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Nickel Boys

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Nickel Boys
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRaMell Ross
Screenplay by
Based onThe Nickel Boys
by Colson Whitehead
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJomo Fray[1]
Edited byNicholas Monsour[1]
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed byAmazon MGM Studios
Release dates
  • August 30, 2024 (2024-08-30) (Telluride)
  • December 13, 2024 (2024-12-13) (United States)
Running time
140 minutes[3]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$23.2 million
Box office$82,799[4]

Nickel Boys is a 2024 American historical drama film based on the 2019 novel The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. It was directed by RaMell Ross, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joslyn Barnes, and stars Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor. The story follows two African American boys, Elwood and Turner, who are sent to an abusive reform school called the Nickel Academy in 1960s Florida. The film is inspired by the historic reform school in Florida called the Dozier School for Boys, which was notorious for abusive treatment of students.

Shot in a first-person point-of-view, filming took place in Louisiana in late 2022. The film premiered at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2024, and had a limited theatrical release by Amazon MGM Studios on December 13, 2024. It received positive reviews from critics and was named one of the top 10 films of 2024 by the American Film Institute.[5] It received several accolades, including a nomination for Best Motion Picture – Drama at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, and five nominations at the 30th Critics' Choice Awards, including Best Picture.

Plot

[edit]

In 1962 Jim Crow era Tallahassee, Florida, young African-American Elwood Curtis appears destined for great things in the classroom. His black teacher encourages him to think for himself, rejecting Southern textbooks' slanted view of history.

Elwood is raised by his doting grandmother, who worries that white society will retaliate against him if he participates in the growing Civil Rights Movement. One day, Elwood is accepted into a tuition-free accelerated study program at an HBCU, but while hitchhiking to campus, he is picked up by a man driving a stolen car. The police catch the man and convict Elwood of being his accomplice. Because Elwood is underage, he is sent to the Nickel Academy, a reform school.

Nickel is internally segregated; White students enjoy comfortable accommodations and personal attention from staff, while black students are housed in shabby facilities and the school makes little attempt to educate them. Although the black students are told that they can be released for good behavior, in practice they cannot leave until they turn eighteen, as the school makes money hiring them out as convict labor. In addition, it is implied that some students are sexually abused.

Elwood bonds with Turner, another quiet student. However, while Elwood is inspired by the non-violent and democratic ideals of the Civil Rights Movement, Turner is cynical, expects only mistreatment from society, and urges Elwood to keep his head down. Elwood is bullied and beaten by another student, but the administrators do not help him: instead, they savagely beat both students. Elwood's grandmother scrimps and saves to hire a lawyer to appeal his conviction, but the lawyer runs away with her money, devastating Elwood. A white school administrator who bets on Nickel's annual black-white boxing match quietly executes a black student who either refused or forgot to take a dive.

In flashforwards, the adult Elwood lives in New York City, where he runs his own moving business. He does not appear to be in contact with Turner. He is badly shaken after learning that many unmarked graves have been discovered at the old Nickel campus. Forensic evidence reveals that most of the dead students were black.

Back in the 1960s, Elwood, fed up with his mistreatment, writes up an expose and convinces a reluctant Turner to deliver it to a government inspector. However, nothing happens, and the administrators retaliate by torturing Elwood in the school sweatbox. Turner learns that the school plans to kill Elwood. To prevent this, Turner and Elwood run away from school together. However, without a car, they are quickly caught. Turner escapes into the woods, but Elwood is still exhausted from his ordeal in the sweatbox and cannot keep up with him. He is shot and killed.

A montage shows that Turner safely reached Tallahassee, where he delivered the news of Elwood's death to his grandmother. He then moved North and took on Elwood's name. He marries, builds a stable life, and tries to honor Elwood's legacy by embracing some of his ideals. When the government begins investigating the school, Turner decides to testify about his experiences.

