Well I have been trying to see this film for some time now. It was worth the wait. Ava DuVernay did a great job with the film. It takes you through emotions without feeling like preachy or force feed. The characters are people you feel like you know. Salli Richardson-Whitfield always impresses me, but this is her best work to date. The actress should be working more. I am glad to see her on "Being Mary Jane" on BET. Maye's arc is relatable and genuine. You feel her when she says "Who will take care of me?" Omari Hardwick is the "it" man in urban films at the moment. He is great to look at but he is becoming a true actor. Tanya Boyd has been around for along time. It is a wonder she is not a household name. Even though the film is a feature length film, it left me wanting me more like a short film does. This movie shows you how an independent film with mostly dialogue can take you places that your heart forgot. This movie is unlike anything I have seen in some time.
11 Reviews
Good But Too Many Cliches
bkkaz14 July 2022
I Will Follow is a nice movie in that it deals with a relatable situation with likable characters. It's directed competently, and the soundtrack fits. The acting is all professional and at times affecting. It is as well made as many movies with a much bigger budget.
The problem is the story relies on too many cliches. Everyone is beautiful or handsome, for starters. That's not to say beautiful and handsome people don't have problems, but the movie gets that hollow, plastic Hollywood feel despite the attempt to be real and personal. There has to be a romantic love angle, too, as well as the whole sisterhood thing. It feels very formulaic, like one of those books in the rack at the airport with a slick cover written by someone you've never heard of and that looks just like the ones next to it.
Oddly, this contrasts with elements that might have fit an earthier story with earthier characters. For instance, there's casual Black racism against other groups -- a "joke" about finding Mexicans at Home Depot falls flat not just for its latent bigotry but because these too perfect characters -- everyone is impeccably made up and carefully dressed even in casual clothes -- seem more like they're endorsing a product on TV than just regular people with everyday problems. There's enough pretty teeth to be a Pepsodent commercial. These are obviously also rich, connected people, so of course the main character has tasteful and successful gay friends. And the main character has got to be using men, expecting each to be there for her while she's getting some on the side. The movie wants to have its cake and eat it, too.
I get it. To make a splash in Hollywood -- an insular and largely shallow and performative industry out of touch with most of the rest of the world -- you have to get noticed. And ugly poor people never trump good looking Hollywood people "getting real."
So, "I Will Follow" works as an audition for writer/director Ana Duvernay, who obviously used it to good effect to establish her Hollywood career. But in the end, this movie seems to trade flash for substance. The power of the story is robbed by its artificiality. In this, it's more like a porno than a true drama, and like those, it doesn't stand out much from the rest just like it.
The problem is the story relies on too many cliches. Everyone is beautiful or handsome, for starters. That's not to say beautiful and handsome people don't have problems, but the movie gets that hollow, plastic Hollywood feel despite the attempt to be real and personal. There has to be a romantic love angle, too, as well as the whole sisterhood thing. It feels very formulaic, like one of those books in the rack at the airport with a slick cover written by someone you've never heard of and that looks just like the ones next to it.
Oddly, this contrasts with elements that might have fit an earthier story with earthier characters. For instance, there's casual Black racism against other groups -- a "joke" about finding Mexicans at Home Depot falls flat not just for its latent bigotry but because these too perfect characters -- everyone is impeccably made up and carefully dressed even in casual clothes -- seem more like they're endorsing a product on TV than just regular people with everyday problems. There's enough pretty teeth to be a Pepsodent commercial. These are obviously also rich, connected people, so of course the main character has tasteful and successful gay friends. And the main character has got to be using men, expecting each to be there for her while she's getting some on the side. The movie wants to have its cake and eat it, too.
I get it. To make a splash in Hollywood -- an insular and largely shallow and performative industry out of touch with most of the rest of the world -- you have to get noticed. And ugly poor people never trump good looking Hollywood people "getting real."
So, "I Will Follow" works as an audition for writer/director Ana Duvernay, who obviously used it to good effect to establish her Hollywood career. But in the end, this movie seems to trade flash for substance. The power of the story is robbed by its artificiality. In this, it's more like a porno than a true drama, and like those, it doesn't stand out much from the rest just like it.
i will follow
mossgrymk16 August 2022
Not bad for a first film from a great director. I admire how Duvernay creates a world of innate decency and goodwill, with nary a butthole in sight. But therein lies the problem, in my opinion. Too much of this movie is bathed in a feel good, glowing, let's have a cleansing cry and get on with our lives mood that at times comes perilously close to Lifetime TV. The film needs more conflict as in the sharp quarrel between the cousins over the aunt/mother's cancer treatment, by far the best scene. And someone should have shot the piano player who provided that syrupy, intrusive score that sounds like an ad for a hospice care facility in Malibu. Give it a generous B minus as a too conventional start to a decidedly unconventional directorial career.
