Thursday, August 18, 2011

I Will Follow

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Bittersweet Drama Directed by Ava DuVernay Arrives on DVD

I Will Follow is a refreshingly-rare cinematic treat which presents black folks in a recognizably realistic fashion. Written and directed by Ava DuVernay (This Is the Life), the picture stars Salli Richardson-Whitfield as Maye Fisher, a successful makeup artist who put her career and her man (Blair Underwood) on hold to attend to a beloved Aunt (Beverly Todd) battling cancer. Amanda had served as an inspirational role model for Maye during childhood, which made it easy for the grateful niece to resolve to return the favor at her hour of need.
The film unfolds in L.A. over the course of just 24 hours right in the wake of Amanda’s funeral. At the point of departure, we find Maye preparing to vacate the house she had rented for her Aunt atop breathtaking Topanga Canyon. While packing up her belongings, the grief-stricken caregiver pauses periodically to reminisce about the fond memories triggered by each item she’s wrapping.
However, between flashbacks, she has no choice but to attend to a variety of mundane matters like terminating the television satellite service and directing the moving men. Proving even more disruptive of Maye’s mourning process is the arrival of Amanda’s absentee daughter, Fran (Michole Briana White), who only shows up to collect her inheritance and to blame her cousin for her estranged mother’s death.
“She wanted trees. She didn’t want to fight, or chemo,” Maye matter-of-factly,” defends herself. But that heartfelt explanation falls on the deaf ears of a witch who insensitively demands, “I want my mother’s stuff!” before storming out.
At the end of the day, exhausted and drained, Maye finally finds a shoulder to lean (Omari Hardwick), and before the sun can set on this compelling, character-driven drama, she has to reassess her own relationship priorities as she contemplates dating a sensitive brother despite his modest means. Congrats to Salli Richardson-Whitfield for delivering a career performance, here, and to Ava DuVernay for shooting such a thought-provoking meditation on mortality in just a couple of weeks and on a micro budget.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 80 Minutes
Studio: Forward Movement/ African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement (AFFRM)
Distributor: Image Entertainment

No comments: