ORIGIN Movie Review | Ava DuVernay | Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor | Jon Bernthal
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- The ambitious but clunky "Origin" represents a rare misfire from writer-director Ava DuVernay ("Selma," "13th," "When They See Us"). DuVernay depicts Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) as she researches her 2020 book, "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents." But Wilkerson also endures a series of devastating tragedies in her personal life, which fuel her in her mission. The film does offer some lovely performances, though. Co-starring Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash-Betts, Vera Farmiga , Audra McDonald and Blair Underwood. In theaters now.
#avaduvernay #origin #jonbernthal
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ORIGIN is a beautifully woven tapestry that entertains and educates. It stays true to the book, Caste: The Origins of our Discontents, and does a great job in explaining the pillars of caste- as well as the similarities in the treatment of Dalits in India, Black people in America and Jews in Nazi Germany. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Niecy Nash-Betts and Jon Bernthal are excellent in their roles, and deliver Oscar-worthy performances. Ava DuVernay truly delivers. ORIGIN is unforgettable.
The performances are all great, it's true. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!
Chat-Gpt, is that you? 😂
This movie is a 10/10 for me. As a 35 year old black woman, I felt like I was going on an unforgettable journey with Isabel that was both heartbreaking and inspiring. I don’t believe a documentary could have spoken to my soul in the same way as this dramatization. This movie allows you to get to know the author in a deeply personal way, so that you know she isn’t just another black women mad at white people for her disposition in life. I felt Isabel’s deep love for her husband and sympathy for that poor black child. Before this movie I was convinced that white people 50 and up were a lost cause when it came to saving this country. This movie gives me hope that one day soon we can see all people as people, and allow everyone life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Ava and Isabel are truly out here doing the work to heal this country. I thank god for this movie and hope everyone has the opportunity to see this wonderful film.
Thank you very much for your eloquent thoughts. We're glad this movie spoke to you so powerfully, And middle aged white folks like us aren't a lost cause, so thank you for watching our review and sharing your reaction!
Asé. 🕯️
jwhitehead, I'm not white, but saying that white people 50 and up are a lost cause is ridiculous. Throughout history there have been and still are many that fight for equality and justice. Maybe learn your history a little better before you say something like that.
Couldn’t disagree with you more. While it’s technically not the best made film, I found it extremely impactful both emotionally and educationally. I cried throughout about 80% of it! I can’t help but give a film a high rating when it makes me FEEL so much and I think it’s one that should be shown to kids in school, too. Everyone could learn from this. 9/10
I respect both of your critiques (and I agree the varied storytelling elements aren’t integrated smoothly) but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t still engaged and compelled by the narrative all the same. It’s a flawed film, but ambitious, thoughtful, and at times, heartbreaking. I’ll take an interesting flawed film over an empty bad one any day.
Thanks for your insights! It's ambitious, for sure.
I agree with you
Don’t criticize the effort of explaining a caste system that has classified a whole race based on predujice and bigotry and it was to educate and depict that we are equal..Education is the best legacy better accept the truth and stop looking for ways to criticize
Really?! Unfortunate you had that experience. I experienced it differently. It was beautiful execution of portraying a writer’s complicated process to cultivate & articulate a complicated theory in the midst of navigating multiple personal tragedies. It wonderfully tied and displayed the connection of oppression and how we have a shared inheritance to work to right the ship and value each other as the unique and valuable humans that we all are.
So glad it moved you, Tiffany. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts.
If you enjoyed the film & got the message. Who really cares if it lurches and it doesn't fit?😊.
The movie is about Isabel’s walk through grief and how she processed it through refining racism to a large scale which is 8:14 caste. How powerful humans treat humans who are thought of as less than
Beautiful movie see it with a person of color it will hit you different
The movie is an 8
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Glad it resonated for you.
I haven’t seen this movie yet, but from your review, I gather you didn’t like it nor obtained any realizations of the movie or the book. You just proved that the Caste System is and will always be front and center in this world we live in. Thanks for doing your best to destroy what appears to be a promising and enlightening work.
