Directed by: Stephen Williams
Screenplay by: Stefani Robinson
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., Samara Weaving, Lucy Boynton, and Ronke Adekoluejo
A thrilling retelling of Joseph Bologne; beautiful, bold, and beyond moving
The Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Joseph Bologne (Kevin Harrison Jr.), faced many challenges on his path to becoming a well-known composer in 18th-century French society. Audiences can expect to be entirely captivated by ‘Chevalier.’ This film, based on the untold true story of Joseph Bologne, depicts his journey to becoming the “true son of France” as both master of the sword and maestro of the bow.
While still based on Bologne’s life, the jam-packed scenes full of emotion are more intriguing in their exaggerated nature than any classic documentary-style film could offer. The musical passion can be heard from theaters away, and the expressions on the actors’ and actresses’ faces show how deeply in tune they are with the music piece.
The music in and of itself is both fast-paced to keep the audience engaged with every swell and symbolic of the various points in Joseph’s life; the added dissonance to the music during times of hardship especially helps the audience connect to the music, no matter their background level in classical music.
As viewers are led through Joseph’s life, we are easily distraught by the challenges he faced since childhood. Born a slave to a French plantation owner and African enslaved mother, Nanon (Ronke Adekoluejo), the audience picks up key moments of Joseph’s childhood through well-timed flashbacks. The 18th-century cruelties of slavery and racism impact Joseph throughout the film. Yet, despite the challenges, Joseph was titled Chevalier by Queen Marie-Antoinette (Lucy Boynton).
From there, the plotline of ‘Chevalier’ is established quickly, with Joseph’s goals moving each scene forward in a spectacular whirlwind of drama, romance, and ambition. Director Stephen Williams combined visual and audio effects to keep the audience engaged and emotionally invested throughout the hour and 47-minute film.
The scene coordination, from challenging Mozart to Joseph reuniting with his freed mother, draws audiences in, especially with the addition of drama and arrogance in nearly every scene. When given flashbacks of Nanon, Joseph’s mother, attempting to escape every day to find her son, the audience is tearful but lacks a true understanding of a mother losing her child. The gaps between the scenes with Nanon further draw the audience's attention away from the notions of slavery, escape, and grief.
Audiences are drawn in next by Joseph’s motivation to compose the best opera. In the process, setting his eyes Marie-Josephine (Samara Weaving) as his singer, but Marie-Josephine is the wife of the oppressive Marquis De Montalembert (Marton Csokas).
Risking their lives for a forbidden romance, viewers are filled with dread as their love progresses, and for good reason.
Plot: ★★★★☆ 4/5
Cinematography: ★★★☆☆ 3/5
Character Arc(s): ★★★★☆ 4/5
