Coming to Bluray is the Family that Fights IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray/DVD and Digital from writer/director Barry Jenkins and 20^th Century Fox Home Entertainment is a family that fights for what is right IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK.

Tish Rivers (Kiki Layne) is a young woman in love with Fonny Hunt (Stephan James). Knowing each other since childhood, it seemed beautiful natural that they would fall in love. They start to plan their lives together once they break the pregnancy news to Tish’s Mom Sharon (Regina King), Dad Joseph (Colman Domingo) and sister Ernestine (Teyonah Parris).

Fonny’s family isn’t quite as happy about the news as and make it clear they don’t see Tish as nothing more than trouble for their son. That doesn’t stop the couple from continuing to plan and they are happy.

That is until a woman named Victoria (Emily Rios) charges that Fonny has hurt her badly and the claim is supported by Officer Bell (Ed Skrein). The family continues to fight to understand how they system continues to prosecute Fonny when Victoria goes missing.  Even if they do find her, it might not do any good.

So the Fonny and Tish must come to terms with a new reality and it is one that their Harlem community is familiar with.

Layne is stunning as Tish, a young girl who could never have imagined that her childhood sweetheart could be treated so wrongly. In the process, she does what she must to make ends meet and keep their family together.

James as Fonny is a man who never once, not even through plexiglas, sees Trish as anything other than the love of his life. The pain shows on his face with every family visit yet he holds it together with love in his eyes focused on when they can be together outside the bars.

King as Sharon turns in a scene as her character is in Puerto Rico looking for Victoria that is stellar. It is not a large section of the film but it is intense and reactive for the viewer. It is not a surprise that Ms. King would win an Academy Award as her body of work in film is extensive and ever changing in the choices of characters she portrays. Well done indeed!

 Domingo as Dad Joseph follows Sharon’s lead in how to handle what is happening with their daughter. Once they realize that Fonny’s family isn’t exactly going to help with the problem, Domingo’s character steps up for the love of his daughter and his family. Parris as Ernestine is a sister who has no problem harassing Tish but gawd forbid anyone else attempt it because big sis lays down the verbal law and isn’t afraid to back it up.

Rios as Victoria is clearly a woman who experienced something horrific, but when confronted all she wants to do is get as far away from it as possible. That means Fonny continues to suffer unless she does the right thing. Skrein as Officer Bell is completely skin crawling to watch, he is that officer that no one wants even five feet from us let along right in the face.

Other cast include Ebony Obsidian as Adrienne Hunt, Dominique Thorne as Sheila Hunt, Michael Beach as Frank Hunt, Aunjanue Ellis as Mrs. Hunt, Diego Luna as Pedrocito and Pedro Pascal as Pietro Alvarez.

 Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment brings award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital HD. There amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have please visit www.fox.com.

The Bluray and DVD Special Features include Commentary with Director Barry Jenkins, Deleted Scenes, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK: Poetry in Motion and Gallery.

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IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK was nominated for three Academy Awards with Regina King winning for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture. That wasn’t all for King, she also won Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture at the 2019 Golden Globes.

The character of Trish is a pillar of amazing strength, intelligence and not afraid to hang onto love with condition. If I had to pick one thing from the film that grabbed at my heart the most, she would be it. Telling her story in such a poetic way, she is also brutally honest and straight forward. Perhaps not as much as her sister Ernestine in the delivery but she is clear about what she sees.

IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK is a film worth watching, taking into your soul and having a conversation about on several levels.

In the end – trust love all the way.