Home (Comment, The Last Black Man in San Francisco)

Janelle 2022-05-05 06:01:02

American movie "The Last Black Man in San Francisco"

Type of work: plot

Main actors: Jimmie Fails, Jonathan Majors

Story Summary: Looking for the "Home of the Mind"

Release time: In theaters in the UK on October 25, 2019

List of winning works:

It is worthy of this year's most powerful film to compete for the Oscar statuettes. Excellent graphic expression, emotional soundtrack, and profound connotation are three great weapons that are enough to challenge the crowd.

Let’s not go into details, and enter the brief comment.

Photography

1. Screen

a. Picture quality and texture---every frame is telling the changes in the city (San Francisco) and the changes in the living conditions of black residents

b, charming colors---retro colors (clothing) + contrast (house colors)

2. Lens

a, positive (correct), such as the opening scene of a black speech, which has a very "stage" effect.

b, dynamic (smart), such as: the subsequent image of "two people skateboarding into the city" is full of rhythm of "both dynamic and static".

Soundtrack

Just mention the "background music", which effectively enhances the "homesickness" atmosphere of the work, which is very immersive.

a. Black music is not the well-known hip-hop and rap, but the black soul song (soul music). Its mellow, deep tune and meaningful lyrics perfectly fit the theme of this work.

b. Classical music, mainly church sacred music, sacred, solemn, and beautiful. The rhythm and texture of the organ are superb, complementing soul music.

To make a digression: Among black Americans, the number of people who believe in Christianity is the first. So in black films, sacred music appears reasonable and reasonable.

Connotation

Before commenting, let's briefly summarize the plot.

The homeless Jimmie returned to his former home in San Francisco (already sold by someone else), trying to retrieve yesterday’s "brilliance", but the hardship and cruel reality disturbed this spring dream. Jimmie has (illusory) and lost (obsession), Taken away by the wind at this moment... only a small boat is left behind, on the side of the water...

Let's look at the connotation again and make a list.

American social level

a. The tone of environmental protection, annoyed by the US authorities for neglecting the protection of the ecological environment in order to expand the economy.

b. The tone of civil rights, the poor (mostly blacks) suffer from hunger, and the wealthy leave their houses empty. With this in and out, the "human rights" advocated by the United States has come to an end.

c. Money theory. There is an old Chinese saying: Zhumen's wine and meat are smelly, and the road is frozen to death. Looking at San Francisco in the play, it seems that it is no exception, a strange city and a familiar situation. It turns out that the mode of thinking of the rich is the same.

Jimmie's own level

a, fantasy

Jimmie invaded other people's houses and made up beautiful lies to deceive himself, thinking that "fantasy" was "reality". This "delusion" seriously hindered his ability to judge and fell into the trap of "paranoia".

b, obsession

Jimmie thought about this former residence, which could be called "obsession" or even "madness". This obsession actually contains a variety of emotions.

① Nostalgia for the past (good times)

② Helpless to the present (dilemma of life)

③ Hesitation about the future (uncertainty)

These emotions are intertwined, making this initial (pure) "obsession" change in quality. When the "obsession" dissipates (the skateboard is kicked), where will the confused person drift...

c, attribution

Jimmie enters the city (in order to follow the footsteps of the predecessors), Jimmie out of the city (in order to find his own home), the two opposing behaviors, both tell the audience the meaning of "home". The play is titled "The Last Black Man in San Francisco". We can understand it as "Jimmie's grandfather, the first generation of black pioneers", and it can also be interpreted as "The last one sitting on a rock, watching cars passing by, staying behind The Mont who came down, a forerunner, a left-behind, what the "last black man" pursues is not material wealth, but spiritual destination.

"The Last Black Man in San Francisco", from seeking roots (the house built by grandfather) to cutting off homesickness (disillusioned, leaving sadly), under the calm appearance, there are hidden fierce battles in the heart. It is worthwhile to conform to the times or stick to the faith. The audience thought deeply.

Screenwriter ★★★★☆ (The colloquial lines are fresh in the memory, just listening hard)

Director ★★★★☆ (Interpreting the status quo of blacks with a new breakthrough point, shooting purely black movies from a white perspective, Joe Talbot’s practice and achievements are awe-inspiring)

Actor ★★★★★ (The two protagonists are not acting, they are acting themselves)

Plot ★★★★☆ (cut off the beginning and the end, the middle paragraph, especially after "Occupy the Former Residence", seems too stagnant)

Visual effects★★★★★ (Every frame is a story)

Sound effects★★★★★ (Every song is a relationship)

Recommendation ★★★★☆ (Must-see movie of the year)

View more about The Last Black Man in San Francisco reviews

Extended Reading

The Last Black Man in San Francisco quotes

  • Montgomery Allen: Jimmie, ain't that the car you used to live in?

  • Montgomery Allen: Let us give each other the courage to see beyond the stories we were born into!