Cast

[edit]
  • Ethan Herisse as Elwood, a boy who is sent to reform school after being unjustly convicted for helping steal a car
    • Ethan Cole Sharp as young Elwood
    • Daveed Diggs as adult "Elwood," a businessman in New York City
  • Brandon Wilson as Turner, Elwood's friend at Nickel Academy
  • Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Hattie, Elwood's grandmother
  • Hamish Linklater as Spencer, Nickel Academy's corrupt white administrator
  • Fred Hechinger as Harper, a school employee who helps oversee Nickel's convict labor program
  • Jimmie Fails as Mr. Hill, Elwood's encouraging high school teacher

Production

[edit]
Director RaMell Ross

The adaptation of Colson Whitehead's 2019 novel, The Nickel Boys, into a feature film was reported in October 2022. RaMell Ross, previously known for his 2018 Academy Award-nominated documentary Hale County This Morning, This Evening, signed on to direct, making it his narrative feature directorial debut.[6] Joslyn Barnes co-wrote and produced and Whitehead served as executive producer. Aunjanue Ellis, Ethan Herisse, Fred Hechinger, Hamish Linklater, and Brandon Wilson were cast in the lead roles.[7]

On a production budget of $23.2 million, principal photography took place in Louisiana from October to December 2022.[8][9] Shooting locations were in LaPlace, New Orleans, Hammond and Ponchatoula. The office building of the Lafourche Parish District Attorney was used as a filming location in Thibodaux in early December.[10]

In a unique filmmaking approach for viewers to see the plot unfold directly through the eyes of the two protagonists, the film was shot in the perspective of the first-person point-of-view with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio.[11] Ross explained this process in an interview:

"The film is conceived as all one-ers. In one scene, we shot everything from Elwood's perspective, and then everything from Turner's—one from the first hour, and then the other for the second. Very rarely did we shoot both perspectives on a scene, though, because of the way it was written and scripted. We don’t always go back and forth. So it's shot like a traditional film, except the other character is not there. They're just asked to look at a specific point in the camera. Typically, the other actor is behind the camera, reading the lines and being the support to make the other person feel like they're actually engaged with something relatively real. Because they're all one-ers, though, the choreography is quite difficult".[12]

Release

[edit]

Nickel Boys had its world premiere at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2024.[13] It was the opening film at the 62nd New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall on September 27, 2024.

The film was originally set to have a limited theatrical release in New York City on October 25, 2024 and Los Angeles on November 1, before streaming on Prime Video on an unspecified date.[14] However, the film's release was pushed further, with the film now premiered in New York City on December 13 and in Los Angeles on December 20; Amazon MGM Studios is additionally preparing prints on 35mm film for the updated release.[15] It is set to be released by Curzon Film in the United Kingdom on January 3, 2025.[16]

Reception

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 85% of 101 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.3/10. The website's consensus reads: "Director RaMell Ross' stylistically radical approach to adapting Colson Whitehead's searing novel will be jarring for some, but Nickel Boys' sense of immersion achieves the jaw-dropping effect of walking in another's shoes."[17] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 89 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[18]

Lovia Gyarkye of The Hollywood Reporter praised the film and cast performances. She highlighted the unique visual style, cinematography, and Ross's artistic portrayal of the novel's story.[2] Pete Hammond writing for Deadline Hollywood criticized the "overlong" runtime and Ross's use of first person POV-style shooting of one character talking to another that is not seen on camera and only heard. He wrote, "It is a dangling conversation approach that goes quickly from being intriguing to being annoying, pointing to artifice rather than serving the story", and added, "I hope it doesn't prevent some audiences from getting the larger point that we should be talking about".[19] Maureen Lee Lenker of Entertainment Weekly felt a disconnection with Elwood and Turner by the POV approach, explaining, "Both Wilson and Herisse give subtle, affecting performances but the first-person approach means they are often not on camera. Their performances are largely experiential, which makes it difficult to connect with their work on an emotional level".[20]

