Nov 25

Nov 25 American Son (2019)

Kerry Washington headlines this cinematic version of Christopher Demos-Brown’s racially charged Broadway play about an African American mother going to a police station in the middle of the night to report her teenage son missing. Ms. Washington originated the role of the mother, Kendra, on stage, and she is joined here by the three actors who also performed in the play with her. That familiarity with the material shines through, with the entire quartet fully inhabiting their characters.

Awash in issues of racism, sexism, and generational disconnects, the story takes place almost entirely in one room of the police station. That contributes a claustrophobic feel to the film, enhancing the audience’s perceptions of the emotional toll exacted on Kendra. Though the dialogue occasionally tends toward the didactic, the script works to expose not just the evils of blatant bigotry, but also the insidiousness of casual and institutional prejudice. American Son asks a lot of questions without necessarily positing answers, but that doesn’t mean those questions aren’t worth asking. A society can’t solve a problem without first identifying it. Worth a look.