I have been waiting so long for this movie to come onto streaming, and it’s finally on Netflix! Since falling completely in love with Nicole Beharie’s performance as Abbie Mills on Sleepy Hollow, I’ve wanted to see more of her, but while I’ve seen her in a few other roles, I haven’t found anything really substantial. So when I heard about this movie, I was immediately interested!
As a teenager, Turquoise Jones won the local Miss Juneteenth pageant. She’d thought it was going to be the start of big things in her life, but years later, she’s working in a bar, taking on side gigs to make ends meet, and chafes a little at the Miss Juneteenth reminders. But it’s the first year her daughter Kai is old enough for the pageant, and Turquoise is determined to help Kai win the opportunities she’d wanted for herself at that age, even though Kai wants nothing to do with it.
This is a beautifully done indie film. The story takes its time, but it never feels aimless, and its modest cast of characters is drawn effectively and well. I like that Turquoise and Kai’s relationship is so difficult, but in a way that really feels genuine. After her own struggles and disappointments in life, Turquoise is fixated on giving her daughter better opportunities, so much so that she’s not listening to what Kai actually wants. She works extra shifts and still chooses pageant fees over the electric bill. To her, the pageant is hard work that will pay off with a scholarship—which Kai will actually get to use, where Turquoise couldn’t—and so, with the best of intentions, she tries to fit Kai into a box that clearly makes her uncomfortable.
Turquoise is doing the most, and it’s misguided, but it’s still out of love. In turn, Kai can be sulky and uncooperative, and she argues with her mom and gets embarrassed by how much Turquoise gets in her business. But despite the clashes between them, Kai very obviously loves her mom too, and I appreciate that the film doesn’t just show us conflict that won’t resolve until the very end. Their relationship ebbs and flows—disappointments and squabbles drift into fun moments and sweetness. There are times when one recognizes they need to give the other grace, and even though they spend a lot of the movie in opposition to one another’s goals, both are ultimately trying to do their best.
It's a very human story, fleshed out by small details at every turn. You get a feel for who each character is and understand where they’re coming from. I just love watching how it culminates in the final act.
Nicole Beharie gives a splendid, utterly natural performance as Turquoise. She really embodies this character—a fighter who’s spent much of her life getting pushed down by her experiences, a mom who’s just trying to hold it all together, and a former beauty queen who’s haunted by her “wasted potential.” Alexis Chikaeze, who plays Kai, is just terrific. She keeps up with Beharie in their scenes together, and she imbues the character with a lot of honesty. The film also features Kendrick Sampson, who I remember as Nathan on Insecure.
Warnings
Sexual content, language, brief violence, drinking/smoking, and thematic elements.
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