Taglines: Trust love all the way.
While the film is presented in a non-linear structure, this plot summary is written in a linear fashion. Clementine “Tish” Rivers and Alonzo “Fonny” Hunt have been friends their whole lives, and begin a romantic relationship when they are older. They struggle to find a place to live as most landlords refuse to rent apartments to black people. They eventually find a place in a warehouse in the process of being converted to an apartment building. Levy, the Jewish landlord, agrees to rent it to them at a reasonable rate because he enjoys seeing couples in love, regardless of their race.
One night, when Tish is shopping at a mostly white grocery store, she is harassed by a man. When he begins to assault her, Fonny physically throws the man out of the store. A policeman nearby, Officer Bell, witnesses the incident and attempts to arrest Fonny, but reluctantly lets him go when the lady who runs for the grocery store vouches for them.
Fonny is later arrested for raping a woman. Despite the fact that it would have been virtually impossible for him to have travelled from the scene of the crime to the apartment where he was arrested in the amount of time between the rape and the arrest, the case against Fonny is considered strong due to Officer Bell’s testimony, where he claims seeing Fonny fleeing the scene and Victoria Rogers, the victim, disappearing after identifying Fonny as her rapist. Tish, as well as Fonny’s friend, Daniel, were with him at the time of the rape, but their testimony isn’t considered reliable due to Tish’s romantic relationship with Fonny, and Daniel’s previous conviction for grand theft auto (despite his claim to not even know how to drive a car).
Tish visits Fonny in jail as he awaits trial, and reveals to him that she is pregnant with their baby. Fonny is excited to be a father, but is saddened by the fact that his child might be born with him behind bars. Later, Tish tells her parents, Sharon and Joseph, and sister, Ernestine, about her pregnancy. Though worried for her, Tish’s family is supportive. They decide to invite Fonny’s family over to share the news of the pregnancy.
Frank, Fonny’s father, is excited about the pregnancy. However, Fonny’s highly religious mother declares the child to be a sin due to being conceived out of wedlock and goes into a rant about how Tish is damned, which is ended when Frank hits her. As Mrs. Hunt begins to leave with her daughters in disgust, Sharon reminds her that she has just condemned her own grandchild, leaving her emotionally distraught as she is escorted away by her daughters. In a bar, Frank discusses how he is worried about paying for a child, but Joseph convinces him that they’ll be able to provide for their grandchild the same way they provided for their children.
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Directed by: Barry Jenkins
Starring: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Aunjanue Ellis, Ebony Obsidian, Dominique Thorne, Diego Luna, Emily Rios, Pedro Pascal
Screenplay by: Barry Jenkins
Production Design by: Mark Friedberg
Cinematography by: James Laxton
Film Editing by: Joi McMillon, Nat Sanders
Costume Design by: Caroline Eselin
Set Decoration by: Devynne Lauchner, Kris Moran
Art Direction by: Robert Pyzocha, Oliver Rivas Madera, Jessica Shorten
Music by: Nicholas Britell
MPAA Rating: R for language and some sexual content.
Distributed by: Annapurna Pictures
Release Date: December 14, 2018
Visits: 44
