If Beale Street Could Talk is a film that personalizes the systemic injustice against black men in the United States by law enforcement. For decades black men have been falsely accused of crimes ranging from shoplifting to murder. The system is biased against them and because of it, thousands of innocent black men have been incarcerated. The United States claims to be a place where freedom and trial by jury create equality and opportunity for all. This film exposes just how false that narrative really is in our justice system.
The film follows the story of a young African American male named Fonny. It is a love story about Fonny falling in love with his childhood best friend Tish. Fonny is falsely accused of raping a young woman and the film follows Tish and her family as they try to prove his innocence. It is a heartbreaking film that reminds viewers that every incarcerated person has a story, and for some of them their story is one of falling victim to a system that is against them. It is deeply moving and personal. The film reimagines the stereotyped image of black men as criminals. Fonny is kind, loving, and nurturing. Although the film is fictional, it is inspired by the very real stories of so many black men in America.
If Beale Street Could Talk brings to mind many questions, how can the justice and law enforcement systems in the United States be reformed to exhibit the equality that they claim to stand for? How can the justice system neutralize the power that comes with money in America? Why do racial and economic status continue to win over truth? The United States has a severe problem when it comes to racism in law enforcement, this film made that problem so personal that it is impossible to ignore even if you belong to the group in which the system favors. May we all humble ourselves enough to acknowledge the reality of the injustice that surrounds us and may we be bold enough to fight for it to change.
References
Jenkins, Barry, Adele Romanski, Sara Murphy, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Aunjanue Ellis, Dave Franco, Pedro Pascal, Emily Rios, Ed Skrein, Finn Wittrock, Brian T. Henry, Regina King, James Laxton, Joi McMillon, Nat Sanders, Nicholas Britell, and James Baldwin. If Beale Street Could Talk. , 2019.