Alien at the Movies

Loving

This is the true story of Richard & Mildred Loving, an interracial couple legally married in Washington D.C. but arrested in their home state of Virginia for illegal cohabitation. Their situation eventually leads to the 1967 landmark Supreme Court civil rights decision invalidating laws prohibiting interracial marriages. This is mainly the love story between a white blue collar bricklayer & his black wife. They just wanted to be left alone to live peacefully together & raise a family but the injustices of the times wouldn't have it. The movie has great acting (Joel Edgerton & Ruth Negga) & provides insights a critical historic moment in America. However, the film feels like it's runs too slow & dragged out, mainly because these are two people desperately trying to live under the radar & not wanting to cause any trouble. There is no heated courtroom drama here. How many scenes of Edgerton do we need to see with a trowel, a level, mortar, & bricks or cinder blocks? The talented Michael Shannon is wasted in a small bit part. The film is interesting but not compelling; well done but not likely to be popular entertainment. Follow up captioning runs at the end of the film.

Alien gives it 2½ "Life Magazine Photo" stars out of 4.