One of the Best African-American films of 2011
shawnjames_200010 September 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Ava Duvernay's I Will Follow is a breath of fresh air in a stale period of African- American cinema. A beautifully crafted film that features multidimensional characters, and an thought-provoking plot I haven't seen a Black film made with this level of quality in over a decade. This is one of the best films of 2011.
Salli Richardson-Whitfield gives one of her finest performances as Maye, the niece of Amanda, a background drummer for some of the most popular musicians of the70's and 80's. After taking a year off to care for her dying aunt, she has one day to pack up all the belongings in the home she shared with her and we watch as twelve strangers help her pack her belongings into a truck and help her move forward with her life.
I Will Follow is a great movie. It's rare that we get to see these slices of African- American life presented on screen, a film where we see African-Americans as multidimensional people, expressing themselves as human beings, not like caricatures and stereotypes. This is the kind of story about Black life we hear about all the time, but it's rarely ever shown on screen in the media. It's very rare that Black actors are given material of this quality and an opportunity to perform playing multidimensional characters like this in today's media. This is the kind of African-American film I want to see made, and if I made films this would be the kind of film I would make.
The writing on this film is top notch. Many say Duvernay's story is slow, but I have no problem with the pacing of this movie. The storyline is very subtle and nuanced showing us those little things in life so many of us take for granted. It's the kind of story that can easily go over people's heads.
I've always enjoyed Salli Richardson Whitfield's work. But she takes her craft to another level in I Will Follow. Richardson effortlessly carries the film from fade in to fade out giving a powerful performance as Maye, a woman who has to hold it together in the face of so much. It's the little things in Richardson's performance that are great to watch in I Will Follow, the looks on her face, the way she carries herself with a quiet dignity, the way she conveys kindness and compassion as she handles a stressful situation. Richardson has great chemistry with every actor on screen and makes us feel a connection to all the people who she interacts with throughout the day.
The supporting cast is also very strong. Beverly Todd gives a dignified and elegant performance as Amanda, a woman who wants to end her life on her own terms. Michole Briana White is very strong as Fran, the Daughter who had a strained relationship with her mother, but is angry about the close relationship Amanda had with Maye. You feel her jealousy and anger at Maye throughout her time on screen. When she and Richardson are on screen there's intensity and tension. Dijon Halton is solid in his role as Raven, a good kid who sticks around to help Maye. I love the conversation he has with Maye about Nas and Jay-z; it's the kind of conversation people have in real life. I also loved Richardson's scenes with Omari Hardwick. There are so many great performances here, like the two Goodwill guys who add some humor and the Cancer Survivor who takes down the satellite dish. I wish I could mention everyone, because the entire cast does an amazing job of supporting this film.
I really appreciate this film and what it represents historically for Black Cinema. I Will Follow was independently financed and independently produced. More importantly, it was the first Black film independently distributed to theaters by a black distributor. Made for just $50,000 and shot in just six days I Will Follow looks like a film that cost over $40 million minimum. The cinematography on this film is beautiful with serene shots and powerful visuals that tell a strong story the viewer will never forget. Duvernay tells a great story with her camera, and her first film has me eager to see more of her work.
I Will Follow is a Shawn James Five Star Essential Video. Pick this up today!
Salli Richardson-Whitfield gives one of her finest performances as Maye, the niece of Amanda, a background drummer for some of the most popular musicians of the70's and 80's. After taking a year off to care for her dying aunt, she has one day to pack up all the belongings in the home she shared with her and we watch as twelve strangers help her pack her belongings into a truck and help her move forward with her life.
I Will Follow is a great movie. It's rare that we get to see these slices of African- American life presented on screen, a film where we see African-Americans as multidimensional people, expressing themselves as human beings, not like caricatures and stereotypes. This is the kind of story about Black life we hear about all the time, but it's rarely ever shown on screen in the media. It's very rare that Black actors are given material of this quality and an opportunity to perform playing multidimensional characters like this in today's media. This is the kind of African-American film I want to see made, and if I made films this would be the kind of film I would make.
The writing on this film is top notch. Many say Duvernay's story is slow, but I have no problem with the pacing of this movie. The storyline is very subtle and nuanced showing us those little things in life so many of us take for granted. It's the kind of story that can easily go over people's heads.
I've always enjoyed Salli Richardson Whitfield's work. But she takes her craft to another level in I Will Follow. Richardson effortlessly carries the film from fade in to fade out giving a powerful performance as Maye, a woman who has to hold it together in the face of so much. It's the little things in Richardson's performance that are great to watch in I Will Follow, the looks on her face, the way she carries herself with a quiet dignity, the way she conveys kindness and compassion as she handles a stressful situation. Richardson has great chemistry with every actor on screen and makes us feel a connection to all the people who she interacts with throughout the day.
