Review of Loving (2016) by Adam L — 09 Sep 2017

Tackling one of the most historic cases in American Supreme Court history with a languid pace and not a lot going on, Loving takes entirely the wrong approach to the correct topic. There's a lot of talent involved, including Joel Edgerton, Ruth Negga, Michael Shannon and Jeff Nichols penning the script and occupying the director's chair, but the film never comes alive, nor does it become engaging.

Edgerton himself speaks so little and often appear so passive that he never becomes even remotely interesting. We've seen the laconic hero many time before, but it doesn't work here because his situation requires him to be much more active, which he rarely is.

There's a painful lack of urgency, an absence of forward momentum, and despite the enormity and significance of the case there's not a lot of indication that it had incredible ramifications. So when the movie ends it's not on an especially triumphant note, more of a nonchalant shoulder shrugger.

The acting is good and it has its tender moments, but it never really gets moving. A tighter script and less empty scenes would improve it massively, but instead it's a slow, uninvolving ride.