A moving drama that's unafraid to ask big questions, "Origin" honors its source material with powerful performances including Isabel Wilkerson (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) and Brett Hamilton (Jon Bernthal), in service of a deeply emotional story. This story involves an unspoken system that has shaped America as well as other countries, and chronicles how lives today are defined by a hierarchy of human divisions otherwise known as caste systems dating back centuries.
Others to round out the cast are Niecy Nash as Marion Wilkerson, Emily Yancy as Ruby Wilkerson, Isabel's mother, Audra McDonald as Miss Hale, Blair Underwood as Amari Selvan, Finn Wittrock as August Landmesser, Vera Farmiga as Kate, Nick Offerman as Dave the plumber, Connie Nielsen as Sabine, Jasmine Cephas Jones as Elizabeth Davis, Myles Frost as Trayvon Martin and Donna Mills as Mrs. Copeland.
This was rivetedly and compassionately directed by Ava DuVernay ("This Is the Life" .08, "I Will Follow" '10, "Middle of Nowhere" '12, "Selma" '14, "13th" '16, "A Wrinkle In Time" '18) plus TV, TV movies, shorts and a music video, I can really appreciate how this filmmaker used several different styles in this movie--anywhere from a documentary feel to a 'dream-like' state using slow-motion photography. It created a fluidity that could've been shot as a very standard 'stiff' way producing a cold feel, but instead made the film captivating. It was also brilliantly written by Ava DuVernay ("Middle of Nowhere" '12, "13th" '16) plus TV, shorts and a music video, based by the book, "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" by Isabel Wilkerson. First of all, Ellis-Taylor gave a riveting performance of this humble, yet larger-than-life pulitzer prize winning author, and secondly, the role was played out with such forthrightness and humility that it almost created a sense of uncomfortableness, since society has never really wrapped their heads around this caste system concept. It truly makes sense. People use the racial excuse, however if one looks at the caste in India, the different societal levels are not comprised of different races as this film brings out. Whether it's the African-American slavery era, or the Jews against the Nazis, or the Dalits against the upper class in India, there is a definitive caste separation. The film was two-plus hours, however the film was crafted so well that the time simply flew by.
This wasn't a film about racism as much as it was a film about a societal caste system that we all come from and seemingly will never get to a place where we care and respect one another for just being people. These caste systems have been around for centuries. Will they ever end? Since most people don't even realize that they're part of this system, I suspect it will not end. This is a must see for all. As "Crash" was difficult to watch, but much needed, so is "Origin"
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG-13 141mins.
No comments:
Post a Comment