Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ava DuVernay, 2023’s Origin follows author Isabel Wilkerson as she writes her next book while dealing with personal tragedy. DuVernay is the perfect filmmaker for this story as her journey mirrors this true story that she is bringing to life. The filmmaker has had a unique career thus far – she directed Selma, which was a hit at the time, but it still didn’t completely capture the attention it deserved, such as not being nominated for Best Director for Best Actor for David Oyelowo. Her career has been interesting to say the least since then. She directed the phenomenal documentary, 13th, then there was the rather critically & commercial disappointment A Wrinkle in Time, and finally When They See Us. Without a doubt, DuVernay’s resume has proven that she is at her best when tackling racial subject matters. When Netflix ended up exiting Origin, it is a confusing thing to understand between DuVernay’s relationship with the studio, plus knowing just how good the final product is.

Much of the film tackles recent history, so we are mostly aware of it. Where the film elevates that is by comparing what we have gone through in the last decade to events that happened years ago. At 2 hours and 21 minutes, there is a lot to digest. So much so, I don’t even think I could stomach a second watch; however, I believe the film is vital to show in classrooms, as well as those who are in often disagreement with the subject matter. As a white male, I have often been self aware of how flawed history has been, but I have been optimistic as to how we can learn from history to be better people. That’s where I could really connect with Jon Bernthal’s character. Bernthal is great in everything it seems like, but as much as his character knows, Bernthal also knows that he needs to be supporting the main character. He understands his place in the world, yet he knows when to stop & reflect versus knowing when to stand up and be vocal. I don’t even want to say that I can fully understand the perspective of this story, but I can say that I have faced my own trials and tribulations in life, which is why I try to be supportive to those who may be struggling. I want to be an advocate for everyone, which is why Bernthal becomes such an integral part to the story. Even more, he is integral to his wife, Isabel Wilkerson, played by the tremendous Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.

There are three key aspects that bring this film together – Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Ava DuVernay’s direction, and the cinematography. I will tackle the other two aspects shortly, but I really want to give credit to Ellis-Taylor. Her performance desperately needs more accolades and shows that this is a performance that was snubbed by the Academy – something DuVernay is far too familiar with in her past work. Ellis-Taylor delivers a standout role that feels contained with all of the necessary emotions. When tragedy does strike, she doesn’t just become sad. You actually see her get destroyed. When she she is around loved one, you get the sense that she really does love this people. There is even a moment when she has to speak to someone wearing a ‘Make America Great Again’ hat. You can see how she wants to call him out on this. Instead, she is able to better get through him by telling him an important story that will connect with him, which proves effective. She shouldn’t have to do this, but her doing this proves how connecting with others can make a different. Ellis-Taylor delivers a performance that is commanding and realistic.

As for DuVernay’s direction, this is another one that I believe to be snubbed for its deserving accolades. Her career put her on a trajectory for this film. When the film opens up, we follow what appears to just be a random stranger walking around in the middle of the night. Just as when things appear to turn for the worse, we are suddenly brought into Wilkerson’s life. As it turned out, the film goes back to who this person was in the beginning. That specific person was Trayvon Martin. Keeping Martin’s presence a secret in the beginning was the proper way to start the story as the film shows how other people react to this story as we see how people don’t quite understand what causes these events nor really understanding how to fix the problem. And what comes next is DuVernay at the top of her game.

For film that looks very independent, the way DuVernay tells its story is epic on a grand scale. When a story is being told, whether its through the Holocaust or during segregation, there is a clear through line that can help the viewer understand how evil doesn’t just suddenly happen. There is a specific scene where Nazi’s are speaking about how they can utilize American politics to get away with eliminating Jewish civilians. That is not something that I was aware of. The story ends up following two African-Americans who are visiting during this time. When things start to get worse, they travel back to America just as segregation is coming to the full front, proving how these evil actions that we instill only come full circle.

For the cinematography, it is one of the best of the year. I loved how the look was grainy. It gave an independent look & feel to the film. It’s when the film goes back and forth in time is where this strategy is most effective. Keeping this visual style represents just how consistent history has been. This style makes sense in real time, but its DuVernay’s direction when she goes back in time proves vital to the story. It may have been costly, which is the only reason I can think of why Netflix pulled out of the project.

The only things I disliked is how they handled one character’s death, plus how the back and forth in time can be a bit overstimulating. As for the one character’s death, I will omit the name, but I was completely thrown off by how this was handled. This particular death was abrupt and the film offered no conclusion as to how or why this happened. Due to feeling underwhelmed by this, I looked this up and it turns out this death was caused by something completely different than what the film conveyed. To make it worse, I actually found out more about the true life person that wasn’t even in the film. As for the structure, I do think the film relies a bit too much on going back and forth to tell its story. Instead of delivering on importance, it can sometimes be overstimulating as you have to understand what’s going on between past and present.

Overall, Origin transcends its subject matter by telling a detailed memoir that takes its time to ensure efficiency. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is terrific in the lead role that should have gotten more recognition while everyone around effectively support her. I can’t speak from the specific angle, but I have seen enough in my life to be completely supportive of the material. Viewers who can connect with it will surely find it moving. As for everyone else, I truly hope this will speak to those to help them understand a little bit more of this perspective, and know what exactly we can take from this for a better future. I don’t think this will get the recognition it deserves until it ultimately hits streaming.

VERDICT: Amazing