“There’s four ways out of Nickel. Serve your time or age out. Court might intervene if you believe in miracles. You could die– they could kill you. You could run. Only four ways out of Nickel.”
This line of dialogue, said by the character Turner, is featured in “Nickel Boys,” the newest film from filmmaker and photographer RaMell Ross – which I recently attended a screening of at the Bud Frank Cinema with my partner.
An adaptation of the 2019 Colson Whitehead novel of the same name, “Nickel Boys” follows Elwood Curtis (Ethan Herisse), a Black teenager who resides in 1960s Tallahassee, Florida, in the neighborhood of Frenchtown, with his grandmother Hattie (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor). While attempting to hitchhike to Melvin Briggs Technical School, a college recommended by his teacher, Mr. Hill (Jimmie Fails), Elwood is trapped amid an unfortunate situation. As a result, Elwood is sent to Nickel Academy, an abusive and racist reform school headed by a demeaning superintendent, Spencer (Hamish Linklater). This is where he meets fellow student Turner (Brandon Wilson), with whom he forms a bond and friendship as they both try to survive the inhumane cruelty of Nickel.
Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson deliver outstanding leading performances as Elwood and Turner, respectively. Elwood’s optimistic attitude toward escaping Nickel is contrasted with Turner’s grueling experience of being at the academy longer than him and already being aware of its abhorrent abuse, and this is showcased through how both actors approach these characters in their performances.
Director RaMell Ross, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Joslyn Barnes, delivers a truly original film adaptation. The novel is based on the Dozier School for Boys, a real-life abusive reform school in Florida, which served as the basis for Nickel Academy. Ross emphasizes the discriminatory and cruel practices implemented by Nickel, such as the segregation of students and unimaginable abuse. This extends to the film’s sound design, intensifying the cruelty perpetrated by the school, with one traumatizing sequence being a prime example of this.
Ross takes a unique approach to adapting Whitehead’s novel to screen with the utilization of archival footage throughout — including footage of the moon, which not only places the period in which “Nickel Boys” takes place but could also be seen as seemingly a representation of Elwood’s desire to escape Nickel, as if traveling to another celestial body.
Ross takes a distinctive approach to the film form with “Nickel Boys” being a uniquely structured work and jumping through different periods, resulting in the utilization of a nonlinear plot structure, something that is rarely seen in films like this. This is also seen through most of the film being primarily shown from Elwood’s point of view, occasionally switching to Turner’s point of view at certain points, beginning in the second act with the scene where Elwood first speaks to Turner during lunch being shown twice, both from Elwood’s and Turner’s perspectives. The film techniques that Ross applies in “Nickel Boys” also seem to be drawn from his prior work as a photographer, an aspect that is especially seen with the usage of time-lapse in a montage sequence, specifically in a shot looking out from the inside of a train car as it seemingly travels for several days.
The cinematography captured by Jomo Fray is gorgeous and innovative, as it is entirely shot primarily from a first-person point of view. A plethora of stunning shots are featured throughout the film, such as Fray capturing extreme close-up shots at the very beginning. Fray shoots the film in 4:3 framing, resulting in an immersive experience. The viewer is placed directly into Elwood’s shoes, as we see the world through his eyes. Turner’s perspective is also included, as there is a medium shot of Hattie visiting Nickel Academy and speaking to him, asking about her grandson. This type of camerawork has only been done a handful of times, including in Robert Montgomery’s 1947 film noir “Lady in the Lake” (which Ross was visually influenced by).
“Nickel Boys” is a devastating work of pure poetry, highlighting the cruel reality of abusive reform schools, a disgusting part of recent history that has been buried in time until recent years. This film is a showcase of RaMell Ross as one of the most unique and original contemporary voices in filmmaking today.
“Nickel Boys” is available to stream on MGM+.
