Exhibiting Forgiveness
Artistically talented Titus Kaphar has finally caught the director’s bug as he takes a step into the world of television and film with his work titled “Exhibiting Forgiveness.” Kaphar can be said to have an artistic trademark defined by disjunction. One would often note the intricacies of how other paintings are resorted to being hung over the working canvas, how other paintings would be stacked on top of each other, or rudimentary cutouts being crafted in the primary working canvas. All these layers and omissions, as Kaphar calls it, serve a purpose of elevating aspects of Black ethnicity, better known as either universalism or antagonism. In his own paintings that this film anchors, “Exhibiting Forgiveness” hopes to achieve the same result, examining generational trauma and the father-son relationship in particular.
Tarrell (André Holland) is a painter. After a successful exhibition, his agent suggests he take advantage of his momentary fame and arrange many other exhibitions. Tarrell’s art is meticulously detailed and requires great attention and a considerable investment of time, while taking care of his little son Jermaine (Daniel Michael Barriere) and supporting his partner Aisha (Andra Day), who decided to put her music career on hold to give Tarrell a chance to finish his projects, there is no desire to get back to the art world.
As if the long hours of painting and getting ready for a show is not enough for Aisha to achieve her aims, it most of all restricts the time he has for his son. And being a father is very essential for him.
However, when his own estranged father La Ron (John Earl Jelks) arrives quite unexpectedly to his mother Joyce’s (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) house, Tarrell has no choice but to deal with feelings that he would rather stay in the past. Joyce who is quite religious herself believes that Tarrell and La Ron should have the chance to sort their turbulent affairs which are popularized with La Ron’s physical violence and drug dependence. However, though he has turned over a new leaf, La Ron begs to show his son that he has indeed changed, childhood influences Tarrell to such an extent that some of the nightmares do certainly stir him at night and in the day, give him strength as a caring father driving him to forgive his father’s actions.
Tarrell Kaphar and the creativity for Sheyda Fadayi’s stunning photographs who captures scenes throughout “Exhibiting” are phenomenal. Cinematographer Lachlan Milne’s photography is indeed a work of art, every single frame breathtaking albeit from the next cinematographic piece. Though cuts from Kaphar’s camera and his sound Kaphar, together with Kaphar’s directorial thoughts Kaphar loves painting just as he loves cinema, his neck has actually burnt from unreal exposure to such hot mixing sticks vision of structure.
Long shots and close ups throughout the film give it a romantic touch and bring to the fore the passionate acting that elevates “Exhibiting Forgiveness”.
Holland and Jelks make a pair that seems to leap from the screen, Kaphar’s narrative concentrates on the multitude of exchanges that span the time of the story. There are moments in most conversations when it seems their emotions swell, but Holland and Jelk make the pain into pain filled words.
Jelk’s gaze alone can convey the complexity of La’Ron’s emotions, his guilt, affection, strong will, and attempts at redemption. Holland is a strong leading man who, after a stunning role in “Moonlight,” becomes largely overlooked for his talents, sometimes dryly calling out Tarrell partially with his body to such an effect that it is no surprise his performance is so poignant even when he conveys feelings of reservation and pain without words. Tai’s pacing and restless movements showcase the kid in him that is still there and tries to hide, and these opposing aspects of his character are well presented by Holland who is careful but also determined.
Kaphar’s intention is to depict La’Ron and Tarrell as ordinary family members while introducing some harsh images of within-society encounters between Black fathers and sons.
His narrative creates the space to appreciate the fact that each of the past generational heritages is one that is nearer to the darkest areas of Black history, and that every man who has ever lived has, in one way or another, gone through it or has to go through a process of unlearning. Yet, while Joyce and La’Ron keep reminding Tarrell about God and the Bible in order to seek Tariq’s forgiveness, Kaphar is firm in protesting the empty promise of such forgiveness in the name of faith. Indeed, one must have a strong understanding of the narrative to grasp why ‘Exhibiting Forgiveness’ does not seek to exonerate La’Ron but grants him compassion. This is Tarrell’s film, which embraces the sentiment of all the things that are too precious to be erased. Kaphar’s film is long, the appetite is almost always over stimulated and after a single piece and the conversations around it, there are attempts to dig deeper, but it all works out at the end as it is simply elegant in the way it delivers its message to the audience.
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