Love is one of the most abstract yet absolute sensations in existence. You can’t see it or hear it, but there’s no questioning what it is when it hits you.
Some movies are able to effectively capture the unique yet universal feeling of falling – and staying – in love. From your typical boy-meets-girl and sparks fly scenario to the less common tale of girl-loses-boy and obsesses over how to get him back before it’s too late, certain films just have a special way of conveying the indescribable.
Be it a whirlwind summer romance that has long-lasting ramifications, an idyllic view of young adults slipping into a love their society will never accept, or a gritty snapshot of one earth-shaking evening in a rocky relationship, these films capture several angles of the many nuances that illustrate the Black love experience.
Whether you’re spending Valentine’s Day with a love interest of your own, enjoying the company of friends, or simply solo and loving on yourself this time around, feel free to pour yourself a glass of wine and take a look at one of these romantic and relatable depictions on Black Love on film.
01
Premature
Accurately capturing the essence of block parties and late evenings in the park during hot Harlem summers, Premature is the story of 17-year-old Ayanna’s last summer in NYC before heading off to college. Things are going according to plan for the young aspiring poet until she meets Isaiah, a music producer who has just moved to the city. A summer fling quickly becomes a life-changing romance that could affect both of their futures either separately or together… [HULU]
02
The Weekend
Zadie is a stand-up comedian facing a bit of a rough patch, who plans to unwind with a weekend getaway to her parent’s upstate bed and breakfast…only to discover that her mother has taken the liberty of inviting her ex-boyfriend Bradford and his new girlfriend Margo along for the fun. Since she still wants her ex, Zadie’s busy actively being the worst third wheel possible, when her plans (and poor disposition) are interrupted by a mysterious solo male guest who happens to be staying for the weekend as well… [HULU]
03
Really Love
Washington D.C. serves as the backdrop for this tale of passionate whirlwind love challenged by ambition. Kofi Siriboe is Isaiah, an up-and-coming painter working hard to prove himself in the competitive art world. At a local art show, he finds an instant Stevie, an ambitious yet conflicted law student juggling her personal desires and her parents’ expectations. With romance never in either of their plans, life and careers begin pulling them in opposite directions. Will they be able to hold on to the real love they’ve found? [NETFLIX]
04
Rafiki
When their fathers run against each other for County Assembly seats, Nairobi teens Kena and Ziki cross paths and become inexplicably drawn to each other. The girls live very different lives – Kena works in her father’s shop while waiting to start nursing school, Ziki spends her days making up dance routines with her friends. Their interest swells into an undeniable affection, but the girls must find ways to love each other despite the ever-watching gaze of their disapproving Kenyan neighborhood. [SHOWTIME]
05
Malcolm & Marie
Perhaps a bit too tense and divisive for movie time with bae, this one is a portrait of a pivotal evening that will determine the fate of a relationship. John David Washington stars as Malcolm, a filmmaker on the brink of Hollywood recognition and critical acclaim, and Zendaya as his girlfriend Marie, whose real-life story serves as the building blocks of his career. After he “forgets” to thank her on the evening of his film’s premiere and warm reception, the two find themselves locked into a no-hold-barred, hours-long argument that ebbs and flows between the awful and affectionate as they fight with and for each other into the wee hours of the morning. Granted, this one isn’t the most romantic thing in the world…but long nights and brutal conversations like these are sometimes the stuff love is made of. [NETFLIX]
06
Small Axe: Lovers Rock
Another movie about one pivotal evening in a relationship, Lovers Rock instead focuses on the flirtatious beginning of something fresh and new, moving to the rhythm of reggae. It’s 1980 in London, and Martha sneaks out of her home to attend an all-night house party with a friend. Once there, it isn’t long before she meets a young man named Franklyn, and the two spend a night full of flirty banter, sly glances, and dancefloor embraces. Much less driven by plot than by music and raw emotion, this one is a picture of Black joy and young Black love, far too new to be threatened by life’s complications. [PRIME VIDEO]
07
The Photograph
This one tells the story of two loves on two timelines, each threatened by things unsaid and the pull of opportunity. When famed photographer Christina Eames dies unexpectedly, she leaves her estranged daughter, Mae, conflicted about their relationship and full of questions. When Mae finds a photograph and two life-changing letters tucked away in a safe-deposit box, she also finds herself in an unexpected romance with rising journalist Michael. While the film mainly centers on their newfound love, the bittersweet romance between Mae’s parents Christina and Isaac is the true gem of the film. With a love of photography and big-city dreams, Christina is forced to reconcile chasing her dreams in New York and settling into true love with a local fisherman in her small Louisiana town.
08
Sylvie’s Love
In late 1950’s New York, Sylvie has a summer fling with Jazz saxophonist Robert while the two work at her father’s record shop. What each thinks will be a simple summer love turns into much more, but opportunities and obligations tear the couple apart before they can reach their full potential. Five years later, a chance encounter proves that their connection is just as strong as it has always been…but new responsibilities on both ends threaten to keep them apart once again. What is each one willing to sacrifice to keep their undeniable love alive? [Prime Video]
09
Queen & Slim
Those in the mood to watch a more Bonnie & Clyde type of love need look no further than Queen & Slim. Thrust together after their online app date turns into a hostile police encounter that ends with them killing the officer and going on the run, our unnamed protagonists develop a connection built on survival, resourcefulness, and pure adrenaline. Getting to know each other as they race across the country, their shared trauma turns into a true spark as they share their hopes and dreams and build trust and respect while they fight for their lives. [FX]
