On Nov. 4, Loving, a monumental love story, will hit theaters. But more importantly, this love story is a historical look at a case that changed the rights that those in love have forever. It’s not only a story that makes for a cinematic experience, it’s a story that showcases the lengths that people will go to for true love, and how one couple’s strength and determination opened the doors for so many after them.
In 1958, a Virginia couple was arrested for getting married. More than 50 years ago, Richard and Mildred Loving had police officers burst into their home and their bedroom, demanding to know why they were together. After this incredibly invasive experience, the couple was taken to jail and threatened to the point of being forced to leave the state for a quarter-century — all because Mildred was a black woman.
Loving shows the struggles this couple endured all in the name of love, and it does so in a humanizing, relatable way.
The film stars Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton as Mildred and Richard Loving. And although the figures they play are no longer with us, judgment and disapproval of interracial marriage is still around. Even if it’s no longer illegal, there exists obvious racism in this world, and Loving is the latest film to explore it and help us to reflect.
And what’s so powerful about Loving is its focus. It's a love story at its core, something that everyone can feel and relate to, no matter their background. And although it teaches history and covers a court case, it never feels forced or anything other than genuine.
Writer-director Jeff Nichols is behind the film that’s sure to be talked about by critics and casual viewers alike. Nichols hails from Arkansas and manages to tell the story of this hate-filled law, a remnant of slavery, in a way that helps viewers to understand how Richard and Mildred might have been feeling at the time.
They are layered characters. We see how they came to be, how they came to be together and why their love was strong enough to endure the hate and lack of understanding.
Overall, Loving stands apart from the rest. For a history lesson and a love story all wrapped up in one humble package, see it when it hits theaters this weekend. Until then, check out the trailer below.
This post is in partnership with Focus Features.
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