Carla Renata writing for TheWrap applauded Alex Somers and Scott Alario's music score, casting and performances. She expressed: "This may sound like another Black trauma porn motion picture sanctioned by Hollywood to exploit Black history for financial gain. Thankfully, through the lens of Ross, this narrative doesn't fall into that trap we have seen for decades. Ross [...] brings his unique cinematic sensibility, allowing audiences to experience this type of story from a sensory perspective".[21] IndieWire's David Ehrlich gave the film an "A" grade, emphasizing the film's visual style and storytelling technique.[11] David Canfield of Vanity Fair wrote the film's "avant-garde approach is cannily balanced by its moral urgency and aesthetic rigor. Like last year's The Zone of Interest, it all but reinvents the language for movies about a particular, dark historical chapter, and seems primed to spark conversations about both its content and its form".[12]

Sight & Sound put the film as their seventh pick on their list of the best 50 movies of 2024.[6]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Middleburg Film Festival October 20, 2024 Special Achievement in Filmmaking Award RaMell Ross Honored [22]
Chicago International Film Festival October 23, 2024 Vanguard Award Honored [23]
Denver International Film Festival November 10, 2024 Excellence in Directing Award Honored [24]
Stockholm International Film Festival November 15, 2024 Best Film Nickel Boys Won [25]
Camerimage November 23, 2024 Director's Debut Competitions Jomo Fray Nominated [26]
Gotham Awards December 2, 2024 Best Feature RaMell Ross, Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and David Levine Nominated [27]
Best Director RaMell Ross Won
Breakthrough Performer Brandon Wilson Won
New York Film Critics Circle Awards December 3, 2024 Best Director RaMell Ross Won [28]
Best Cinematography Jomo Fray Won
Winter IndieWire Honors December 5, 2024 Auteur Award RaMell Ross Won [29]
Astra Film Awards December 8, 2024 Best Adapted Screenplay RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes Nominated [30]
Best Supporting Actress Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Nominated
Astra Creative Arts Awards December 8, 2024 Best Cinematography Jomo Fray Nominated
Los Angeles Film Critics Association December 8, 2024 Cinematography Won [31]
Editing Nicholas Monsour Won[a]
Boston Society of Film Critics December 8, 2024 Best Adapted Screenplay RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes Won [32]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association December 8, 2024 Best Supporting Actress Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Nominated [33]
Best Adapted Screenplay RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes Nominated
Best Cinematography Jomo Fray Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association December 12, 2024 Best Film Nickel Boys Nominated [34]
Best Director RaMell Ross Won
Best Dapted Screenplay RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes Won
Best Cinematography Jomo Fray Won
Best Editing Nicolas Monsour Nominated
Milos Stehlik Award for Breakthrough Filmmaker RaMell Ross Won
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle December 15, 2024 Best Film Nickel Boys Nominated [35]
Best Director RaMell Ross Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes Nominated
Best Cinematography Jomo Fray Nominated
Toronto Film Critics Association December 15, 2024 Best Film Nickel Boys Won [36]
Best Director RaMell Ross Won
Best Adapted Screenplay RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes Won
St. Louis Film Critics Association December 15, 2024 Best Film Nickel Boys Nominated [37]
Best Director RaMell Ross Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Won
Best Adapted Screenplay RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes Nominated
Best Cinematography Jomo Fray Nominated
Best Editing Nicholas Monsour Won
Best First Feature RaMell Ross Won
New York Film Critics Online December 16, 2024 Best Director Nominated [38]
Best Cinematography Jomo Fray Nominated
Seattle Film Critics Society December 16, 2024 Best Cinematography Won [39]
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association December 18, 2024 Best Picture Nickel Boys 8th place [40]
Best Director RaMell Ross 5th place
Golden Globe Awards January 5, 2025 Best Motion Picture – Drama Nickel Boys Pending [41]
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards January 11, 2025 Best Supporting Actress Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Pending [42]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards January 12, 2025 Best Picture Nickel Boys Pending [43]
Best Director RaMell Ross Pending
Best Supporting Actress Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Pending
Best Adapted Screenplay RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes Pending
Best Cinematography Jomo Fray Pending
Satellite Awards January 26, 2025 Best Motion Picture – Drama Nickel Boys Pending [44]
Best Director RaMell Ross Pending
Best Adapted Screenplay RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes Pending
Best Cinematography Jomo Fray Pending
African-American Film Critics Association February 2, 2025 Gen Next Award Brandon Wilson and Ethan Herisse Honored [45]
Karen & Stanley Kramer Social Justice Award Nickel Boys Honored
February 19, 2025 Spotlight Award RaMell Ross Honored
Black Reel Awards February 10, 2025 Outstanding Film Nickel Boys Pending [46]
Outstanding Director RaMell Ross Pending
Outstanding Supporting Performance Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Pending
Brandon Wilson Pending
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance Pending
Ethan Herisse Pending
Outstanding Ensemble Victoria Thomas Pending
Outstanding Screenplay RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes Pending
Outstanding Breakthrough Screenwriter RaMell Ross Pending
Outstanding Emerging Director Pending
Outstanding Cinematography Jomo Fray Pending
Outstanding Production Design Nora Mendis, Elizabeth Herberg and Monique Champagne Pending
Outstanding Hairstyling & Makeup Iganica Soto-Aguilar and Shandrea Williams Pending
Artios Awards February 12, 2025 Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Feature Studio or Independent Film (Drama) Victoria Thomas; Jennifer Yoo, Meagan Lewis Pending [47]
Independent Spirit Awards February 22, 2025 Best Feature Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and David Levine Pending [48]
Best Cinematography Jomo Fray Pending
Alliance of Women Film Journalists TBA Best Film Nickel Boys Pending [49]
Best Actress in a Supporting Role Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Pending
Best Adapted Screenplay RaMell Ross, Joslyn Barnes and Colson Whitehead Pending
Best Cinematography Jomo Fray Pending

