga’s stalwart Mildred charges ahead on behalf of the pair, which leads their case to the High Court. Her own vulnerability and fears encountered early on are replaced with a fire and determination to see things change for her and others, again, well enacted here.
Supporting players are all solid, and it’s the story of love triumphing over bigotry, hatred, violence, misunderstanding, et al that allows this true life tale to rise above.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