As a white man I loved the movie and cried through out it... As someone who grew up with and continues to have black friends and friends from other cultures I always believed and knew racism exists but I feel like I developed a better understanding why people treat others the way they do
I imagine that the movie is difficult for the two of you to absorb. Understandable. Perhaps this movie is beyond the type of movies you're both used to. I found it profound and essential viewing. Clearly you need the book explained to you. I came home and ordered the book immediately.
Great! Let us know how the book is, Thanks for watching.
@@BreakfastAllDaycondescending response 😒
@@brittyn
I agree with you. Im not surprised though. 😏
Agree with your review of this film. One correction: The kid in the swimming pool sequence, Al Bright, was in Youngstown, Ohio (my hometown), not the South. He was a local legend, having accomplished so much as the first African-American full-time faculty member at our local university. He was also an accomplished artist whose work hangs in the Butler Art Museum, which holds one of the greatest collections of American art in the world. That the terrors of his childhood took place in the Midwest and not the South bears noting…a true stain on my town’s history but his story of resilience is truly inspiring.
When it comes to culture, there's not much difference between Ohio and the South. That goes for most of the Midwest.
Thank you!
This is how 250 years of denial and so called critical race theory can be expressed in eight minutes. She only liked the German couple 🕺 dancing.!!!...😅 I guess this is why we need more movies like this.
Hi Guillermo, thanks so much for watching our review. Since you did watch it, you probably also saw how much we praised the performances, particularly the scenes between Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Niecy Nash-Betts. Have a great day.
Amen
I watched it with a Brahman - he didn't like it either....
How do you make a review and you don't know if it's actors or real people? Weird.
Love you both but I think all the ideas that you're mentioning that don't fit together were intentional per the book. The whole premise was to illustrate the connective tissue between seemingly unrelated incidents and systems.
Interesting, thanks for that theory and the kind words!
Certain have become accustomed to diminishing that which they cant understand. I think that’s what is going on here.
Can't wait to watch this film
As a Black person I so appreciated the author for the work in her book, and for Ava for putting it on the screen. To not turn away-while simultaneously not breaking the witness-is a skill in art form. And the way ORIGIN is told is important, especially that it was not 2 separate films. It centers the writer and the storms she was passing through while ideating and writing, and allows us to experience how her heart and mind works. As a writer, I appreciated this overview. It’s complex, but so is the work. And so is the violence our bodies have historically endured. It’s personal as well and that allowed my tears to not sting as much. 🫶🏾🫶🏾
Thank you so much for sharing your insights, Antoinette, your perspective is so helpful.
@@BreakfastAllDay thank you for receiving my words without a “but”. 🙏🏾
Thank u for this review you eloquently expressed what i was trying to say in my post
If u center the writer it is 1 story
I did not understand how people saw it as 2 stories or a documentary. I guess if u dont center the writer as the herione going through her journey. Loved the movie
Loved your post
@@youngmd43 I think it’s partly relegating Ava to a lane rather than accepting her gloriously touching stories that have historically been untouchable on the screen. Ava is doing repair in ways that most don’t have the guts to be that bold and visible of a stand.
Also removing the author attempts to separate and erase her from a process that she was inseparable from. Stories run through me/us in much the same way as our ancestral DNA and it takes courage to remain visible when telling these ancestral stories.
These stories are an act of reverence and unless one knows the cost then it cannot be understood. Thank you for this moment of belonging in a comment section. It does hit different. 🥰
i watched other reviews its totally different what you'es have explained...i probably go watch it myself 🤦♀️
yes. Go see it AND watch reviews from people who have the emotional depth to be able to understand it.
I feel she's a better documentarian than narrative films.
100%
I always love Bernthals choices
Right? He's always fascinating to watch.
It was okay. I'm actually not an Ava DuVerney fan. I find her filmmaking clunky and amateurish, but I will give her credit for attempting something different here. The writing of the book part is not really that important. She's trying to dramatize the text of the original nonfiction book with narrative sequences. In other words, she wants the audience to understand the theory espoused in the book but doing it within a story structure. In my opinion that's a highly difficult challenge. I can't think offhand of a director that would be able to pull that off. Origin doesn't always succeed, but I'll give it credit for the innovation.
What did you think of the title song?
