25.8.23
A reminder that injustices should never be forgotten, Till retrospects a dark day in American history with painful honesty, in an attempt to provoke blood-boiling fury. Most memorably, it features an impressively stoic and emphatic performance from Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till, the mother of the desperately tragic Emmett Till.
Snubbed at the Oscars in favour of established Hollywood stars? Possibly. Deadwyler embodies intense grief and unconditional love towards her son and later becomes a huge force in the face of a frankly racist and disconnected American legal system. You feel every bit of her pain, yet also her dignity and resolve. Short of showing his death on screen, Till emotively depicts the brutal and disgusting murder of young Emmett, forcing us to contemplate the horrific violence and trauma he no doubt suffered. While some may find the scenes of his bloated and mutilated corpse too graphic, I believe it’s important we don’t shy away from this dark chapter of Western history that doesn’t feel that long ago. Understanding the full impact of racist violence is vital; powerful too is the decision to show Emmett’s disfigured body after being dredged from the river, a stark visual reminder of the inhumanity inflicted upon him.
Whilst some critics have marred Till for not exploring the broader civil rights movement enough, or being too informational in parts, I believe that misses the core strength and focus here – an intimate mother-son story. At its heart, this is Mamie’s tale, highlighting her relentless pursuit of justice and refusal to let Emmett be forgotten. The subtly smart direction reinforces this; the mostly white defence lawyers, judges and crowds barely come into focus. This is deliberate, keeping our eyes locked on Mamie right up until the heartbreaking but solemnly sweet ending.
Till had me crying seething, furious tears in moments and left me motivated to do my bit (discussing with my sociology students upon their return to school this week) about the importance of fighting inequality and racism today. For sparking such a visceral emotional response and highlighting a key, overlooked chapter in the civil rights movement, I have to commend Till for achieving its aims and hope that Deadwyler gets the recognition she deserves more in the future.