- Sensibility: Painfully sensible, but the harsh critic might argue her recovery is a bit too expedient. Also, the fact the brother is deaf could have appeared sooner, but this is easily explained by the mother and daughters' clear attempts to ignore the realities of the son.
- Cinematography: Beautifully shot. The sets and production design are excellent and really capture that New Orleans feel. The costuming and makeup are great too, clearly communicating the literal and metaphorical atmosphere. Only issues lie in a few scenes near the end that feel out of order and some noticeable cgi around a missing limb.
- Energy: Incredibly emotional watch. The film never gives the main character or the viewer a moment to rest. The complexities of the relationships involved give the viewer plenty to chew on. The emotional roller-coaster of the narrative is emphasized by the great framing and production design, but most of all, home run performances from the main cast.
- Narrative: Touching story full of complex characters. The dialogue is brilliant and is able to capture the subtleties of a mother's underhanded jabs and her attempts at loving comfort. James is so well written he feels as though he is a real person.
- T-Points: The film received four bonus points: one for a great sequence of pool shots, one for a great scene where a drunken friend invites Lyndsey to move in, one for a scene between mother and daughter where she asks why she had to leave, and one for an unbelievable performance from Brian Tyree Henry.
Such a great, underrated film in my opinion. Brian Tyree Henry delivers one of the best supporting performances I've ever seen. The story portrays nuanced, interesting relationships and they are performed to the letter.
Number of Watches: 2
