WhoopiGoldberg – Credits Rolling

In Mississippi in 1955, Emmett Till (Jalyn Hall) was brutally murdered while visiting his cousins for the summer. He was only fourteen years old. His mother Mamie (Danielle Deadwyler), completely beside herself in her loss, vowed to do whatever she can in order to expose this racist attack and to also bring the people involved to justice.

Knowing that the film was based on true events made for a harrowing experience. Part of me couldn’t believe what was unfolding on screen though the other, more logical part, knew that this only one horrible story amongst many others that African Americans had to and continue to endure. While the film did take some liberties here and there, it didn’t take way from its importance.

Deadwyler, in the role of Mamie Till-Mobley, was outstanding. If she doesn’t get an Oscar nomination for her performance then I’ll be baffled. The pure, raw emotion that she injected really gave me all the feels and brought me to tears on several occasions. She carried the movie on her back; without her it would not have had the same overall effect. I wish we could have seen more of Hall as Emmett though I obviously understand why that wasn’t possible. In addition, Whoopi Goldberg as Emmett’s grandmother and Haley Bennett as Carolyn Bryant were unrecognizable, albeit great choices.

Though parts of the movie were on the slower side, it did not deter me from being completely entranced with what was unfolding on screen. My interest snapped to attention when news broke of Emmett’s murder and it did not let up for a moment after. I will never forget the scenes of Mamie having to identify her son for the first time afterwards or them having an open casket at the funeral.

Overall, watching Till was an experience that I won’t soon forget. It was horrifying to witness, but I couldn’t turn my face away. I didn’t want to. The fact that this actually happened and that it took so long to do something about it is everything that is wrong with the world. Even more so, it’s horrible to acknowledge that these things continue to happen even today.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Sam Greenfield (Eva Noblezada) is the unluckiest girl in the world. Having grown up in the foster care system, she never found a forever family. Now that she is eighteen, it’s time for her to get her own place and find a job. On her first day, she wakes up late, locks herself in the bathroom, struggles with the toaster and notices that her bike has a flat tire. When she stumbles upon Bob (Simon Pegg), a talking cat, she is whisked away to the Land of Luck where she hopes to turn things around for herself.

From John Lasseter of Pixar and Disney comes Luck, the first title from Skydance Animation. While their aim is to tell entertaining stories that will capture the hearts of audiences everywhere, I have to say that their first venture didn’t hit the mark for me.

I appreciated how, despite her misfortunes, Sam was able to stay upbeat and how she put the needs of those around her before her own. While it didn’t seem very realistic to me (I’d get annoyed if I was in her position), her outlook on life was admirable for the most part. The cast of characters were also magical and full of fun. Simon Pegg, complete with a Scottish accent, was brilliant as Bob the cat. It was great hearing the voice talents of Jane Fonda as The Dragon, Whoopi Goldberg as The Captain and Colin O’Donoghue as Gerry and I enjoyed getting lost in the Land of Luck.

However, the film, overall, fell short for me. There was nothing exciting about the storyline and while predictability is not always a bad thing, I felt like the emotions that were supposed to come across here didn’t quite hit like they should have. Here I was, expecting the next Inside Out, and instead I was left yearning for more.

Luck may have some important messages at the end of the day, but that’s about it. Definitely aimed towards a younger audience, the film is fine for some casual viewing though I won’t be running back for a second watch anytime soon.

Rating: ♥♥