The supporting cast is also very strong. Beverly Todd gives a dignified and elegant performance as Amanda, a woman who wants to end her life on her own terms. Michole Briana White is very strong as Fran, the Daughter who had a strained relationship with her mother, but is angry about the close relationship Amanda had with Maye. You feel her jealousy and anger at Maye throughout her time on screen. When she and Richardson are on screen there's intensity and tension. Dijon Halton is solid in his role as Raven, a good kid who sticks around to help Maye. I love the conversation he has with Maye about Nas and Jay-z; it's the kind of conversation people have in real life. I also loved Richardson's scenes with Omari Hardwick. There are so many great performances here, like the two Goodwill guys who add some humor and the Cancer Survivor who takes down the satellite dish. I wish I could mention everyone, because the entire cast does an amazing job of supporting this film.
I really appreciate this film and what it represents historically for Black Cinema. I Will Follow was independently financed and independently produced. More importantly, it was the first Black film independently distributed to theaters by a black distributor. Made for just $50,000 and shot in just six days I Will Follow looks like a film that cost over $40 million minimum. The cinematography on this film is beautiful with serene shots and powerful visuals that tell a strong story the viewer will never forget. Duvernay tells a great story with her camera, and her first film has me eager to see more of her work.
I Will Follow is a Shawn James Five Star Essential Video. Pick this up today!
Nothing new here
putahw-4099718 March 2021
Makes you think
anointedlasy3418 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I went to see this movie to support the film maker as well as Salli Richardson. I didn't know what to expect, but I was surprised by how the story kept my attention from the beginning. It was nice to see a movie that didn't have any profanity,violence or sex. This movie really made me think about some of the people I know who have died and what I wish I could have said to them. The one thing I learned from this movie is that you should live your life with no regrets. The daughter is the one who made me think the most. She wanted more time with her mother. But she didn't take advantage of the time she had before her mother died. I would recommend this movie to everyone I come in contact with. Very good story.
About Time!!
alanomiller12 March 2011
It is about time!! My wife and I went to see this movie because we wanted to support independent black films. A lot of times I get frustrated when I go to see films because the characters, through line, and over all objective is one dimensional. To my surprise this movie is simple and beautiful. This movie does not make an enemy of race or gender. I Will Follow makes you feel, think and listen. I went to see "I am Number Four" later and I found myself asking when is this movie going to pick up and start. I Will Follow grabs you from the beginning to the end. Trust me when I say, I have seen a lot from Indies to Studio and this movie deserves love just for telling a good story with depth. I am tired of the film industry beating us over the head with remakes and same stories but with a twist. There is nothing new under the sun, but that doesn't mean remake a movie you did 3 years ago. Go see this movie you will thank me later.
I Will Follow this Director Anywhere....
Aurora35729 November 2011
The person who enjoys this film will be 1) emotionally mature 2) patient 3)appreciates complex themes.
Like George Clooney's recent works, this film is quiet and takes some time to develop and answer key questions of plot. Viewers will be deeply rewarded with a life-affirming experience. The film holds very universal themes tenderly in its hands. You will feel full and inspired to act on what you've learned here. There are so many themes: caring for loved ones, community, letting go and moving on, courage to use one's gifts, generational wisdom, regret over missed opportunities and a few others I won't list here.
This is a film worth owning. Go to it!
Like George Clooney's recent works, this film is quiet and takes some time to develop and answer key questions of plot. Viewers will be deeply rewarded with a life-affirming experience. The film holds very universal themes tenderly in its hands. You will feel full and inspired to act on what you've learned here. There are so many themes: caring for loved ones, community, letting go and moving on, courage to use one's gifts, generational wisdom, regret over missed opportunities and a few others I won't list here.
This is a film worth owning. Go to it!
Love from all aspects in this film
nasiramir0110 October 2012
I Love this film it is really touching and then it takes a turn, I Love the fact that Omari resist Sally like a real man should that is a turn on to me to see a man stand strong and do the right thing regardless to what his flesh is saying. I Love it!!!!!!! More men and women need to learn from this and gain self discipline and practice doing the right thing and not let the flesh control our actions. this is a really nice film. I enjoyed it a lot. I enjoyed the tension that was between the cousins and also I like the way that whole situation was handled by Sally. Overall I Love this film as mentioned before. I would like to see more films like this one(Mature, Grown, Serious Etc...)
a beautiful, thorough, complicated portrait of grief
tsimshotsui1 April 2017
Ava Duvernay's I Will Follow is a beautiful, touching film about a character grappling with the recent death of someone very close to her. The details of the relationship and the situation are given to the audience in bits and pieces, until we eventually complete the puzzle. But by then, we'll also have watched this tension-filled relationship with another relative, a moving conversation with a neighbor and a beautiful encounter with someone, ending on the rooftop (my personal favorite). Complicated relationships between mother and daughter and cousins and nephews were painted very well. For me the film drags a little by the time we get to a certain love interest, though it is my personal preference to stay with the focus of the first half rather than what the film is leading me to.
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