By: Henry J. Fromage (Four Beers) –
The Photograph (2020) Drinking Game
Take a Drink: for cut back to the past
Take a Drink: for every art reference
Take a Drink: whenever Lil’ Rel goes on a verbal lark
Do a Shot: for every new smooth R&B track
Movie Review
To me, Lakeith Stanfield can do no wrong. Ever since his breakout (and feature debut) in Short Term 12, I’ve followed him through just about every project and the man is prolific.
More of this, please.
The Photograph sees him tackling the Romance genre alongside HBO (and more) star Issa Rae. They play two young, attractive, and successful people in New York City (he a writer, she a museum curator) who are brought together by a story he’s writing that intersects with her past in unexpected ways.
A Toast
No film with talent like Stanfield, Rae, Courtney B. Vance, Kelvin Harrison Jr., the suddenly everywhere Rob Morgan, and even Lil’ Rel Howery and Chelsea Peretti as comic relief can go too far wrong, and each of these folks gets at least a small showcase to demonstrate what they do so well.
Stella Meghie directs a very polished and even-handed production, and combined with her actors’ across the board quality, there are moments here that approach or even supersede what was likely expected from a romantic film starring this caliber of talent.
Beer Two
The Photograph is very, very slow. Like a good R&B song, it takes things slowwww. There’s barely a hint of drama in either of its intersecting storylines until we’re around an hour in.
Beer Three
Speaking of R&B, there’s plenty of jazz and Al Green tracks (for me, good), and lots and lots and lots of smooooth R&B that’s like super suave nails on a saccharine chalkboard to my ears. You may well disagree (my wife certainly does), but it’s not at all for me.
Beer Four
Something about the approach here represses the stakes of the drama when it does start to threaten to make things interesting. Everything is just so slow and laid back that even the reveal of decades-long familial secrets just sort of smoooothes out after a scene or two.
Verdict
The Photograph is a quite slow, fairly romantic drama that probably would have been ideal for its Valentines Day release window if the world hadn’t chose to flip at that point.
