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Nickel Boys

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02:25

Nickel Boys

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• Drama

• 2023
• RaMell Ross
• 139 mins
• 12A

Summary

Period drama starring Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson. In early-60s Florida, a misunderstanding lands young Elwood Curtis in a reform school run by cruel white administrators. Elwood makes a friend in fellow inmate Turner, and the two try their best to navigate the dangers of an institution from which boys mysteriously "disappear" with an unsettling frequency.

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Review

A star rating of 5 out of 5.

Patrick Cremona

This audacious adaptation of Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer prize-winning novel is an original work of heart-wrenching power. Director RaMell Ross (Hale County This Morning, This Evening) adopts a point-of-view visual approach to tell the story of Elwood Curtis (Ethan Herisse), an African-American teenager who is wrongly implicated in a car theft and sent to a racially segregated reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. There, he strikes up a bond with the quietly rebellious Turner (Brandon Wilson) and tries desperately to search for hope and salvation against a backdrop of unbearable brutality. The unique shooting style takes some adjusting to, but quickly draws the viewer under its spell, creating a tactile and profoundly immersive experience punctuated by some deeply harrowing scenes. Ross also adds several impressionistic flourishes and makes innovative use of archival footage and well-placed flash-forwards, leading to an astounding montage in the closing scenes. Both leads are fantastic, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is remarkable in a supporting role as Elwood's grandmother, shining in some of the film's most raw and affecting moments.

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6.9/10

How to watch

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Streaming

• BBC iPlayer
• Prime Video

Credits

Cast

rolenameElwoodEthan HerisseTurnerBrandon WilsonYoung ElwoodEthan Cole SharpAdult ElwoodDaveed DiggsHattieAunjanue EllisSpencerHamish LinklaterHarperFred HechingerMr HillJimmie Fails

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Crew

rolenameDirectorRaMell Ross

Details

Theatrical distributor

Curzon

Released on

2025-01-03

Languages

English

Guidance

Violence, swearing, racist language

Formats

Colour

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  How to watch Nickel Boys – is it streaming?
  
  RaMell Ross's superb drama has landed a Best Picture nod at the Oscars.

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  Oscars 2025: The case for Nickel Boys to win Best Picture
  
  This adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is a heart-wrenching and formally daring film that has been overlooked in awards season.

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