Waves-A Sloppy Thirds Act Washes Away Some Brilliance
What starts as one of the most exhilaratingly emotional first halves of a motion picture I have seen in perhaps five years dissolves into a cumbersome romance with a firm but limiting emotional payoff compared to the earlier half of an otherwise phenomenal film. Color me a fan of Kelvin Harrison Jr. whose starring role in "Luce" had me floored. Perhaps he stunned me even more so in his character's downward spiral of despair in "Waves." Both films tackle the issue of what it takes to be a successful black man in America. Both handle the matter in vastly challenging ways that we never see discussed so openly to a mass audience. Harrelson Jr. is proving to be one of the finest actors of his generation in just one year so far. Tragically the film's second-leading character played by Taylor Russel and subsequently its final 40 minutes isn't carried as gracefully through its finale. It's not to say she's limiting as an actress. The issue arises from Directory Trey Edward Shults' overreaching need to provide closure.
There's a standard term used in movies "you have to kill your babies." Meaning, if you're in love with a particular shot, scene, character, plot detail, it can be detrimental to the film. As the director, you're in love with all of them, but it's baggage you need to drop. Thus you're forced to exterminate something you love for the betterment of the chronicle. Without spoiling the final half of the picture, I understand entirely what Mr. Shults was conveying. It's even quite impressive. Yet the journey to reach its destination could have been substantially shorter and far more powerful. In blunt spoilery terms, it was a love story placed within a film that didn't need one, or I should say another one.
Casting my criticism aside, my God, let me tell you about the first two acts. I have hardly seen a film that kicks you in the nuts in the manner "Waves" does. If there's one thing that wins me over as a lover of good storytelling, it's the tenacity of not giving in to what an audience wants for its players. Trey Edward Shults made a personal story that is as hard-hitting as an 80-pound weight to the abdomen. Tyler (Keven Harrilson Jr.) is on a top tier wrestling team, has a loving relationship with his beautiful girlfriend (Alexa Demie), and lives with a wealthy family in a suburban neighborhood in Miami. You can guess where I'm going. When everything goes wrong, you are put through an emotional rollercoaster that will leave you gasping for air.
Every shot from DP Drew Daniels' revolving camera to the film's switching aspect ratios representing how trapped Tyler feels is precisely on point. For once, a movie showed me the genuine anxiety of what waiting for a critical text really feels like. Yes, I said text. Shults' direction is so sharp he makes text messaging a dynamic visual device. When the cards fell in my theatre, you could hear a pin drop within the sold-out showing I attended. I will state to the end of time that there's nothing wrong with not being subtle in your film. Don't be a coward. If you have a direction to drive in, then go there without fear. "Waves" like "Luce" does that, but unlike "Luce," "Waves" tucks its tale behind its legs when reaching what it ultimately wants to say. I hate to compare the two, but with both phenomenal films starring the same actor, I can't help but draw parallels, especially when both are so similar thematically. "Waves" is a film I need to see again. I loved what it did for the most part. The rest of the film left me feeling like an opportunity was lost for could have been a masterful picture if the fat had just been cut. I am sincerely interested in Trey Edward Shults' other workings. He has the voice of an insightful artist whos name could reach typical households. What he needs is a creative consultant who can tell him which baby to kill.
*** out of ****
