The Photograph

It's a beguiling combination at first, but the surrounding story is too clunky, the revelations too telegraphed.

Simply put, Michael and Mae don't get enough time to just be, though a sequel could fix that.

Lakeith Stanfield and Issa Rae do wonderful work as people with an instant connection.

The American black experience has been the definition of pain; however, we do experience joy, fun, and love like every other race. We also experience success, and that is silently the most powerful element of The Photograph.

It is so good. It is so lovely, and beautifully acted, [and] gorgeously shot.

It's a little too soft and soupy.

The Photograph makes you want to stick around to see what happens next. This is the nature of romantic dramas - they're the fantasy versions of meat-life relationships.

It's a level of insight and emotion the film should have brought to all of its characters. But The Photograph remains (sorry) underdeveloped.

Finding out is contrived and over-indulged but good-looking, easy to watch and helped by a cool jazz soundtrack.

It's not bad but unfortunately neither is it very involving.