Just after the Civil War, a mother grapples with her tortured slave past and the emotional effects of her behavior stemming from it. That is just about all that will be revealed here about the plot of Beloved.
The reason is that the story of Beloved, as directed by Academy Award winner Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia) from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Toni Morrison (Song of Solomon, Paradise) unwinds remarkably hesitantly. Where in most movies, the setting and characters are traditionally set within the first quarter of the film, the narrative parameters of Beloved do not become accessible until the last quarter of the film, making any further discussion of the story detrimental to the enjoyment of the film.
And it is a film to be enjoyed. Not only for the lyrical folds of the story but for the remarkable lens through which the audience sees it. Without having not read the novel, the author cannot comment on how closely the film mirrors the book. However, the film succeeds here in ways one does not typically find in films based on books. Ordinarily, films made from such tawdry comic books written by John Grisham or Tom Clancy tend to be plot-oriented, with scant attention to character. Films based on such books tend, at best, to be neat and tidy, but with little lingering effects. In the case of Beloved, the structure of Morrison’s story takes a marked departure from this trend, in that character is a primary element, with the plot accompanying only as needed. Demme takes this rich source and brings to bear the full weight of his considerable talent to make the film sensuously alive.
Demme’s characteristic use of full-frame direct close-ups is used to remarkable effect. Although violating the classic film rule of “never look into the camera” has a tendency to confuse the narrative of a story, the wrenchingly emotional and psychological themes of Morrison’s story are the ideal foil for such jarring shots. Demme’s traditional use of back-lighting is also present, bringing a magical softness to an otherwise harsh environment. The film is generally well-photographed, including flash-backs filmed through an antique sepia filter, and intercut shots of insects and flora.
However, the jewel in Demme’s crown is his ability to draw unforgettable performances out of his actors. His last two feature films have earned Oscars for Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, and Tom Hanks, and that trend may very well hold true for a certain actor by the name of Oprah Winfrey ['one should not predict Oscars' -- fortune cookie -- ed.]. Although her performance in The Color Purple was utterly magnetic and earned her an Academy Award nomination, Winfrey has taken extremely few film roles in the interim. She is, of course, better known for her highly successful daytime talk show, and the general media presence her success and stature afford. Winfrey’s book club can make a new author a bestseller, and now her clout has made a bestseller into a gorgeous film. As a producer of the film, Winfrey was instrumental in bringing the story of Beloved to the screen. Her love for the surprisingly inaccessible character of Sethe is clearly evident in her on-screen portrayal. Winfrey makes almost no attempt to simplify the decidedly complex psyche of Sethe by playing her as a strong black woman, as a broken black woman, or even as a black woman at all. Winfrey simply is Sethe in this film. Race and slavery, although key aspects of the texture of the environment, are merely apparitions when compared to the main conflicts of Beloved. Winfrey clearly understands this and plays the role in a direct manner.
Winfrey is well-supported by her former costar Danny Glover (The Color Purple, Witness), who regularly delivers a talented performance when he’s not cashing Lethal Weapon checks. Thandie Newton (Interview with the Vampire, Mission: Impossible 2) puts in a seductively visceral turn as the title character of Beloved, bringing a gurgling, otherworldly quality to the role. Against all these dramatic performances then comes that of Kimberly Elise (Set It Off), in the role of Denver. Her Denver is a seething, potent creature, whose tenacity and intelligence peer through a masterful gaze of fury and compassion. She deserves not to be overlooked.
Having said all this, one of the strengths of Beloved is at times its major drawback. The air of uncertainty that weighs over the first three-quarters of the film adds narrative strength, but at the same time forbids emotional access to the characters. The dramatic momentum of this story is thus not evenly maintained across the three-hour length of the film. Winfrey’s dogged adherence to an ambiguous Sethe makes the character emotionally confusing to the audience. Although the story is unusually brilliant, the direction uncommonly lyrical, and the performances lasting, the film is, at times, too slow. Nonetheless, the film is sufficiently mystical and transporting to enjoy on its own terms.