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Tied with Hansjörg Weißbrich for September 5

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Nickel Boys". New York Film Festival. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Gyarkye, Lovia (August 31, 2024). "Nickel Boys Review: RaMell Ross' Remarkable Colson Whitehead Adaptation Takes Risks That Pay Off". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  3. ^ "Nickel Boys (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. September 19, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  4. ^ "Nickel Boys (2024)". The Numbers. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  5. ^ Davis, Clayton (December 5, 2024). "AFI Awards: 'Anora,' 'Emilia Pérez' and 'Wicked' Among 10 Best Films, Top TV Shows Include 'The Penguin' and 'Shogun'". Variety.
  6. ^ a b The 50 best films of 2024|Sight & Sound
  7. ^ Grobar, Matt (October 27, 2022). "Aunjanue Ellis & Four Others Set For RaMell Ross' Colson Whitehead Adaptation The Nickel Boys For MGM's Orion; Plan B, Anonymous Producing". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 1, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  8. ^ Thompson, Anne (September 27, 2024). "How Nickel Boys Producers Forged a New Visual Aesthetic for RaMell Ross' Colson Whitehead Adaptation". IndieWire. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  9. ^ "Casting call announced for Nickel Boys; filming planned for LaPlace". L'Observateur. September 16, 2022. Archived from the original on January 1, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  10. ^ Campo, Colin (December 5, 2022). "Hollywood comes to Thibodaux: Filming underway for The Nickel Boys". The Daily Comet. Archived from the original on January 1, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Ehrlich, David (August 31, 2024). "Nickel Boys Review: RaMell Ross' Colson Whitehead Adaptation Is a Staggeringly Beautiful Story of Resilience". IndieWire. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Canfield, David (August 31, 2024). "The Making of Nickel Boys: How a Pulitzer-Winning Novel Became a Radical, Harrowing Film". Vanity Fair. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  13. ^ Davis, Clayton (August 29, 2024). "Telluride Festival Lineup Includes Nickel Boys, The Piano Lesson and Saturday Night With Tributes for Jacques Audiard and Saoirse Ronan". Variety. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  14. ^ Feinberg, Scott (August 31, 2024). "Telluride: Nickel Boys, Adapted from Colson Whitehead's Book, Will Challenge Oscar Voters". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  15. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 2, 2024). "Orion Pictures & Amazon MGM Studio's 'Nickel Boys' Now Opening Mid December". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  16. ^ "All Future Releases". Film Distributors' Association. Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  17. ^ "Nickel Boys". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 22, 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
  18. ^ "Nickel Boys". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
  19. ^ Hammond, Pete (August 31, 2024). "Nickel Boys Review: Film Version Of Colson Whitehead's Acclaimed Novel Is Flawed But Artistic Journey To Hell And Back — Telluride Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 31, 2024. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  20. ^ Lenker, Maureen Lee (September 1, 2024). "Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel gets a staggering, abstract adaptation in 'Nickel Boys'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  21. ^ Renata, Carla (August 31, 2024). "Nickel Boy Brings Searing Tale of Injustice to Telluride". TheWrap. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  22. ^ "AwardsWatch - 2024 Middleburg Film Festival Honorees Include RaMell Ross, Danielle Deadwyler; Ed Lachman to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award". AwardsWatch. September 26, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  23. ^ Roche, Barbara (September 24, 2024). "60th Chicago International Film Festival full lineup and schedule". Reel Chicago News. Retrieved September 26, 2024.</ref name=":2" "Nickel Boys". Chicago Film Festival. October 21, 2024. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  24. ^ "47th Denver Film Festival". denverfilmfestival.eventive.org. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  25. ^ The winners of Stockholm International Film Festival 2024|Stockholms filmfestival
