It is hard to believe that NICKEL BOYS is the debut feature film from director RaMell Ross given its technical audacity and accomplishment. That Ross' major technical choice did not work for me is a shame but does not detract from the fact that we are witnessing a powerful and impressive new directorial voice. I understood the reasoning behind his decision and admire its bravery. I will watch whatever he does next with interest.
The film is based on a deceptively short but searing novel by Colson Whitehead. I read it on a flight from Munich to London and was deeply affected by it. It tells the fictionalised story of a brutal reform school in Florida where the black boys inside are abused, exploited and many of the murdered. We see its horrors through the eyes of Elwood, an intelligent young man set for higher education whose path is diverted by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He scrupulously documents the abuses at the school and hopes to expose them, much to the horror of his best friend Turner, who is far more cynical and world-weary. Decades later, the murders at the school are exposed and Elwood can finally give his testimony.
RaMell Ross begins his film with half an hour of context that shows the world in which the Nickel Academy exists. Elwood is being raised by his beloved Nana (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor in the standout performance of the film). He benefits from a kind and politically active teacher who encourages him to study. Ross chooses to tell the story by showing Elwood point of view. As a result, his face is withheld for quite some time. In a bravura shot, we see Elwood reflected in the back and forth of his Nana's iron.
We then transfer to the Academy, run by the corrupt Spencer (Hamish Linklater - THE BIG SHORT) and our POVs increase to include that of Elwood's friend Turner. So at least we can see the boys in each other's points of view. I understand why RaMell Ross chooses the immediacy of this style, especially considering the plot reveal in the contemporary timeline. But it distanced me from the subject matter and the characters. It brought me out of the film rather than immersing me in it. I also think that it maybe wasn't executed as well as it could have been done, balancing the hand-held constant motion with the needs of the viewer. I felt like I had motion sickness at the end of the film.
That said, I still think this is a film to be admired. Unfortunately the POV style gives the actors little to do, but Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor gives a deeply affecting performance. The sound design and score are superb. And the final epilogue that gives us a montage of artefacts and revelations is stunning. When the film ended and the credits rolled you could feel the shock and silence of the audience as they struggled to digest what they had witnessed. It was powerful stuff.
NICKEL BOYS has a running time of 140 minutes and is rated PG-13. It played Telluride and London 2024. It goes on limited release in New York on Dec 13th and in LA on Dec 20th and in the UK on January 3rd 2025.
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