I think this would’ve made a better series than a film
That is a good idea. Or a documentary.
I agree! It could've started with an episode on the book's origins and then break out into an episode dedicated to each pillar
DuVernay reminds me of González Iñárritu in the sense that she loves to dwell in human misery way too much, but just like Iñárritu when he made Birdman, I wanna see her take herself less seriously and do something fresh and fun and outside the box.
Wasn't that what A Wrinkle in Time and the comic book show Naomi was supposed to be?
well you said it yourself, "supposed"@@AllInTheGame01
Wrinkle in Time showed that it doesn't work...
Why are these folks so critical and judgemental
Frustrating film
Good scenes
Really?
So critical
Here!!
What matters when you are in someone’s life deeply
Very long
Pacing is off..
More more criticism
What’s wrong with a standing ovation for The Whale?!?
I hope she eventually loosens up a bit. The brilliance to Spike Lee back in the day was he made social commentary that didn't feel like homework.
That is a very good point. Middle of Nowhere, one of her earliest films, didn't feel like homework.
Eewwww.... "homework" - God Forbid. ;)
Finally got around to this yesterday. People in the theater (and the comments here, it would appear) had the big emotional response intended. But I kept feeling like this film was choppy in the cramming together of the two different stories. But maybe that’s the point here? I don’t know. It never made me cry and I feel like it should have been really easy to get an emotional response out of me here. I completely agree that a documentary about this subject would have been more compelling. But also the performances are great. So idk. I’m conflicted here
I thought it was really good.
I understand it may have missed cohesively
But I’m still going to watch it
It’s such an important thing to support voices like AVA -
Yes please do! And let us know what you think. We are fans of hers, just didn't like this one as well as her other films.
I saw this in December, and I feel like Ava should have just made a documentary in the style of Raoul Peck's *Exterminate All the Brutes.* The fictionalized retelling of Isabel Wilkerson's life distracts from the subject of Wilkerson's book. There are some really lazy plays to emotion -- the dramatization of Treyvon Martin's murder and the deaths of Wilkerson's husband and cousin -- that don't really have any effect on what little story there is. The performances are solid, but the whole thing felt like an edgier theatrical length Very Special Episode of some 90s sitcom/drama.
I saw this last night. Just loved it. Thought it was amazing. Very surprised you two didn’t.
The movie was excellent.
Can we get a “better late than never” review of “I Like Movies” or “Riceboy Sleeps?” Two of my fav films of the year that have criminally flown under the radar.
100%
The fact that they frowned on The Whale told me all I needed to know about this review 😅
You're welcome to stick around and check out our many other reviews to get an idea of our tastes. Thanks for watching.
I think I agree with you both here. I saw the film last night and read the book. The book is INCREDIBLE and life changing. I feel the story of how the book came to be and all the elements of grief, life events, and research that led Wilkerson to write the book were compelling. I think the editing was clunky. It had all the right ingredients, the actors (notably Ellis-Taylor, Audra MacDonald, and Niecy Nash-Betts) and really gorgeous filmmaking. I think the pacing and lack of momentum or momentum building needed held it back from its fullest potential. I wasn't frustrated with it however. All of it felt important and compelling but it could've been mind blowing but it fell short for me.
The performances are all so strong, you're right.
It's not in wide release until January 19th. It's only playing in NYC & LA for the next week to qualify for the Oscars.
Thanks.
Bummer, I was excited about this. I will watch it and get my own score and let you know.
Please do!
As you said, by all means.
Go see it. It was great. I don’t understand these reviewers and I went in with very low expectations.
Have you seen it yet?
Nope, but we will.@@brittyn
Great review! Sounds like this should have been one of two films (either a documentary building off of Caste or a biopic of Wilkersen writing Caste). Nice to have an Aunjanue and Jon reunion though.
The movie was beautiful. I don’t know what these folks are talking about. Just saw it yesterday and was engaged for 2 hours and 15 minutes.
@@Salutations26I completely agree!!
