‘The Young Wife’ Review – A Woman Under The Influence Of Marriage

Some films demand attention. Others allow for a casual viewing experience. Tayarisha Poe’s The Young Wife is a mix of both. It’s one of those so-called experimental films, but here the experimentation is more about the concept of time and identity, rather than simply relying on aesthetics. This film is an odyssey of sorts – a woman’s venture into the unknown. Her journey? Getting married. If there’s anything scarier than marriage these days, it’s the buildup for it.

People have yet to realize what a strained, complicated decision it is to get married at this moment in the history of the world. For starters, young women now see the increasingly high divorce rates. And the idea of monogamy vs. a nuclear family is beginning to take its toll on most young women in their 20s-30s. Gone are the days of Sex in the City where marriage, even when cast aside like an afterthought, has been everything on a modern woman’s mind, and having a man in her life was the ultimate goal and ambition. Even more diverse shows like Insecure have known better than to go down that slippery slope, and marriage has not been the answer to the young female protagonist’s problems.

In this journey, Celestina, our beautiful protagonist, is like a tumbleweed in the wind. She has met someone she is going out of her way to marry. River is the other missing puzzle in this stunning duo. Poe’s casting of two gorgeous actors (Kiersey Clemons and Leon Bridges) as the soon-to-be-married couple helps raise the bar for our expectations. Whether anti-marriage or not, Poe’s search into the fragile mind of a young woman navigating her choices in a fluctuating world works perfectly.

Jomo Fray’s vibrant cinematography complements Poe’s meticulous direction. Both synergistically create an active screen, shaky handheld camera work that sneaks on the characters, and a mise-en-scène that screams detail, vibrancy, and carnivalistic dynamics. Characters move in and out of the frame with such ease and smoothness that other prolific directors will certainly stop and stare at what this young director has accomplished in her small film. It is a feast for the greedy senses, a retreat from presumed and canned films that function like the product of a fast food chain series that produces movies like hot cakes with a side of coke.

This feature claims power in its most subtle moments. Conversations on screen are uninterrupted and confusing, irritating at times. This leaves the audience as puzzled and conflicted as Celestina. Poe puts us in her shoes, one might as well panic at the very thought of the approaching wedding bells, or lack of them.

It’s not just the brief moments of silence but the bullets of dialogue that keep the momentum going. However, none of this would have worked with a mindblowing performance from Kiersey Clemons who steals the show in every scene. Clemons is as raw and powerful as she is vulnerable and held back in this film. I hope racial double standards don’t rule her out of award conversations after giving a powerful, layered performance like no other.

Either way, the world in all its unfairness and absurdity cannot conceal the bravery and freedom of expression that Poe has done with The Young Wife. Some films are not meant to be watched and shelved but consumed over low heat. Consider this feature one of those rare breeds.

The Young Wife is currently available on Digital platforms courtesy of Paramount and Republic Pictures.