popcorninhell The sad, shameful story of Loving comes undiluted from an American past we consistently fail to acknowledge. In 1958 Richard Loving (Edgerton), a white resident of Caroline County, Virginia wedded his young love Mildred Jeter (Negga) a colored woman. Subsequently, the couple was arrested for violating Virginia's miscegenation law, and given the choice to either leaving the state or serving a year in jail. "Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents," the judge wrote. "The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix."Unsurprisingly, Loving stands against the above sentiment with uncommon poise and magnanimity. By virtue of existing and existing at a time when racial relations in America seem to be headed backwards, Loving can be considered a valiant parable. Upon further research one can also appreciate the film's historical accuracy; Mildred Loving did in- fact mail Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and the Loving case itself was not a purposeful cause by activists, but rather a couple who naively thought the state would turn a blind eye to their love.Yet somewhere in between Loving's pre-production and post-production all semblance of enthusiasm, charisma, and charm was lost. Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga, otherwise accomplished actors, stumble through scene to scene pigeon-toed; understating everything from cautious late-night drives to the struggle of maintaining an engine block. Of course the gamble to understate everything could have worked, if we were given room to breathe. But sadly the editing is too coarse to allow our able cast to carry the scene through. It's as if director Jeff Nichols didn't have faith that audience members would have patience so he tried to have it both ways – deliberate pace; snappy editing.What's left in the scattershot is just gravitas – a film so confident in its message that it doesn't feel the need to back up its careful, albeit beautiful compositions with any real drama. Loving's complete lack of urgency follows the film like a cipher, disabling it from becoming anything more than a slow-paced drudge. Perhaps I'm more speaking to the politics of the day but the contents of this film deserves a bullhorn not a whisper.

sunchick116-872-583383 If anyone's ever curious why films based on real life events have to be dramatized, this film right here is why. It was a sweet film, with quiet understated performances, but not a compelling film to watch. The performances certainly didn't stand out from either Egerton or Negga. Her Oscar nod baffles me, besides the fact that she was in a politically correct film. I can't even think of a ten line movie review, this film was so underwhelming. Of course your heart goes out to the loving's and what they had to go through, but there had to have been a more compelling way to tell the story. It was very hard to keep my attention. My advice is read up on the case and skip the movie. You'll lose less of your life that way.

SnoopyStyle Richard Loving (Joel Edgerton) is a white man with many black friends and black girlfriend Mildred Jeter (Ruth Negga) in 1958 rural Virginia. She gets pregnant and he marries her in D.C. They are arrested for the marriage and accept a plead for suspended 25 year sentence. In exchange, they have to leave the state or cannot stay together. They move and raise their family in D.C. Five years later, Bernie Cohen (Nick Kroll) from the ACLU answer Mildred's letter for legal help.This is quieter than most social fight movies. It boils down to the Loving family. They are gentle people of the earth. They don't usually raise a fuss. Edgerton embodies the quiet Richard and Ruth Negga is brilliant. They really capture this loving couple. Director Jeff Nichols steers into the quietness by downplaying the court case. Even the general social upheaval is limited to the TV screen. It is really these sweet, unassuming people and the oppressive atmosphere of their situation. All the acting is great. The threat of danger is held back for the most part. They give Richard more paranoia but it's not dramatic in that way. It is a monument to the truth of love.

dcjulie The movie was painfully slow, the acting was bad, had lots of silent scenes, and when they decided to speak, the emotions were strange. Like the scene when Mildred was on the phone with Bernie Cohen, or the first time Bernie Cohen brought up the Supreme Court to Richard and Mildred. I liked the story line; I finished the movie because I wanted to know how it ended. The scenery was pretty. I can't say I'd recommend watching it though.