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The Pitch: It’s 1932 in rural Mississippi, and twin brothers Stack and Smoke (Michael B. Jordan) have returned to their hometown with a whole bunch of liquor and money. Their goal: To set up a juke joint where the saints and sinners alike can eat, drink, and dance the night away. Unfortunately for Stack, Smoke, and the others who come together to make Club Juke happen, the extraordinary musical abilities of young guitar-playing Sammie (Miles Caton) have attracted some supernatural attention. Opening night of the club may end up having a vampire problem.
From Nosferatu to Today: Since he broke out with the acclaimed Fruitvale Station, Ryan Coogler’s movies have earned over $2.3 billion dollars at the global box office — but his fifth film, Sinners, marks the first time he’s written and directed an entirely original story (versus a something based on a pre-existing story, comic books, or a Best Picture winner). And boy, is it a lot of (sometimes terrifying) fun, as Coogler takes on classic vampire tropes and centers them in spirituality and traditions that span borders and centuries.
People have been making movies about vampires for almost as as long as people have been making movies, which is why it’s remarkable that Coogler has found a fresh angle on the tropes here. There’s a little bit of “the same but different” when it comes to the creature design (the eerie red eyes in particular make an impact), while keeping many of the classic rules (garlic, wooden stakes, they have to be invited in). What Coogler adds is a group consciousness, some incredible musical flair, and a commentary that yeah, vampires might suck (pun intended) but they’re maybe not the worst creatures wandering the earth.
Two Michael B. Jordans! Two! Michael B. Jordan (who has starred or cameo’ed in all of Coogler’s films to date) brings a lot of subtle details to the dual roles of Stack and Smoke, finding ways to differentiate the two men while still cementing their intense bond. It’s wonderfully nuanced work on his part, yet the real star of the film is 20-year-old Miles Caton, who makes his acting debut here, but has been performing music since he was a toddler, and toured with H.E.R. as a teenager. It’s experience that leaves him well-prepared to take on the role of Sammie, whose talents as a guitar player and singer
The rest of the fantastic ensemble includes Hailee Steinfeld making it damn clear that she’s no longer the little girl from True Grit, the always luminous Wunmi Mosaku as the one person who might keep everyone from getting killed, and Babylon‘s Li Jun Li as a spitfire of a shopkeeper. Delroy Lindo is also a delight as another musician whose alcoholism doesn’t keep him from killing it on multiple instruments. More Delroy Lindo in things, please. (This is an evergreen note.)
Sinners (Warner Bros.)
Biting Into the Behind-the-Scenes: On the technical side of things, longtime Coogler collaborator Ludwig Göransson (a Oscar winner and Consequence Composer of the Year for his work on Oppenheimer) really steps up to create a sonic landscape that feels authentic to the 1930s Deep South… except for the parts that aren’t meant to be. Blues, gospel, and Irish folk music all come together as cultures clash, with Caton playing multiple tracks with remarkable zest.
There’s also some extraordinary editing throughout, as Michael P. Shawver delivers both sharp flashes of mayhem and moments of grace that keep both the terror and the character arcs at the front of the audience’s mind. A good portion of the movie is dedicated to Stack and Smoke’s efforts to set up the hottest music venue in town, assembling a team like they’re planning a heist, and while it feels like a fair bit of set-up, it’s all essential to delivering the story’s emotional stakes.
The Verdict: With Sinners, Coogler confirms that he has a real talent for exploring and reinventing genres, while still telling a story that feels wholly original. There are a few points where characters make dumb decisions — much like real-life humans do — but execution-wise, the movie is quite the roller coaster, a ride worth taking.
Where to Watch: Sinners stalks into theaters on Friday, April 18th.
Trailer:
English (US) · 