A young (black) man walks around the streets one evening while chatting playfully with a young girl on the phone. While walking, he stops at a local corner store and continues his conversation. But when a car drives past him, he begins to suspect that the mysterious driver may be following him. Viewers are then introduced to Isabel and her partner, Brett (Jon Bernthal). Isabel is a well-known book writer, former reporter, and Pulitzer Prize winner. While she has been a public speaker at various times, she admits she’s a far greater reporter and writer than a public speaker.
After one of her recent public talks, Isabel is bumped by a familiar face, Amari (Blair Underwood). Amari feels that seeing her unexpectedly must be a sign, and he seeks help from her as a reporter. He mentions an ongoing case regarding the death of a young black man, a case of which Isabel is aware. Amari invites her to delve into the case, giving her the police recording of the 911 phone call made by the young man’s killer. Isabel has hopes to settle down in life, no longer work on assignments, and write another book, but one evening she can’t sleep, and she decides to take a look at the case. She reads about the tragic murder that took place and becomes curious. While investigating the case, Isabel suffers personal tragedy, and as she begins to recover, she is determined to get back on track with her life and work. New ideas and thoughts start to come to her, and she sets out on a new kind of investigation relating to caste. Now, Isabel will go back in time, raise questions with new faces and even travel around the world to seek truth for her book.
Origin is a dramatic film directed by Ava DuVernay, who is also one of the film’s writers. DuVernay’s past work includes Selma (2014) and 13th (2016). For those unaware, Origin is also an adaptation inspired by the well-known book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. Throughout the film, various themes are explored, including history, racism, justice, family, love, loss, and power.
As I was unfamiliar with the famous novel this film is based on, the opening scenes had me believing this was going to be a murder mystery, with Isabel investigating who was behind the crime. However, after the first few scenes of the first act, the film goes in an unexpected direction, filled with heartbreaking details. It’s evident that Isabel is someone who is well-informed about history and politics, and at times it felt like a documentary as she makes huge discoveries in history and conducts multiple interviews. The character of Isabel is likeable, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is highly believable as a reporter and writer, bringing compelling drama and emotion. Throughout the film’s runtime, we are also greeted with flashbacks, including some from Isabel’s personal life, telling us how she met the love of her life. Various key moments in history are also connected to her journey and newfound investigation through flashbacks. Some of these flashback sequences may seem complex or heavy to process, especially if you’re not into history.
Audio-wise, the soundtrack by Kris Bower is potent and dynamic, particularly in the dramatic or romantic scenes. The pacing is slow, and the plot is filled with various subplots, such as Isabel attempting to sell her family home and sharing conversations with friends and family. While the first act engaged me and piqued my interest, once I realised where the story was heading, I didn’t feel the opening needed to be drawn out. The odd trim here and there to details in the first act could have worked in the film’s favour.
Overall, if you love all things drama and history, take notice of Origin. The film takes viewers on an unexpected journey of one woman’s significant investigation and subsequent revelations. The performances by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Jon Bernthal are lovely and dynamic, and the touching score enhances the drama, making it gripping on the big screen. The pace is slow, and I can’t help but think the runtime didn’t need to be as long as it was, but this is still a great story and most fascinating to see.
7.8/10
3rd April 2024
Written by Peter Walkden
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