That makes the idea of reading the book appealing, to dig deeper into the events that inspired the movie. It's clear that this is a beautiful real-life story of a couple's love and what an officer left behind for his partner and son to treasure long after his death. What passes a chemistry test can be subjective to the viewer, but here it just doesn't burn up the screen. And there are several unresolved issues that the script introduces but never develops (like Charles' daughter from a previous marriage or Dana's issues with her father's infidelity).Īnother problem is that, despite their individual appeal, there's not a lot of romantic chemistry between Adams and Jordan. The bantering friends, who wax poetic about Charles' body, aren't developed enough to also be the support network she needs after he dies. Part of the problem is the dialogue and the forced, almost sitcom-ish way that Dana interacts with her circle of friends (which, oddly, lacks one Black or Brown person). It's not that it's bad - because it's never a waste to see Jordan act in any film role - but it's uneven, oddly paced, and feels more like a predictably maudlin Lifetime drama than an effective narrative film. So it's disappointing that this, his fourth feature film (and third adaptation) misses the mark. Since his directorial debut, Antwone Fisher, the actor-turned-director has consistently taken his time between projects usually the result is a highly personal and evocative film, like the excellent stage-to-screen adaptation of Fences, in which he also starred. Washington's adaptation boasts talented actors but lacks a nuanced script and the on-screen chemistry necessary to elevate the drama beyond the sentimental.
JOURNAL FOR JORDAN MOVIE
Seeing this movie with your kids and not discussing the weighty themes would be a missed opportunity once you've gotten through the moments that make you blush, use this as a time to speak to young men about emotionality, courage, and gentlemanliness and to young women about setting boundaries, waiting for love, and choosing to love through hard times.Īn edited version of this story to remove the brief sex scene and tame the language would not hurt the story or diminish its impact. The discussions of their family histories and the frankness of their conversations, are refreshing and feel very honest.
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The love of the parental figures for Jordan is well developed and expressed. We also found a few comments from our fellow movie-goers to be distracting, as they appreciated the physique of the actors.Īs a story, this is stirring and emotional. The sex scene itself is abbreviated but the small amounts of nudity are enough to make a parent blush sitting next to young teens or tweens. A few, small, glaring moments did make us uncomfortable as the stars were in bed together in several scenes and the discussion turned sexual. Our family saw this film together, and we were able to talk about some deep themes and appreciate the emotion the movie brought to the surface.
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Families can discuss the importance of communication, empathy, and perseverance, the enduring legacy of lost loved ones, and how letters and journals can keep a person's beliefs alive. Occasional strong language includes "s-t," "bitch," "wigger," and more.
![journal for jordan journal for jordan](https://www.jornadageek.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/A-JOURNAL-FOR-JORDAN.jpg)
While the film's director and leads are Black, Dana's life centers around White best friends, and the issue of colorism is explored: Light-skinned Jordan's Blackness is disputed (or ridiculed) by classmates.
![journal for jordan journal for jordan](https://yallknowwhat.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/A-Journal-for-Jordan-scaled.jpg)
There are also several scenes of Dana and Charles flirting, kissing, and eventually making love (his bare butt and both of their bare shoulders and sides are visible). Expect depictions of military violence - an explosion kills Charles and severely injures others in his unit - as well as footage from 9/11 of the planes hitting the Twin Towers. Jordan), who, while deployed post-9/11, wrote in a special journal for their unborn and then-baby son, Jordan. It tells the story of her late partner, U.S. Parents need to know that A Journal for Jordan is director Denzel Washington's adaptation of former New York Times editor Dana Canedy's ( Chanté Adams) memoir.