sooo enamored with how a.v. rockwell films new york (specifically harlem) and her deft usage of archival material throughout. it does so much to make this film feel bigger than the family drama at its center to more broadly illustrate this thing of loving the city while the city doesn't love you. in the 2005 section there's definitely a shot of some shitty glass-windowed columbia construction happening around 125th st. and like literally columbia is building these empty buildings they don't know what to do with while people who have lived in harlem for years are being priced and forced out because there's no affordable housing in this city, make it make sense!!!!! anyway, effective conceptually but also so grounded by all the central performances, teyana taylor for sure but also william catlett who made me cry. wonderful, complex, still thinking about it hours later.