Director
Barry Jenkins
Leading Actors/Actresses
KiKi Layne and Stephan James
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Regina King and Teyonah Parris
Genre
Romance/Drama
Language
English
Awards
If Beale Street Could Talk was nominated for a number of Academy Awards, including: Best Adapted Screenplay for Jenkins, Best Original Score, and Best Supporting Actress for Regina King
Date of Release
December 14, 2018
Producer
Megan Ellison, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Adele Romanski, Sara Murphy, and Barry Jenkins
Setting and Context
New York, the 1970s
Narrator and Point of View
Through the point of view of Clementine "Tish" Rivers and Alonzo "Fonny" Hunt
Tone and Mood
Sad, unfortunate, insidious, grateful, happy, lively, solemn, and romantic
Protagonist and Antagonist
Tish vs. Officer Bell and the U.S. Justice System
Major Conflict
The conflict between Tish and Alonzo and Officer Bell and the U.S. Justice System as the two to acquit Alonzo on his false rape charge
Climax
Interestingly, there is no clear climax of If Beale Street Could Talk. However, it can be argued that the climax of the film occurs when Trish tells Alonzo that she is pregnant with his child.
Foreshadowing
Alonzo's eventual arrest for a crime he did not commit is foreshadowed by his early interactions with Officer Bell
Understatement
The broken nature of the U.S. Justice System is understated throughout the film
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
While incredibly well-shot and well-made, If Beale Street Could Talk is not innovative in filming or lighting or camera techniques.
Allusions
Allusions to geography (places around New York, specifically), history (of the 1970s United States, specifically), novels (and the novel on which it was based), popular culture, and to science (specifically the science of criminal investigation).
Paradox
Alonzo is not a rapist, yet is inexplicably convicted of a rape he did not commit.
Officer Bell is a liar and has no proof Alonzo committed the crime, yet Alonzo is still arrested and convicted.
Parallelism
No significant instances of parallelism.
