By David A. Carlson
Written and directed by A.V. Rockwell, A Thousand and One is a powerful drama that highlights the struggles of personal relationships within the family dynamic. The superb acting and impactful moments overshadow a few inconsistencies and an uneven script to come through enough to deliver cinema worth experiencing.
Inez (Teyana Taylor) has had a rough go of it. Finally out of jail and off Rikers Island, she has no biological family to turn to, and she finds herself struggling to make ends meet. When she sees her 6-year-old boy, Terry (Aaron Kingsley Adetola), on the sidewalk, she inquires about how things are going in his foster home. And when she later learns that he has been admitted to the hospital, her concerns grow so much that she offers to take him away. Now in Harlem, Inez does what she can to raise Terry on her own, trying to give him a better childhood than he would have had otherwise. Along the way, an on-again-off-again relationship with Lucky (William Catlett), legal concerns, and teenage drama, lead both Inez and Terry to ponder who exactly is family, and where do they belong. Things are not always as they seem, and sometimes realizing that can shatter one’s dreams.
There is a poignant, captivating, and realistic story that Rockwell is able to bring forth, causing the audience to ponder some of the aforementioned questions themselves. The emotional drama is as deep as the ocean is wide, and viewers will feel it as they start to care about the characters. The main successes are due to the able camera work, headed up by cinematographer Eric K. Yue, as well as the marvelous acting. Almost the entire main cast brings award-worthy performances. Taylor is formidable and very credible as the troubled protagonist. Meanwhile, Josiah Cross gives a breakout performance. The cracking of his voice as emotions spill out of his character comes across as genuine. His star shines extremely bright in this role, truly an A+ performance. The only knock in any of those emotional scenes may be that there isn’t more: more tears, more anguish, more response. But this is likely due to what the script calls for, which is not as consistent. Rockwell’s dialog isn’t as strong as her direction, as some parts lag while other scenes engage; and tighter editing could have assisted the pace as well. The film really picks up in the third act, though, after Cross enters the picture as 17-year-old Terry. He comes in and transitions the character seamlessly from 6-year-old Terry. 13-year-old Terry (Aven Courtney) feels slightly out of place compared with the other two, with a significantly different demeanor and personality; however, this it isn’t enough to detract from the story.
The drama is real in A Thousand and One. Though the script and editing are somewhat underwhelming, the saga does finish strongly. Moviegoers need to go in with a patient mindset, and if they do, the payoff is more than worth it. At the heart of this film is the human heart. Mistakes are made, and there are consequences. This story demonstrates these truths, and it does so in rather realistic fashion.