I loved the movie and cried through it and couldn't leave the theater until all the credits rolled and the lights were turned on
I saw the trailer and the line from the Jewish-German woman saying "You're trying to make sense of racism but your thesis is flawed" made me want to see it. At the time I didn't know, was that her publisher, agent, or PhD adviser? But I wanted to see if Isabel could make a good case for her idea. I'd heard (but don't remember when) that the Nazis based some of their laws on the Jim Crow South. So I watched the movie Tuesday.
This movie does have a problem and that's getting started. I didn't realize that the young man in the beginning was Trayvon Martin, but suspected he was in danger before they cut away. Then I started yawning, and because I was alone in the theater got out my phone for about another 10 minutes before the movie started getting interesting. They didn't follow up on Trayvon until later in the film when someone asked Isabel to write an article or something about it, -and I'm not sure what that had to do with her other than her book was released just after it happened.-
I think the dry-erase board is Isobel putting her ideas down in the book for 8 pillars of caste, the first four being hard to change, like Hindu religion, and the next 4 being more malleable like violence. I didn't realize that's what it was at the time, not having read the book. As to discussing it with other people, I liked the line "Explain it for normal people," followed by her doing so for 10 minutes, which is not a flaw, but a fair way to put forth a new idea on film.
This movie isn't getting a lot of attention, and limited/selected release is probably hurting it, because hardly anyone showed up to see it this week, and it's leaving my theater after Wednesday.
Thanks for your thoughts, are you glad you saw it?
@@BreakfastAllDay Yes
Jesus Christ, seek help for your phone addiction
Do you think that because her short time line of shooting of the film contributes to the awkwardness of the film?
Hmmm, I’ve been waiting for a movie with a glacial pace that prominently features whiteboards . . .
So How to blow up a pipe line seemed to be an adaptation of a non fiction academic style book into an intense heist style genre film. I feel like this movie/book probably should have been adapted similarly into something that excludes the main themes of the next but maybe into a more palatable package of a genre film rather than what appears to be a quasi mesh of documentary and narrative film
Yikes. I just finished watching this on Disney Plus and ran over here to see if i’m alone in thinking it was awful. Wow. What a clunky dud of a film. I admire its ambition but…
So many people loved this movie and thought it was deeply profound. We are in the minority here.
There seems to be many reviews of the reviewers that have a touch of intellectual anger. I think many people were initially set off into anger during the first 8 minutes of the review because the reviewers spoke in vague and ambiguous terms when referring to Blacks, Indians and other minorities as: "The way Certain Groups of people are oppressed". At that point, many people were turned off by the review. Next, the story or should I say the movie is a bit disjointed with uneven pacing which means that there are two issues here. One issue about the movie and it production values and two the aim of the movie of that of a caste system washed out by the movie's low production values. Ultimately, the subject at hand is explored but not completely leaving many people with a sense of "What a terrible movie" or such a "movie that did not fulfill it's potential". In reality, the review is a testament to (I will use your vague terms) one group of people who just cannot see or understand the depth of a historically true story between the weeds of a faulty production.
Boo you guys have missed the mark on your review. It is woven concept of grief. Personal and humans as a society’s grief. It is also the fact that you have the concept it your head not your heart. I think if you have had experience with more of the painful experiences you could relate more.
Respectfully, you have no idea what kinds of grief we've experienced in our lives. Thanks for watching our review, though.
@@BreakfastAllDay that is not what I’m saying but I respect your experience as well.
What's the obsession with standing ovations at these festivals?! Are the Trades obligated to report on them and for how long they last?! Someone needs to collate the data on which movies gets standing ovations, for how long and how they go on to perform during Awards Season :)
The ones at Cannes are freakishly long and warrant a psychological study.
I think they're often exaggerated for good marketing 😂
The trades report on them to have something to write about. It's just a showing of respect given that the cast and crew are usually present and this is often a premiere.
Really wanna see this one even though it seems like it's never actually gonna come out.
It is! It did!
@@BreakfastAllDay Whether it drops outside the NY/LA club remains to be seen (literally).
Will you guys review The Teachers‘ Lounge (Sony Pictures Classics)?
Leonie Benesch was good in it, it might get an Oscar nom.
Good to know, thanks, we can try!
I don't agree with either of you. I just saw the movie. Excellent!! You two are critics and got it wrong like thr german woman in the film!
