While on a forgettable first date together in Ohio, a black man and a black woman are pulled over for a minor traffic infraction. The situation escalates, with sudden and tragic results.
Direction
Matsoukas crafts every frame like a protest poster turned art.
Cinematography
Golden hour porn — America never looked this beautiful or cruel.
Acting
Turner-Smith's debut? Unhinged, magnetic, career-defining.
Director
Melina Matsoukas
Daniel Kaluuya
Slim
Jodie Turner-Smith
Queen
Bokeem Woodbine
Uncle Earl
Sturgill Simpson
Police Officer Reed
Flea
Mr. Shepherd
Chloë Sevigny
Mrs. Shepherd
Indya Moore
Goddess
Benito Martinez
Sheriff Edgar
Jahi Di'Allo Winston
Junior
Gralen Bryant Banks
Older Black Man
D.A. Obahor
Large Black Man
Bryant Tardy
Chubby
Thom Gossom Jr.
Slim's Father
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Jodie Turner-Smith had never acted in a film before; Melina Matsoukas cast her after a Skype call while she was working a desk job in LA.
The film sparked real-world discussions about 'resisting arrest' narratives — some critics called it irresponsible, others called it revolutionary honesty about Black survival.
US
