Nickel Boys

Friday night, Sharon and I watched Nickel Boys. With the Oscar show on Sunday night, we are trying to finish filling out the dance card. The movie got two nominations at the 97th Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Nickel Boys is a historical drama film based on the 2019 novel The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. It was directed by RaMell Ross, who wrote the screenplay with Joslyn Barnes. The film is inspired by the Dozier School for Boys, a now-closed Florida reform school notorious for its abusive treatment of students. It stars Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, Jimmie Fails, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.

The film depicts the harrowing experiences of two Black teenagers, Elwood (Herisse) and Turner (Wilson), at a brutal reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. Elwood's idealism clashes with Turner's cynicism as they navigate the academy's systemic abuse and racism. The film explores their fight for survival and the enduring impact of institutionalized violence.

Nickel Boys was named one of the top 10 films of 2024 by the American Film Institute. In addition to the Oscar nominations, it received the award for Best Cinematography at the 40th Independent Spirit Awards and a Best Motion Picture – Drama nomination at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards.

After watching twenty minutes of the movie, Sharon said "I don't like this movie." At the forty minute mark, she said "I don't understand why this was nominated for best picture." When it was over, Sharon said "that was awful."

The film is shot from an unusual first-person point-of-view. While I respect what the director was trying to accomplish, I found the movie disjointed and hard to follow. I didn't enjoy it. I don't recommend it. It is disappointing that Nickel Boys was nominated for Best Picture and Sing Sing wasn't. The movie isn't winning any Oscars.