  26. ^ "Directors' Debuts Competition 2024 Lineup!". Camerimage. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  27. ^ Goldsmith, Jill (October 29, 2024). "Gotham Awards Nominations: 'Anora' Leads Pack, 'Challengers' & 'Nickel Boys' Among Group Up For Best Feature". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  28. ^ Davis, Clayton (December 3, 2024). "New York Film Critics Circle 2024 Winners List: 'The Brutalist' Named Best Film". Variety.
  29. ^ Jones, Kate Erbland,Marcus (November 14, 2024). "Denis Villeneuve, Pamela Anderson, Steve McQueen, and More to Be Celebrated at IndieWire Honors". IndieWire. Retrieved November 15, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  30. ^ Pond, Steve (November 25, 2024). "'Wicked' Leads Nominations for Astra Film Awards". TheWrap. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  31. ^ Richlin, Harrison (December 8, 2024). "'Anora' Wins Best Picture from Los Angeles Film Critics Association — Winners List". IndieWire. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  32. ^ "BSFC Names 'Anora' Best Film of 2024". Boston Society of Film Critics. November 8, 2024. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  33. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 8, 2024). "The 2024 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  34. ^ "The 2024 Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  35. ^ "2024 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) Nominations". AwardsWatch. December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  36. ^ Vlessing, Etan (December 16, 2024). "'Nickel Boys' Named Best Picture of 2024 by Toronto Film Critics Association". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  37. ^ "The 2024 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  38. ^ "The 2024 New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO) Nominations". Next Best Picture. December 9, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  39. ^ Josh (December 6, 2024). "Seattle Film Critics Society announce 2024 nominees". The SunBreak. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  40. ^ "Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association – Official site of the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association". December 18, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  41. ^ Barnard, Matthew (December 9, 2024). "NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR 82nd ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBES®". Golden Globes. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  42. ^ Lewis, Hilary (November 20, 2024). "Movies for Grownups Awards: 'Conclave' Leads With 6 Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  43. ^ Evans, Greg (December 12, 2024). "'Conclave' And 'Wicked' Lead Critics Choice Awards Film Nominations – Full List". Deadline. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  44. ^ "2024 Nominees | International Press Academy". Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  45. ^ "AwardsWatch - African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) Honorees: 'Nickel Boys,' 'The Piano Lesson' Filmmakers and Casts and More". AwardsWatch. November 27, 2024. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  46. ^ "25th Annual Black Reel Awards Nominees". Black Reel Awards. December 19, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  47. ^ Rice, Lynette (December 17, 2024). "'Wicked' & 'Gladiator II' Among Film Nominees For 40th Annual Artios Awards; Casting Nods Also Go To 'Saturday Night' & 'Moana 2". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  48. ^ Lang, Brent; Moreau, Jordan (December 4, 2024). "Spirit Awards 2025 Nominations: 'Anora' and 'I Saw the TV Glow' Lead Film Categories, 'Shōgun' Rules TV". Variety. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  49. ^ "The 2024 EDA Award Nominees". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. December 13, 2024. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
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