http://www.kiwithebeauty.com

Let’s give it up to Teyana Taylor in her first leading movie role in AV Rockwell’s A Thousand and One. A Thousand and One is a dual story of a broken heart letter to New York City and the gentrification of Harlem, and a candid love story between mother and son.

TRAILER

A THOUSAND AND ONE follows unapologetic and free-spirited Inez (Teyana Taylor), who kidnaps her six-year-old son Terry from the foster care system. Holding onto their secret and each other, mother and son set out to reclaim their sense of home, identity, and stability, in a rapidly changing New York City.

Writer/Director: A.V. Rockwell

Cast: Teyana Taylor, Will Catlett, Josiah Cross, Aven Courtney, Aaron Kingsley Adetola

REVIEW

The theme of A Thousand and One to me I got was “heartbreak”. A thousand and one heartbreaks I gathered as I have seen across this movie. Heartbreak for the city of Harlem and heartbreak for family. The heartbreak for Harlem is definitely the theme of how gentrification has taken over in a span over fifteen years, not just in the movie but in real time.

Starting from 1994, we get Teyana Taylor’s character Inez as a young woman with a criminal past. As much has here past should be defining her in the film, she actually pivots as chances her life as she makes a decision to be a mother to her son Terry. Terry starts off in the film as a six year old child who has been bouncing in the foster care system. He is distressingly sad in his childhood and even leading into his teens.

I want to say before I go further, I have to congratulate Teyana Taylor on her stunning performance. The raw emotion and channelling she did with her role as Inez was phenomenal. Teyana has acted before, but you can tell she brought new emotions to strengthen her skills. I did interview with her and she explained where she channeled her feelings for the role.

Teyana is also a native to Harlem so doing this role is going to do justice to her city. The contrast between the energy of the 90s that gracefully merges into the early 2000s was amazing to watch. Sometimes films try to hard to replicate an era, but this film didn’t overdo the colors or the style. It felt like you would see the people and the area in its authentic state for that decade. No forced nostalgic cinema here.

There is a serious plot twist that I will not spoil. The plot twist was so unexpected and this is what gives this film such stellar reviews. The alternate ending no one expected will make your jaw drop but also make you emotional. Bring your tissues. Seriously.

Overall A Thousand and One is a movie to rave about. See it once and get the message. See it multiple times and experience the layers of the film and message.

INTERVIEW

Check out the interview I did with Teyana Taylor. The questions was asked, “What was your biggest heartbreak”?

Her answer is below:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kiwi 🥝 Your Manifesting Bestie (@kiwithebeauty)

For more information, please follow the film on social:

Official Site | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

#AThousandAndOne

A Thousand and One is in Theaters Nationwide on March 31