When famed photographer Christina Eames dies unexpectedly, she leaves her estranged daughter, Mae, hurt, angry and full of questions. When Mae finds a photograph tucked away in a safe-deposit box, she soon finds herself delving into her mother’s early life – an investigation that leads to an unexpected romance with a rising journalist.
Unfolding through the backdrop of a generous, all-consuming atmospheric setting and superb score, “The Photograph” heightens its collective elements in what otherwise might simply amount to a stale retelling of an old tale. This well-cast production shuttles the characters agreeably across two locales, contrasting a vibrant New York City against a sleepy town in Louisiana.
LaKeith Stanfield as Michael brings a warm presence to the story as a thoughtful suitor to Mae (Issa Rae). He works for a New York tabloid as a feature writer, though he harbors ambitions for a London posting with the Associated Press. He must complete a final assignment before moving on, which takes him to South Louisiana to interview Isaac Jefferson (Rob Morgan) about recently deceased, famed photographer Christina Eames (Chanté Adams). Sitting at the kitchen table in the modest home, Michael turns down a plate of boiled crab, to which Isaac waggishly replies, still holding up the tasty morsel with prongs, “That’s not the right answer.”
Recurrent flashbacks reveal an old romance between Isaac and Christina. Chanté Adams deftly portrays Christina as spunky, smart, and ambitious, but also mercurial. She photographs everything, particularly a young Isaac, who unfortunately does not share Christina’s obvious aspirations for bigger things. As a result and without warning, Christina disappears abruptly, headed to New York looking for work. She gamely outhustles prospective apprentice photographers and lands a job, launching her career in the process. Three months later, she learns over the telephone that her mother died. She also finds out to her amazement and chagrin that Isaac recently married.
Back in the present as Michael listens, Isaac laments losing Christina when she moved to New York. Despite his regret, Isaac treats the separation in an oddly philosophical manner. He rationalizes, perhaps correctly, that Christina would never have been satisfied with him over the long haul.
In the course of completing the magazine piece, Michael meets Mae, a charming assistant curator for a New York museum. Furtive glances between the two quickly lead to greater intimacy. Nonetheless, where the relationship will go does not immediately become clear.
For one, Mae struggles to break free of Christina’s emotional limitations, the product of her own mother’s distant affections. Neither Mae’s mother nor grandmother exhibited a great depth of feeling to others, despite the obviously roiling currents ferociously bubbling just beneath the surface. Though Christina suffered from terminal cancer, true to form she does not tell anyone. After Christina’s death, Mae finds two letters – one with her name on it, the other for Isaac enclosed in a blank, unlabeled envelope, the inference clear.
“The Photograph” boasts a fine supporting cast. Courtney B. Vance as Mae’s father counsels his daughter with a kindly wisdom, helping her to understand, as best he can explain, Christina’s intrinsic motivations about life and love. Lil Rel Howery as Michael’s brother provides frequent comic relief with his flamboyance, but he also and surprisingly demonstrates a keen understanding of the nature of relationships. Meanwhile, his brother’s pre-teen daughters eagerly fill Mae in on Michael’s recent romances, adding to the fun.
Written and directed by Stella Meghie, “The Photograph” relates two intertwined and absorbing tales of passion told with a confident yet relaxed tone. Extended tracking shots of the two lovers entering smoky bars amidst a constant stream of catchy jazz tunes give the film an entreating ambiance that soothes the spirit and enriches the soul. Although some viewers may find the closing scene ambiguous, the denouement makes clear where things will go, and strikes precisely the right note on which to end.
In Theaters Friday, February 14th
