By Shane Conto
Growing up, I always loved to watch movies. One of the greatest things about the cinematic experience is when you get lost inside the world of a wonderful film. Some films engaged you in the all too real human drama of everyday life. Others will transport you to a faraway world that is mysterious and new. That is one of the remarkable wonders of film. But on a rare occasion, you get a satisfying mix of both. How can this be? Can you really be lost in the daily grind of real life, yet it feels like an alien world? This hyper-realized world is a tough environment to create. Joe Talbot does that in spades with his breathtakingly beautiful film The Last Black Man in San Francisco.
A rare experience while sitting in a movie theater is staring at the film on screen and being in disbelief by how affecting a pictured frame can be. From the start of the film, we see two men, played by newcomers Jimmie Fails and Jonathan Majors, sitting and waiting for the day to take them away. We have all felt this. Staring out into the day and dreading what is to come. Then the camera turns to a man, dressed up and looming atop his pulpit, yelling about the evils of what has been done to his city. And the evils done to his people. The city is so colorful yet dirty as the frame is so crisp yet unnerving. Then our protagonists ride their skateboard, in a beautiful tracking and slow-motion shot. We travel along with them on their journey through this sprawling and beautiful city. But then a man, crazed, chases as he rips his clothes from his body. He cries to join our journey as he stares longingly through the camera at us. This ordeal sets the audience up for a most interesting journey through the abstract, beautiful, and tragic world of San Francisco.
Jimmie Fails plays an exaggerated version of himself and has a quote that really captures the film as a whole. He tells another character that you cannot hate this city unless you love it. This quote captures one of the major messages of the film about seeing the good and bad in things. The film is able to capture the inherent beauty of San Francisco. The historic homes and the vibrant colors peppered throughout. But it also looks at the abandon homes, homeless, and gangs that fill the city as well. For such a beautiful film, it does not shy away from the seedy underbelly of this city. Talbot and his cinematographer, Adam Newport-Berra, create one of the most gorgeous films I have see all year. The camera work is inspired with its symmetric framing and smooth movements. There is something to appreciate in every frame. The score, which was composed by Emile Mosseri, is also a treat for the senses. The music is able to capture a unique atmosphere that helps build on its dream-like quality.
I do not want to give the impression that this film is just a striking experience for your senses. The film has so much to say as well. Jimmie wants to get back the home his grandfather built as he sees it as a part of him and who he is. The search for identify is a struggle for Jimmie and he will go to any lengths to recapture this home that means so much to him. Jonathan Majors plays Montgomery who goes on his own journey of self-discovery. A quirky and affecting performance from Majors makes the character Montgomery a memorable piece of this emotional puzzle of a film. The social commentary is heavy in this film but is dealt with in such a graceful way. Whether it is how the people are treated by the city or the unfortunate lifestyles that become necessary for many marginalized citizens of urban areas, The Last Black Man in San Francisco does not shy away from them.
The story is also dramatic and satisfying as we follow Jimmie and Montgomery on their journeys of self-realization. The only real negative that I have with my experience was that the film can be methodical to a fault. But I can also see how the atmosphere created for the film can feel unreal and alienating. Thus, I let myself become immersed and I did not regret that for a second. I could sit and watch Jimmie and Montgomery watch films with Grandpa Allen, played with such great tenderness by Danny Glover, all day. These scenes are so endearing and really capture the beautiful soul of this great film. Happy hunting as this film is worth your search to find it in a theater near you. Come awards nominations, we may see it make the jump from a limited release to a real contender.
Grade: A