The movie “Till” was released on October 14, 2022 in theaters across the country. The movie tells the heartbreaking true story about the 1955 lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till. 

Till, originally from Chicago, was visiting his cousins in Money, MS. While Till was at a local grocery store, he allegedly flirted with a white cashier, which enraged the cashier’s family. Several men were soon on the pursuit of Till, eventually catching him at his uncle’s home and brutally murdering him. 

The main focus of this film is on Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett till who hears the news of her son’s murder. Danielle Deadwyler, the actress who plays the role of Till-Mobley, gave a chilling performance. The intense cries and yells after seeing the body of Till really depicted the horrifying reality of a mother losing her son. For the majority of the film, Till-Mobley seeks justice for her son with the help of the press and numerous civil rights activists like Medgar Evers.

One of the greatest aspects about this movie is the appeal to the emotions of the audience. When the movie slowly pans the camera to reveal Till’s brutally beaten face and body, a significant feeling of shock flows through the viewer. It is more shocking to know that the real photos of Till’s body are almost identical to how the film portrayed it. It is unimaginable to think that a 14-year-old boy went through so much pain and suffering.

Although the movie did a good job showing Till’s bubbly and friendly personality, a part of the movie that the filmmakers could have done better was dedicating more scenes in showing Till’s childhood. The filmmakers did not go in depth about Till’s background or personal interests. Therefore, the character of Till seemed a bit shallow considering the deep topic of the movie. I believe this flaw takes away from the relationship that is formed between Till and the audience.

Even so, I believe “Till” did a great job telling the story of one of the most influential causes of the civil rights movement. The murder of Till reached significant publicity, showing up on the headlines of newspapers across the country and even the world. Although the movie was depressing, with some scenes being hard to watch, the movie greatly reflects the sad but true reality of the injustices towards African Americans in the civil rights era. This movie holds great historical significance, one that we must never forget. 

On this blog, members of the Carmel High School chapter of the Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists (and the occasional guest writer) produce curations of all facets of popular culture, from TV shows to music to novels to technology. We hope our readers always leave with something new to muse over. Click here to read more from MUSE.