Till

I'm not from the US and I had never heard of this story, although I'm not oblivious of the endemic racism that plagues that country. Since this is a sensitive topic, I feel the need to remind you that this is a movie, which objective, above all, is to entertain the viewer. And as a viewer, I didn't enjoyed it as much. There are some serious acting issues, especially from the lead actress, that prevent you from connecting with the characters. The dialogue is dull, uninspiring. Some scenes feel unnecessary, they add nothing to the story. I think this would have worked better as a 1:30ish hour movie. About the story, as someone from outside the US I don't understand it's meaning. I don't know how important it was for the civil rights movement, which the movie also fails to explain. As "yet another story about racism" it has nothing we haven't seen before, and much better.

I had been fascinated by the Emmett Till story having watched several documentaries so I was excited when this movie was announced. In a movie year where there was up to this point one film I found truly exceptional which was Top Gun Maverick, I was concerned that with the track record of bad films this movie may not serve its story justice. While Maverick may be the most entertaining movie I have seen this year so far, artistically Till is the best film. The Academy must recognize all involved at Oscar time. Danielle Dayweather must get Best Actress and the movie needs to be nominated for Best Picture. Yes it's that good. As some other reviews have stated this is a straightforward biopic. Naturally if you know the real story everything will be predictable. But that doesnt matter because the story is told so magnificently with great writing, direction, superb acting and set design. I have a feeling this may not light fire at the box office which is a shame because this movie represents a very important part of history. Even with a PG-13 rating it is a fairly intense film, but this was also a very intense part of history. Some audiences may find it too unsettling and disturbing but it is supposed to be so, but we also can learn about how to stand up for those who need it and to pay attention more closely to issues in our nation that need attention and to do something about them. I dont want to say too much more and possibly give away more details but if you are thinking of seeing junk this fall season like Halloween Ends skip it and go see a truly great movie one that may not be equaled for some time. Congratulations to all involved in this wonderful film and let's hope you are all remembered at Oscar time.

"TILL" was powerfully and extraordinarily done in terms of actors, accuracy, and such. The movie captures reasonably accurately and precisely what occurred, and does an honorable job of capturing and conveyed this horrific episode in history. What happened to Emmitt Till in 1955 in Mississippi has haunted me for years and years... It was and is very important to make this very well known to persons across the country and the world, including in the form of this greatly-done movie. (There were a couple of detailed things I had not known, such as the touching fact that Emmett gave his Mom his wrist-watch before getting on the train.) As careful research of facts has revealed, the initial horror is then added to by that cashier-female person's total manufacturing of lies about what Emmitt really did and said in the store. What we do know is that he 'whistled' at her outside the store. Maybe while alive that shop-girl person will publicly tell the truth about what Did and what Did Not happen. She owes that to the family, the nation, and the world at large. And then the so-called "jury" renders a not-guilty verdict. Horror is added to horrors again and again over time as the murderers openly admit their crimes AND GET PAID FOR DOING SO! Some of the other offenses are left out in interest of time and pacing, such as how, after Emmitt's brutal torture and murder, Emmitt's Dad's military record was grossly misrepresented by the southern Caucasian crowd in order to undermine what was done to Emmitt Till. The way African Americans were (to some extent still are?) referred to and regarded in "Mississippi," and how such courageous and gracious people are referred to with name-calling and such was and is stingingly horrific. -- in 1955 it was, and still is done by small tiny-minded persons who were bred, fed, and indoctrinator in these prejudiced ways and mind-sets. (This poisonous 'treatment of' and name-calling of Black fellow human beings is part of the reason for 9 stars instead of 10, even though it was historically accurate -- I just couldn't stand it or abide it.) One of the most profound and powerful statements in the whole film was the quote of what Emmitt Till's Mom so aptly said: "WHATEVER HAPPENS TO ANY OF US, ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, HAD BETTER BE THE BUSINESS OF US ALL." - Emmett Till's Mother, Mamie - her revelation after the incident and trial.

Till (2022) is a movie my wife and I saw in theatres last night. The storyline follows a mother in the mid 1950s who lives with her son after her husband passed away in World War II. She is originally from Mississippi and believes it's important for her son to spend time with family and learn where he came from. She warns him things are different in the south before he goes but a few remarks to the wrong person after he gets there, and the boy ends up missing and eventually brutally murdered. The story follows how the mother manages the loss of her son and seeks justice.... This movie is directed by Chinonye Chukwu (Clemency) and stars Danielle Deadwyler (The Harder they Fall), Frankie Faison (Coming to America), Whoopi Goldberg (Sister Act), Haley Bennett (Swallow) and Jalyn Hall (Space Jam: A New Legacy). The depiction of the settings and era was perfect. The attire Deadwyler wore the entire picture was stunning as was the cinematography and use of lighting. The performances are very strong across the cast. The storyline really focuses on the main character and how a mother has to deal with these types of incidents and manage them both on a micro and macro level. It was impressive how the story follows her journey. The premise of the storyline didn't add much new outside of those elements; however, the delivery of the strengths of Mamie was impressive. Her interactions with every character were interesting, unpredictable and worthwhile. You didn't know if she was going to be mad, sad, breakdown or composed. Overall, this is a solid period piece with a worthwhile storyline about the legendary Mamie Till-Mobley. I would score this a solid 8/10 and strongly recommend it.

In the summer of 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Louis Till left Chicago to spend some time with his cousins and his uncle on their sharecrop cotton farm in Mississippi. Although there were no witnesses, he spoke to 21-year-old Carolyn Bryant. Not long after, Till was abducted at gunpoint. When his corpse turned up in a river, it showed signs of having been tortured and shot. The movie portrays the encounter as innocuous; in the movie, Jalyn Hall playing Till tells Haley Bennett as Mrs. Bryant that she looks like a movie star; he puts his hand in a jar of jelly beans, takes out some, and puts a nickel on the counter before leaving. In sworn testimony, she says that "a Black man" grabbed her, asked for for a date, and after she had broken free, grabbed her again. It should be noted that such behavior can get you killed in any urban center of the United State today. The movie centers itself around Danielle Deadwyler playing Till's mother, Mamie Till-Mobley , and her insistence on doing whatever it took to get justice for her dead son. Unfortunately, this was Mississippi in 1955, so she failed. Nonetheless, it is a well done movie in a "just the facts" narrative, even though a lot of thos facts are still up in the air. The movie does not illuminate any of the characters; that said, Ms. Deadwyler gives a superb performance. I am somewhat confused by the fact that save for the final couple of scenes, the print I looked at -- in a theater! -- was oversaturated, giving it the look typically associated in movies with long-dead memory.