This was a beautiful film. The lead, Emayatzy Corinealdi, is in almost every shot and she has a powerful, vulnerable presence. This is her first film and she holds your attention like a veteran actress.
The story this film tells is a fascinating one that walks through a brief season of Ruby and her husband Derek's lives. It opens with Derek in prison for a gun charge and Ruby putting her medical career on hold in order to be available to their relationship. Early on, we see Ruby as a willing sacrifice on the altar for the benefit of their marriage.
However, in the course of the film, it becomes apparent that this is not fully a healthy love between the two. More and more, Ruby's character reveals that she has a problem with codependency. Initially, she appears selfless in her desire to babysit for her single parent sister; as the film progresses, it seems that she needs to be needed. There is some hint at this in her chosen profession as a nurse. She desires to help others but it is fulfilling a need within her to be needed.
In many ways, this film is about Ruby waking up to the truth of herself and her situation. She comments at one point that she knew these things about her situation, but refused to acknowledge it. She says, "I wasn't blind." This scene is a pivotal moment for her into taking responsibility solely for herself. Late in the movie, Ruby says "We are caught between the expectations of what should be and what is." She comes to grips with what she thought life was going to be contrasted with what it truly is in this stage.
One of the ideas in this film is how loving from far away. The geographical and situational distance between Ruby and her husband is deep and has an impact on their ability to be in relationship with one another. It makes me wonder, what's our ability to love one another from far away? I got the opportunity to pose this question to the brilliant director, Ava DuVernay. She responded, "All things are possible with love. Proximity doesn't matter. It's about connection." I thought this was a profound statement of hope, particularly in light of the relational challenge we see in Middle of Nowhere.
Apart from story, this film has two incredibly strong points. The music is one of the highlights. The style is varied and perfectly suited to every scene; I found myself being swept up into the moment because of the score. The second item is the cinematography. The shots were wonderfully long, giving the audience an opportunity to dwell in the emotion of the moment. The camera moves ever so slightly in important moments, giving me the impression that I was there observing the moment and not just watching it on a screen.
An excellent movie and one worth watching; I recommend finding a way to see it.
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