Till was always going to be a hard movie to make, and an even more difficult one to watch. Directed by Chinonye Chukwu from a screenplay she co-wrote with Michael Reilly and Keith Beauchamp, Till delivers a powerful story with grace and empathy. Chukwu takes a different route in this biographical drama — choosing to avoid showing the murder of Emmett Till itself, which happens not long into the film’s runtime — by centering his mother and civil rights activist Mamie Till-Mobley, and it pays off for the most part, with Danielle Deadwyler giving a performance to keep an eye out for.
In 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till (Jalyn Hall), born and raised in Chicago, is all set to visit his cousins and great uncle (John Douglas Thompson) in Mississippi. He had never been there before and his excitement is palpable, but his mother, Mamie (Deadwyler), warns him that it’s dangerous for Black people down south and that Emmett should be careful. Days into his vacation, Carolyn Bryant (Haley Bennett), a white woman working in the grocery store Emmett and his family visit, accuses him of offending her. Emmett is kidnapped by Carolyn’s husband and his half-brother, after which he is tortured, shot, and thrown into the Tallahatchie River. Following his death, Mamie, with the help of the NAACP, ensures that everybody knows exactly what happened to her son as she fights against his killers for justice.
Chukwu’s decision to focus primarily on Mamie’s perspective elevates the film. Through Mamie, Till explores her pain, her bravery and perseverance, as well as her shift in thought regarding the fight for racial justice. Till-Mobley was a notable figure in the Civil Rights Movement, and the film expands upon her interiority and the journey she goes through. While centering Mamie is a benefit to the film, the narrative does lean heavily into her role as a mother. The film rarely delves into other aspects of her life, including her relationships with her parents — Alma (Whoopi Goldberg) and John Carthan (Frankie Faison) — and future husband Gene Mobley (Sean Patrick Thomas). The biographical drama would have been a bit stronger had it engaged further with Mamie’s inner life.
But whatever is lost here is gained through Danielle Deadwyler’s moving portrayal. The actress is a revelation and she offers so much through her eyes and expressions. Even when Deadwyler’s voice is steady and strong, one can hear the emotional quaking beneath. The actress will hopefully get some awards attention for her turn as Mamie Till-Mobley because her performance here is nothing short of magnificent and powerful. Jalyn Hall is also wonderful as Emmett, imbuing the teenager with a palpable energy that lights up the screen. Whoopi Goldberg, who is always a solid presence in just about every movie and TV show she’s been in, is memorable in her role, however brief it is.
Till is especially timely considering how some school boards are restricting the teaching and discussion on race and its history in the U.S. It’s only in 2022 that the Emmett Till Antilynching Act was signed into law, so the film becomes all the more pertinent because racial violence is still occurring. As a film, Till treats the real-life people it explores and its subject matter with great care, going to great lengths to not show any violence, with Emmett Till’s murder happening offscreen (though Chukwu chooses to show his brutalized body, which is in line with Till-Mobley’s requests at the time). The film also doesn’t show much of the killers themselves — and it’s a good thing because it would have gone against its own message had it done so. The cinematography by Bobby Bukowski is bright and lovely, as though to offset the darkness that permeates the film. To be sure, the movie doesn’t shy away from the pain or the brutality of racist violence and its effects on the Tills and others who lived in the Jim Crow south, but it also portrays joy and there are occasional bursts of humor that bring balance to the story.
Ultimately, Till accomplishes what it aims to do, bringing light to a difficult story with sensitivity. Though it could have gone deeper in terms of Mamie's development without undermining her role as mother, Chukwu's film is often hard to watch, but it's gut-wrenching, emotional, and worth seeing, driven by a fantastic performance from Deadwyler that is sure to bring many to tears.
Till released in theaters on October 14 and will expand nationwide October 28. The film is 130 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for thematic content involving racism, strong disturbing images and racial slurs.