By Wendy Simmons

Landmark Century Theater on Chicago’s vibrant north side was filled with people this week eager to see the new film Night Catches Us, starring two phenomenal actors…Kerry Washington of the critically acclaimed film Ray and Anthony Mackie ( The Hurt Locker).
 
If the audience was like me, they were clueless as to what was in store.  I had no prior knowledge of the film and wanted to enter the theater with a blind eye of sorts. I was hoping to be entertained by the next great love story, but I was taken into an entirely different direction.
 
At first glimpse Night Catches Usis a recollection of the struggles that African Americans endured during the 70s that caused great anguish and rage; just out of the Civil Rights movement and the Black Panther revolution and at the cusp of the blaxploitation and crack eras arising.
 
Set in the heart of Philadelphia in 1976 we witness what happened to the fist raising, fight the power screaming, strong men and women that wore their Black Panther buttons with pride but were forced to tear away from that identity; some because of death, others because of controversy. Now lies the time where older men are trying move away from revolutionary tactics, and young men are ready to take on a war that they are not equipped to handle. But that’s not the entire purpose of the film, just the initial introduction to a story that encompasses more than the audience may expect.

Kerry Washington is Patty, a widowed mother that finds it hard to discuss the facts of her husband’s death, therefore leaving her daughter in the dark on how his beliefs ultimately lead to his downfall.

Patty and Mackie’s character Marcus hold a secret between them that help to nourish their hidden desire for one another but also causes them to conflict on the changing times. It’s is no longer the days of screaming fight the power, but Patty’s loyalty to uplifting the community shadows her desire to hold love dear.When Marcus returns and unknowingly reclaims her heart, they have to decide where their future could possibly lead.

The interaction between Patty and Marcus was a wonderful sight to witness because their long time friendship appeared easy and nostalgic.  However, getting to the point of their relationship was draining.
 
Night Catches Us is a wonderful concept…what happened to the revolution after the door was kicked in and is love still an option for the bleeding heart? But this is also a film about the injustices in black neighborhoods and the frustration it caused in young men.
 
The film took a little long to develop and left me eager to know what had happened in the characters pasts and what was to happen in the present. Are we going to witness love, murder, police brutality or abandonment?
 
I was captivated by the genuine look of the film and was on edge about what the movie was really about; but I expected more simply because of the caliber of actors. Washington, Mackie and Jamie Hector (The Wire) gave superb performances but the story slightly failed them.
 
The film is slow but the performances alone will keep you glued to your seats. I recommend curling up on the couch and enjoying nostalgia in a wonderful form or possibly taking in a matinee before lunch. You’ll definitely have lots to discuss after the credits roll.
 
I give it $$ ½