Genre Research: Loving

 Loving is a 2016 Biographical Drama film, focusing on Mildred and Richard Loving, who were the plaintiffs in the landmark case, Loving v. Virginia. The case successfully overturned laws barring interracial marriage and allowed the Lovings to return to their home state of Virginia, which they had been barred from entering after being arrested for marrying as an interracial couple. 

What elements of the genre that you chose to base your final task on does this movie have? 

As a drama, Loving is unflinchingly realistic. It has no non-diegetic score, with the only music coming from the characters on screen. The lighting is also kept soft and natural. The only time we see characters in full bright lighting is when they are standing in the sun. The low lighting in many of the scenes helps add to the dramatic ambiance and fits the tone of the movie very well. Loving makes heavy use of close-ups in order to show the audience the character's emotions and the little details in the setting around them. The dialogue is kept rather simple but effective, mimicking the kind of conversations one might hear in real life. The acting in the film was more understated, which fit the mood of the film very well. Overall what made Loving a drama is that it focused on the protaganists' struggle to overcome legal discrimination in an appropriately serious manner. 

What elements of the genre did the movie have that you like?

I thought keeping the lighting and sound design to a minimum worked well for the tone, and also made the film very nice to watch. The juxtaposition between serious dialogue and a silent background works very well. The lighting in many serious scenes is appropriately dim, to fit the mood, while also being dim because there is no big source of light in-universe, which allows the audience to become more immersed in the film. 

What elements of the genre did the movie have that did not appeal to you?

Loving's aim for a realistic tone is admirable, and generally works well, but it does make the movie seem slow and tedious. The dialogue, while generally well written, can seem a bit too expositional. Like a lot of dramas, Loving is rather slow-paced. This is fine for many audiences, but personally, I find movies paced as this one, to be a chore to sit through, even if I enjoy most other elements.