Nickel Boys – A Breathtakingly Haunting Adaptation

The word ‘experience’ has been thrown around literally millions of times to describe films, so much so that its lost nearly all of its value as countless have proved to not be the case, time and time again. Now how does a film become an experience? It could be through its visuals, writing, performances, direction, or some combination of these. That being said, many have been known to use these to take big swings in order to try and strike a chord with audiences and while those swings don’t always work out, they should be applauded for even attempting to do so in the first place. The feature debut of RaMell Ross, following his Oscar-nominated documentary Hale County This Morning, This Evening, Nickel Boys is an adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s book of the same name. Ross’ debut offers up a unique flair that will be hard to forget long after the credits roll, striking audiences on a deeper emotional level as it takes them on a harrowing journey across America’s racist past. Mostly shot from a first person perspective, this unique way to frame the story creates a level of immersion that admittedly does take some getting used to but it makes the watch feel like a dream (or a nightmare).

Nickel Boys takes inspiration from The Florida School for Boys, also known as the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys, a reform school that operated in a Florida panhandle town from 1900-2011 with a long history of abuse and even murder perpetrated against its students by its staff. In what was a story of stolen childhoods, Elwood Curtis was a young African-American man with a promising future in the midst of 1962 Jim Crow Florida. Raised by his caring grandmother Hattie (Ellis-Taylor), her concern for the wellbeing of her grandson only heightened as he grew older and became more of an independent thinker. Doing her best to support her and her grandson despite not living under the best of means, she believed that allure of the ongoing Civil Rights Movement would make him a target. Accepted into a tuition-free study program at a nearby university, his chance at a life was snatched away as a series of unfortunate circumstances led to Elwood (Herisse) being shipped out to Nickel Academy, an analog for the Florida School for Boys. Shot from his perspective, audiences get a front row seat to his life and his experiences, from his ups to his downs. Conveying what he sees, the film does a tremendous job at conveying what he felt during what was undoubtedly a scary, confusing, and complicated time for him and things only get worse from there.

A microcosm of the time, Nickel Academy was also segregated along familiar lines where the white students are treated much more favorably than the Black students, up to the point that white students had a more realistic chance to be released. Ultimately, black students were fed false promises of getting their chance for release with good behavior and instead, are subject to slave labor (and/or worse) until they turn eighteen. Left with a new social structure and hierarchy to contend with, Elwood’s time at Nickel was about keeping his head down and surviving but he wouldn’t have to do it alone. Befriending Turner (Wilson), a seasoned student broken down to the point of cynicism. the two would form a compelling dynamic. One with hope and the other seemingly without it, they kept their heads down in spite of the abuse they faced. However, there would come a time where enough was enough. Taking a formal record of he and Turner’s mistreatment and the other atrocities committed by Nickel Academy, Elwood vowed to expose the school.

Later into the film, a series of flash-forwards highlighting a now adult Elwood (Daveed Diggs) presented an interesting contrast as an already beaten down man trying to move forward with his life is further worn down upon learning the true extent of the heinous acts committed by the school. All the while, it’s unclear where Turner stands in the later timeline. However, if Elwood and Turner were to survive, they would need each other. The arc of that relationship over the course of the film is easily the best part as there is truly a bond there and reason to root for them. Complimenting one another, among the bleakness and dread, were moments of light brought out by the power of that bond. Ultimately, left with no realistic prospects of ever leaving Nickel Academy, Elwood’s crusade to expose the school did not come without consequences. With the writing on the wall as far as he and Turner were concerned, what would follow is arguably the most harrowing and emotionally-charged climax of the year and a roller coaster that will be hard to forget.

Primarily shot from a first person perspective, this stylistic choice will not be for everyone and will take most audiences some time to get used to but it also allows for a level of immersion that leads to a better understanding of the characters and the story. That subjective lens, limiting the scope to what Elwood or Turner see through their own eyes (or choose to see), says a lot about themselves and their relationship with one another. On the other hand, watching one interact with the other while the other is off screen, may leave some feeling at a distance. Weaving in archival footage of The Florida School for Boys along with other key historical moments of the time and Jomo Fray’s breathtaking cinematography, the result is a showcase of progress, promise, and the darkness that still threatened to hold it back. Meanwhile, Alex Somers and Scott Alario’s score works in concert with the imagery and camerawork to create the kind of quiet ambiance that is present enough to be felt and reflects the first person perspective of Elwood and Turner. To top it all off, Nicholas Monsour’s masterful editing puts it all together like a fine dance to craft its unique, impressionistic take.

When it comes to a film like this, being shot from a first person perspective makes it challenging in terms of performances as actors here often find themselves interacting with the camera as other characters are off screen. Creating a strong connection with audiences is important therefore casting is paramount, especially in bringing the dynamic between Elwood and Turner to life. Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson are sensational as Elwood and Turner, both sources of light within all the darkness. Forced to survive under the most dire of consequences, they were a guide for audiences through it all as they just tried to keep their heads down but it certainly wasn’t easy. Already having spectacular chemistry, they were a blast to watch together as young men who audiences will find themselves rooting for to survive, something that didn’t always appear to be a sure thing. Their arc over the course of the film works as beautifully as it does because of their performances. Finding one another at the right time, they are taking through the ringer and Herisse and Wilson are each up to the challenge.

As Herisse and Wilson appeared in the latter stages of Elwood and Turner’s lives, starting at Nickel Academy, the one constant throughout is Ellis-Taylor’s Hattie. A performance that has since put her firmly in the awards season race, she is an absolute knockout as Elwood’s caring and protective grandmother. A role that is sure to resonate with a lot of audiences, she is the epitome of love and warmth, setting the stage by establishing the kind of caring and principled person Elwood was. Raising him in the hardened Civil Rights era South, this fueled her concern for the life of her grandson as he set out into the world for the first time. Equally beaten down by the circumstances of the time period, it becomes easy to relate to her position. Appearing as needed, whenever she does, it is impactful. Add in Diggs, Hamish Linklater, Jimmie Fails, and Fred Hechinger, among a smattering of others, Nickel Boys features one of the best casts of 2024.

At the end of the day, Nickel Boys is a masterfully crafted and acted drama employing a unique perspective to create unforgettable images that are as breathtaking as they are haunting.

still courtesy of Orion Pictures

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.