Exhibiting Forgiveness is a powerful drama about grief for time lost and relationships ruined. It is about an artist whose work comes from his love and his pain, having to confront the father who hurt him. Is it easier to hold onto that anger? Is it better for the soul to release it? The writing does not push too hard, giving plenty of space for thought and emotion. The visuals are simple, reflective and beautiful. The performances are sensitive and honest. The movie never forces itself, examining conflicts that are internal and have no easy solutions.
A father/son/man needs to decide if releasing himself from his childhood trauma is even what he wants. Exhibiting Forgiveness (113 minutes, minus the end credits) isn’t about someone earning forgiveness. It is about the concept of God’s forgiveness versus allowing oneself to let go. Deserve is far from the point. Can we ever get that weight off of ourselves when nothing can make up for what we experienced? There is a lot of deep contemplation. Big events are mostly offscreen, leaving the characters to figure out how to move on. There is no catharsis, which may frustrate some viewers. Yet the ending is as touching as anything I’ve seen this year. This is going to stay with me for a while.
Tarrell is a painter on the rise, with a loving wife and adorable little boy. However, something is haunting his dreams, causing him to wake up gasping for air. When he brings his family to help his mom move out of their old house, he is surprised by his father, La’Ron, a recovering drug addict trying to get his life back together. Tarrell never wants to see him again, but pressure from his mom puts him in a tough spot. Has La’Ron changed? Does it matter? Is there any way Tarrell can see any good in his father?
Writer/director Titus Kaphar establishes all of this slowly, in the first 30 minutes or so. We see that Tarrell is an artist, possibly on the verge of breaking out. We see that he is a good father and has a healthy relationship with his wife, Aisha, who is a singer. We see that he cares about his mother, Joyce. We also see La’Ron, homeless and injured, kicked off of his brother’s couch for past misdeeds. While it isn’t specifically revealed they are related until La’Ron surprises Tarrell at Joyce’s house, that connection exists from the very first frame.
That kicks off two big intersecting emotional arcs for Tarrell: La’Ron’s reappearance causes him to actively consider his childhood and makes him confront his mother’s role in it. Joyce desperately wants him to forgive his father. Forgiveness frees us. Besides, it was a long time ago and La’Ron is a different person now. It is not that simple for Tarrell. He isn’t as religious as his mom, so this is about him, not his faith. The scenes with him and La’Ron are handled respectfully, but it is the difference in the theory of forgiveness between Tarrell and his mother that gives this so much depth.
Tarrell is an artist and the way Kaphar uses Tarrell’s paintings in telling the story of this man’s past/present is gorgeous. Visualizing the creative process on film is hard. Kaphar achieves this by using the work as a window into Tarrell’s past and his past as a window into his thoughts. We see him painstakingly creating, not for fame, but out of need. This is how he tells his story. He makes something not to sell it; he makes it to get it out of his head.
The performances are nothing short of tremendous. André Holland has to carry a lot of this as Tarrell and the result is one of the best performances of 2024. His love, his fear, the deep hurt that he can’t release, it is all there, in every scene. Regardless of who he is with at any given moment, he is always a husband, father and son. The weight that each of those bring with it is constantly evident on him.
Despite not getting a lot of screen time, Andra Day brings welcome devotion and concern as Aisha. Kaphar doesn’t saddle her with just being “the wife.” She has her own hopes. Tarrell and Aisha are a team, which is nice to see. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor brings fascinating complexity to Joyce, a woman who finds it easy to forgive, due to God’s grace, and only remember the good times. She adores her son, though she sincerely wishes he saw things her way.
The weak point in Exhibiting Forgiveness is La’Ron. John Earl Jelks isn’t given a ton to play. However, his mere presence is the issue. Who he is is almost immaterial. If the movie spent more time exploring La’Ron’s journey, well, it would be something entirely different. The audience learns who La’Ron was and that is what matters. Whether or not he has changed is irrelevant to Tarrell because that doesn’t change what happened. Kaphar approaches this subject matter with intriguing delicacy. This is a rewarding experience.
4¼ out of 5
Cast:
André Holland as Tarrell
John Earl Jelks as La’Ron
Andra Day as Aisha
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Joyce
Written/Directed by Titus Kaphar
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