The Scope: All Day and Night
Show Discipline Black Films
Hey my fellow Scopians, Happy Late Valentines Day, and welcome back to The Scope’s monthly movie review. This month, I will be reviewing the Netflix drama film, “All Day and Night”, written and Directed by Joe Robert Cole (Fun fact: Mr. Cole also co-wrote Black Panther). When I came across this film, I was a bit hesitant because I haven’t heard anything about it-didn’t even know it existed. Then I remembered what The Scope is all about. It’s to shed light on black indie films, and I refused to pass up this opportunity.
All Day and Night follows a story about a young man named Jahkor Lincoln (played by the brilliant Ashton Sanders) and his very rough upbringing leading up to the moment he commits a homicide killing a black father and mother in front of their child. The beginning of the film starts off at the moment he commits such an act. And, it leaves the viewers with a lot of questions. The main question being: WHY!?
Therefore, it takes us back to pre homicide and his childhood. There are a lot of flashbacks within this film. We go back and forth between the older Jahkor before he commits the crime, and the young Jahkor (Played by Jalyn Emil Hall), and his upbringing in Oakland, California. Jahkor spent a lot of time with his best friend TQ (Isiah K. John) who has a similar upbringing. He was raised mostly by his mother Delonda (Kelly Jenrette) and somewhat raised by his abusive, drug feening father “JD” (Jeffery Wright). It was implied that his mother did the best she could to raise her son, but honestly, she didn’t seem to have much of an impact or influence over him. It was his father that he looked up to. Despite the physical, emotional and mental abuse he received from his dad, Jahkor loved him very much, he cared very much for him, and he always listened to his terrible advice. Within this film, we watch a young innocent kind hearted Jahkor turn into an emotionless, temperamental, drug dealer a lot like his father.
As he gets older, it’s obvious he doesn’t really want to be anything like his father. He is passionate about music and tries to strive to create a life where he would be able to provide for his girlfriend (Shakira Ja’nai Paye) and his future child, but due to his circumstances and his issues, we see how that was almost impossible for him. It seemed as if the world was against him, whether it was the people he surrounded himself with, the government, gang rivalry, etc... he really couldn’t catch a break. It was sad to see. All Day and Night is not a true story, but the events are the reality for a lot of African American’s living in the hood.
I really enjoyed the cinematography in the film, and its use of blue light against dark skin. Beyonce said blue light and dark skin was a no-no, but I beg to differ. It was shot beautifully, and the vibe reminded me a lot of the 90s, and those films alike. All Day and Night really gave you a lot to think about when it came to the family dynamic growing up in the hood. Jahkor wanted to break the cycle of not being able to be there for his family, but ends up right next to his dad in prison. There’s a flashback scene to when Jahkor was born, and his father was so proud. He wanted to be the best father he could be for Jahkor, and promised him a good life. He saw a bright future for him. However, unfortunately, JD ends up in prison before Jahkor becomes a teen, then Jahkor ends up in prison before his son is born, thus continuing the cycle. It’s implied at the end, that Jahkor would do his very best to raise his son while in prison. However, the chances of his son breaking that cycle is just as slim- if not slimmer. It was a sad feeling. I think I was supposed to feel hopeful at the end, but then I was to remember the reality of it all. I actually ended up feeling a bit sorry for us (black people).
Movies like this make me feel like we as a people can never catch a break, we have all seen this narrative so many times, but I just want us to remember it’s not our only narrative. Yes, it’s the reality for a lot of us, and stories like these deserve to be told. But, it’s important to remember we have a lot of different realities. Growing up in the hood, and having a crappy upbringing isn’t our only story, and I’m ready to see all narratives. Not just this one. This is why black suburban kids feel the need to gang bang while living in half a million-dollar homes, because they don’t see themselves shed in any other light. We need some versatility. We don’t have enough. The film is still a good watch though and deserves to be supported, the acting was also very well done. I give the film 6/10.
