“Rooted in the social and the sensual, Steve McQueen’s Lovers Rock got right to the heart of global unease with open arms and womblike bass, a liberating simmer for the pressure cooker of the newest Plague Year.
“The joy of human contact. The experience of a dance party where all the drama is in the streets outside, and in the yard, and in the socioeconomic structures looming above and behind everything. Where the scent of freshly-made curry mixes with Proustian dub and the smiles and sweat of your friends, loved ones, and strangers you’ve just met.
“Its premiere as the opening night film for the 2020 New York Film Festival was a perfect distillation of a moment: protests filled streets the world over, death rates were soaring, and the idea of joyful Black people gathering together was a subversive and inspirational one for everyone. Lovers Rock was a sensual riot of so many of the human experiences put on hold during the pandemic, understanding the liberation of simple and temporary pleasures. Because there’s always some external stress bearing down, elevating the stakes for every moment of happiness; menace always has a way of kicking at whichever leg you’re leaning on.
“The bass soothes, the walls sweat, and like the ostracized telepaths in Scanners, we find a moment of transcendent peace in the middle of the siege the outside world holds. It’s a perfect illustration of the specific becoming the universal to the open-minded viewer, and it captures perfectly the sorely missed magic of the communal gathering. ‘Silly Games’ and ‘Kunta Kinte Dub’ will find their way into your emotional playlists, with both songs attaining the kind of majestic sweep of liturgy, of ritual. Of all the films to emerge during the Covid era, none demands a post-vaccine theatrical screening like this one.”
Jason Shawhan has been writing about film since 1989, and professionally since 2000. Writer, painter, DJ, programmer, and media prophet, you can encourage his behavior at www.jasonshawhan.com and at The Nashville Scene, The AV Club, and on several podcasts.
No comments:
Post a Comment