Art is subjective, it's OK to disagree. Thanks for watching.
Saw it last night. I like that she tackles the worn-out convo of race in a different way and appreciated that Isabel had her own arc of empathy (the plumber). I'm cautiously interested in reading the book. The movie was very emotional and super well acted, but I found myself wanting to see more about the relationship between Isabel and Brett (he had kids!!), even the relationship with her mother. The other stuff is interesting, but also exhausting and frustrating with flawed social commentary. Would have been a beautiful film if it focused solely on the relationships and Isabel's own awakening researching the book. Very good...but not quite there.
I haven't seen this yet, but this review is a lot of how I feel about American fiction
People wake up to this. We Need breakfast all day. Where is my coffee! Lol
I am totally not surprised you didn’t get it. It was a beautifully made movie on the history of this racist country. I found the burning of the books in Germany as a aha moment. The sudden interest of whites and the banning of books interesting comparison. Those that live it perfectly understood the movie. Ava is a genius.
We're glad this resonated for you. We're fans of Ava's work as well, we just didn't think this worked. Thanks so much for watching our review.
THE BEST FILM EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just watched "Leave The World Behind" - would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this one. We really enjoyed it on so many levels. Thx U2.
We can try and catch up with it! Things are starting to calm down now.
Thanks so much! @@BreakfastAllDay
This movie was great period.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but i don't understand how you can rate this about equal to The Sweet East.....makes no sense that movie was trash
Unfortunately I think this is yet another reveal that Ava needs a high quality screenplay to be placed into her hands before she starts rolling cameras.
Her show, Queen Sugar, was a beautifully adapted series.
Read the room.Your own comment section is perplexed by your views
These dry sort of preachy over the top movies. I guess why Hollywood keeps creating these movies is because in the studio creator's mind. It's Oscar (bait) material. I don't know if I am going to see this movie. Thanks for the review.
It was excellent...preachy but excellent
@@carlao7157 Preachy is a good thing? I am reconsidering in watching this film. Critics are putting this movie on their top 10. It's worth to be viewed . Also being preachy and talking about race is always a good thing.
You are so off!
There’s a war going on
And you are speaking of what is fascinating?
Maybe grow up!!
You two would say what you say, tipical
She's one of the most overestimated directors ... She doesn't really know the difference between movies and documentaries so we get chaotic, bland and uneven stuff. And considering the themes the movies should be so much better, maybe she should stick to documentaries.
I disagree with your reviews 100%. Change shoes with me, black, jew or dalit and I'm sure your review would be different. This film was superbly done. I understand why you don't get it. White privilege.
That's great, Stephanie, we appreciate that you had a different experience from us. Disagreement and discussion are good -- especially on a film like this, don't you think? Thanks for watching our review.
Good liberals Christy & Alonso seem to like DuVernay, but glad they're honest enough critics to say this movie didn't work.
To me DuVernay is the epitome of failing upward. A Wrinkle In Time bombs & she gets bafflingly handed a $100M Warner Bros deal. She produced some TV shows for them but didn't make one single DC movie. And the deal ended. She seems more good talker than filmmaker, she should have stayed in PR.
Right, because we all know why she is allowed to "fail upward" (black female director) while holding back talented white men like you. So unfair. You should do something about. Find out where she lives. Be a "good conservative".
I mean Selma is good, 13th was great and influential, and When They See Us was phenomenal. Directors have misfires and this film was that misfire for sure. However, I have to give her credit for taking some risks; this film doesn’t really work but it’s so dense has many interesting threads.
Well said, Alek, thanks for that.
@@BreakfastAllDay Thank you for reviewing the film.
I appreciate any filmmaker who doesn't make a superhero movie.
funny how Black reviewers love this movie.Yet you are very dismissive and the guy looks like hes just put something horrible in his mouth- could it be triggering perhaps?
Hi Tracy, thanks so much for watching our review. We're fans of Ava, and appreciate the ambition of what she's going for here, we just didn't think this worked. Appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts, though.
Awkwardly assembled film
Frustrates
Another money pit
Another movie people won’t want to go see. The afflicted group stories are just played out.
It would have worked tremendously well as a limited series.