Despite its by the numbers approach, Loving is well crafted enough to still make an impression. It takes the typical “based on a true story” route that doesn’t offer up many surprises but its intentions are so good that you can forgive its workmanlike trajectory. Writer/director Jeff Nichols approaches the subject matter with sincerity but the true secret weapon, or should I say weapons, are the impressive performances from its two leads.
Loving is an account of the factual events that led to the landmark 1967 Supreme Court decision overturning anti-miscegenation laws. Legal prohibitions have never really stopped people from falling in love and that’s no different in the case of Richard Loving (Joel Edgerton) and Mildred Jeter (Ruth Negga). When we are first introduced to them, they have been together long enough to conceive a child. The real dilemma is how they will move forward now that a child is part of the equation.
At the time, Virginia did not allow interracial marriage so a wedding at home is out of the question. To make their union official, they travel to Washington D.C. where a justice of the peace names them man and wife. They return to their small town and resume their lives, staying with Mildred’s family while Richard prepares to craft the house that will become their dream home. Their world becomes complicated when someone says something to the local sheriff (Marton Csokas) about their union and then their secret becomes public. The sheriff shows up in the middle of the night to arrest the couple but their lawyer arranges a plea bargain and the judge agrees to suspend their sentence if they leave Virginia immediately and stay away for the next 25 years (they can return separately but can’t both be in the commonwealth at the same time). The sentence, which is difficult for Richard but even more intolerable for Mildred, pushes them to violate the terms of their probation placing their freedom in jeopardy.
The more interesting aspects of Loving‘s story are the legal ramifications of their actions but the film surprisingly makes this part of the story secondary. The domestic side of their relationship is explored a bit more and while watching this part of this story is satisfactory, it’s not as interesting. Jeff Nichols introduces two ACLU lawyers, Bernie Cohen (Nick Kroll) and Phil Hirschkop (Jon Bass), but they never become more than secondary characters and their arguments in front of the Supreme Court are only briefly touched upon. It’s enough to make you want more but the film has other intentions.
Part of the problem could be that there is just too much story to tell. Even with two hours of running time, you can kind of feel the pressures of time to touch on so many parts of the story. The film has to cover a decade’s worth of events and because of this, you can never really let certain scenes breathe for full emotional impact. The characters are also not as fleshed out as you want them to be, despite the winning performances from the leads who play them.
Where Loving does shine is in showcasing the prejudices that surround both the inter-racial marriage and the decision to fight the statue that wants to stop it. Some of the secondary characters are represented as stereotypical “’60s-era Southern racists” but that’s a product of the time and setting, so it’s a stereotype that works in the film. There is no denying the intensity of those scenes because while hard to watch, they ring true for the time.
Even though the characters are drawn as fully as you want them to be, that doesn’t stop the two leads from overcoming that hurdle by giving performances that you’ll remember long after the movie is over. Joel Edgerton fully inhabits his character and continues to surprise me with his diverse body of work. Richard isn’t easy to like and he has issues with communication but Edgerton makes you buy his love and devotion for Mildred. This genuine showcase of emotion makes him sympathetic and you learn to like him, despite his flaws. Faring even better is Ruth Negga as Mildred. The only exposure I’ve had to her work is through her role as Raina on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. so this dramatic turn surprised me in a very big way. She allows Mildred to blossom from a shy girl to someone who is strong and determined. She puts herself out there for the media attention because she wants to bring attention to their cause. Watching her get to this point is a true joy to watch and it’s because Negga makes the transition into this character so believable. She’s honestly the film’s emotional center and her unforced chemistry with Edgerton is a delight. I’m not sure if either one of them will sneak into the Oscar race but I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of them in it, particularly Ruth Negga.
Loving is an important film and despite the clichéd approach to telling its story, it still resonates. I’m not fully on board with the near perfect raves the film is getting but it does have moments of deep emotion that makes it powerful despite its flaws. If anything, watch the film for its two leads because they go beyond any of the film’s shortcomings and makes you root for their love and their rights as human beings. It’s proof that two good performers can really elevate a film beyond its straightforward intentions.
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