'Loving' (12A)

 

***/**** (3.5 stars)

 



In 1950s Virginia, a married interracial couple face prejudice and discrimination at every turn. When they decide to challenge the rulings that have been made against them, they have no idea that their case will end up in the US Supreme Court.

To say that Loving is an understated film would be something of, well, an understatement. This is the opposite of a Hollywood drama, filled with dramatic declarations and quotable lines that will stretch the eons of cinematic history. It is without explosions, shootouts, car chases and steamy sex scenes. Instead, it is the quiet, sophisticated story of two people who love each other and want to raise their family in their home state. From the very opening, where our two lovers (Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton) sit together on the veranda, you know this will be a low key affair - more about what is unsaid than what is spoken.

At the very heart of the film are Negga and Edgerton - they feature together in almost every scene and it is their tireless bond that progresses the story line. Edgerton is almost completely unrecognisable from his other roles - presented with white-blonde hair, he is the epitome of a 'gentle giant', awkward, gangly, unsure what to say at times. Negga, who plays Mildred, has the more complex role of wanting to be a good mother and wife, but to also highlight the injustices they have faced because of their interracial union. Together, they create an odd pair - the sullen, monosyllabic man and the encouraging wife, but their bond is so strangely, almost wordlessly touching, that you can't help but become embroiled in their relationship.
 

Whilst I admire Jeff Nichols, who both wrote and directed the film, for his gentle approach to the story, I couldn't help but feel frustrated at times by the lack of loud emotion - there are moments in the film were it felt completely unrealistic for the characters to not shout or cheer. It almost made the Lovings seem too good to be true. Another misstep is the casting of Nick Kroll as Bernie Cohen, one of the lawyers who will take their case to the highest justice system in the land. He has a face that, unfortunately, cannot be taken seriously, and a strange smirk that made me feel terribly uneasy - as though he were about to, in some way, harm the Loving's cause. It's certainly a strange choice, and one that jars terribly with the rest of the film. Also, how many times do we have to see Richard shovelling wet cement around in a wheelbarrow? We get it - he's a builder.

I will admit that I wanted to like Loving more than I did. I know it is an important story, and yet I couldn't help feel somewhat underwhelmed by what I saw play out on screen - wouldn't one outburst of joy be justified considering the circumstances? A quiet, gentle film that, at times, feel a little overly long, Loving is none the less still enjoyable, mostly thanks to the nuanced performances at the centre. And it you don't have a lump in your throat come the end, you probably need to take a long look in the mirror.