Ava DuVernay undertakes a substantial task. How can a major philosophical work be translated into a feature for a broad audience that’s more compact? Most filmmakers would opt for a documentary approach when tackling a book like Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste: The Lies That Divide Us. DuVernay, known for her excellent real-life drama Selma and the hard-hitting documentary 13th (and the ill-fated Wrinkle in Time), has instead chosen an intriguing mix that follows Wilkerson while she grapples with personal loss and unravels the key concepts that shape Caste.
This endeavour is not completely successful. The metaphor of her protagonist’s deteriorating house representing the United States – whether it’s derived from the book or not – pushes the descriptive term “clunky” to its limits. At times, it feels like a mate at a cocktail party is cornering you to talk about an incredible book they devoured during their summer break. They insist, “You’ve got to read it!” However, thanks to a compelling performance by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Origin offers an emotional punch and intellectual substance. Even those who question Wilkerson’s rationale will admire the thoroughness of her propositions.
Ava DuVernay, the Origin director reveals: “There’s pain, there’s fear, there’s injustice.”
When the inkling of Caste’s creation (first printed in the US as Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents) was budding in her mind, Wilkerson was dealing with the immense losses of her middle-aged husband (played by Jon Bernthal) and elderly mother (played by Emily Yancy). She reflects on the recent unjust shooting of a young black teenager Trayvon Martin – his story starts off the film – and becomes engrossed with the idea that conversations about race in the US could benefit by considering links to broader global divides. She travels to India to discuss the plight of the Dalit (commonly referred to as “untouchables”) community and how Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar – subtly paralleled with Martin Luther King – advocated for them post-independence. She heads to Germany to learn about the US’s dark influence on the Nazis’ persecution of Jews, by drawing inspiration from the America’s treatment of its own African-American citizens. The film highlights the work of scholars Allison and Elizabeth Davis and their research on racism in the deep south of America.
Ellis-Taylor, acclaimed for her Oscar-nominated role as the Williams family matriarch in King Richard, is a profoundly empathetic actress with a knack for directly connecting with the audience, seemingly bypassing her fellow actor. However, several aspects of her role could be considered thankless. Often, she is required to convey the narrative arguments, in a style that is more formal than casual conversation. Additionally, even though the theories illustrated are fundamentally workable, they’re not perceived as groundbreaking. The idea that discrimination is embedded within a network of suppressions – including class, religion, and geographical region – will only ruffle the most rigid idealists (although a few have made their presence known). Luckily, the actress manages to abstain from being overly didactic. Even if we find ourselves in a lecture, the teacher is undeniably captivating.
Nonetheless, her efforts could not salvage the scene where she’s confronted by a menacing plumber (Nick Offerman), wearing a Maga cap, who is ushered in when the domestic metaphor bursts a pipe. They come to an understanding through shared experiences of loss in a manner that – even mentioned in the original – feels jarringly explicit for a mature film.
Despite its shortcomings, Origin delivers a potent blend of educative exposition and a narrative of healing. The narrative conveys an encouraging message about the healing properties of work. The film creates an atmosphere where you can perceive her peers eager for Wilkerson to pause for a moment, but her research on Caste doubtlessly aids her progression – advancing not in spite of grief, but alongside it. Such peculiar, aspirational efforts trump indifferent half-measures any day.
Origin premieres in cinemas on Friday, March 8th.