ReelBob: ‘Till’ ★★★★

By Bob Bloom

The horrific murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955 in rural Mississippi was one of major sparks that helped ignite the Civil Rights movement.

A majority of people in the United States — possibly with the exception of the deep South — was shocked by the heinous crime, especially once seeing the graphic photos of the teenager’s body after it was recovered from the Tallahatchie River.

The youth’s killing is the table setting for director Chinonye Chukwu’s “Till,” which focuses more on the aftermath of the unspeakable act, rather than the crime itself.

“Till,” with a script by Michael Reilly, Keith Beauchamp and Chukwu, follows a narrow thread, spotlighting the teen’s mother, Mamie Till Mobley (a dynamic Danielle Deadwyler) and her crusade seeking justice for her son.

The film is a gripping mixture of heartbreak and determination as Mamie refuses to allow her son’s death to go unnoticed.

The movie rests on Deadwyler’s capable shoulders — and she delivers with quiet bravura and resolve. The actress navigates an array of emotions — grief, horror, anger and strength — all with a fierce doggedness.

Deadwyler’s portrayal is profound and unforgettable — and it should be remembered come Academy Award time.

Chukwu guides Deadwyler’s performance from private sorrow to public outrage, as Mamie slowly transforms from a grieving mother to a civil rights activist.

Deadwyler portrays Mamie as a soft-spoken, diligent and loving mother. Though uneasy about permitting her son to travel to Mississippi from their home in Chicago to visit relatives, she realizes that she must allow the teenager some freedom to experience the world.

Mamie is constantly warning Emmett about the dangers of the deep South. She knows her son is a carefree extrovert, somewhat cocky and a bit naïve about the world. “Be small down there,” she tells him.

And, like most teenagers — no matter what the decade — Emmett hears but fails to listen or grasp the seriousness of her message and the racist environment to which he is going.

That, of course, leads to his tragic and brutal murder.

From the moment Mamie bids her son good-bye at a Chicago railway station, she is in a constant state of worry. Deadwyler is so convincing in these scenes that you almost want to reach out to hold and reassure her.

The movie’s turning point is not the murder of Emmett, but Mamie’s reaction. With the help of the NAACP, she has Emmett’s body returned to Chicago. Mamie defies the advice of others — including loved ones, NAACP officials and the funeral home director — and insists on an open casket so everyone can see — and be horrified — by Emmett’s mutilated body.

Smartly, Chukwu and cinematographer Bobby Bukowski, do not linger on Emmett’s corpse. We get glimpses, but most shots are reactions to those viewing the teenager.

At first, Mamie does not want her son’s death to be exploited by the NAACP and those in the Civil Rights movement. “My son is not a case,” she says. But slowly, she decides to let “America bear witness” to Emmett’s fate in the deep South.

When the men who killed Emmett are brought to trial in Mississippi, Mamie attends the proceedings, testifying and reaffirming that the body recovered from a river was definitely that of her son.

The all-white jury, we know, found the defendants not guilty. In the courtroom sequences, Chukwu, who also directed the powerful 2019 drama “Clemency,” again makes wise choices. She mostly keeps the camera directed at Mamie, so we view her pain and reactions to what is said and happening around her.

“Till” is one of the best movies of 2022. It is simply not just a searing indictment of a sickening offense. Rather, it’s a chronicle of mother love. It’s also a tribute to Mamie Till Mobley’s heart-wrenching step of sharing her personal grief, opening the eyes of the world to her senseless and devastating loss.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob.com or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.

TILL
4 stars out of 4
(PG-13), disturbing images, racial slurs, language