Scene Analysis:
The film follows three separate stages of the life of Chiron, a young boy living in poverty in 1980s Miami, and how he tries to find himself in a world in which he feels he doesn't belong anywhere. It's a very unique film which uses both formalist techniques (like obvious distortion of colour and time), and realism, which uses neutral camera angles and natural lighting to make it seem as realistic as possible. The film is full of metonymies (like the constant association between Juan and water, or his mom and purple), metaphors (like Juan teaching Chiron to stay afloat in the water, and in life), and hidden references (search up the Greek myth of 'Chiron') which offer a lot of depth and scope for analysis. A shot by shot analysis of a specific scene allows us to delve into some of the specific techniques used by director Barry Jenkins, and how they contribute to the film as a whole.
The scene I've chosen appears half an hour into the film, during the first chapter when Chiron is about 9 years old. My analysis won't really include 'spoilers' as such, but I do talk about the film with some depth and detail (with references to other scenes and characters) which might make more sense if you've watched the film, and it could affect the experience of your first-time viewing.
This is a scene between Chiron and his drug-addicted mother who has started to sell their belongings (like the TV) to fuel her addiction which is spiraling out of control. Chiron has been taken under the wing of Juan, a wise and charismatic drug dealer who offered Chiron love and care and taught him that he is worth something, that he has a place in the world, and that he has to find that place where he can be himself. In the space of a short time, he becomes a father figure to Chiron, and probably the person he looks up the most. Meanwhile, his mother's addiction gets worse and she becomes frustrated that someone else is taking her place in Chiron's life. It leads up to this climatic scene where we witness his mum at her worst.
The scene is only 42 seconds long and you can watch it on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivnjk4623k0). I've selected three shots for us to look at in detail.
This medium shot of Chiron's mum perfectly depicts the hate and anger that she is projecting onto her child. We don't hear what she says, because of the classical music played over it, but it feels even more rattling and disturbing because what she is saying is left to our imagination, and we naturally imagine the worst. The fact that her face is low down on the screen shows how she's put her face right in front of Chiron's. This could be seen as a menacing move as she is looking directly into his eyes, but, by lowering down to his level, it could also demonstrate her sense of vulnerability in this situation. After all, wouldn't it be more threatening if she was towering over him? Later on in the film, in a dream recollection, we learn that his mother was not hurling insults at him, but what she actually says is: "Don't look at me!". She knows she has let her son down, she knows she is failing him as a mother, and she is angry at herself because of this. Learning the meaning of her words inevitably changes how we feel about this scene. It makes it even more devastating that Chiron is not only witnessing pure rage from his drug-addicted mother, but he can clearly see she is disgusted with herself too. How can you love your mother (or yourself) if she can't even stand your look on her? The choice of the colour purple in the background is intriguing. It not only makes it seem as if she is in some sort of brothel or night-club, but it is a colour that we almost never see in the film, other than when we see it through her room. It is an exclusive colour for Chiron, a colour he is never able to reach, and yet it is so close to blue, one of the most prominent colours throughout his life.
It later cuts to a medium shot of Chiron (or Little). His face is understandably one of hopelessness and disappointment, but there is also a sense of pity and superiority. His head is slightly tilted, and he seems somehow defiant over his mother. He too knows she has let him down, and this is the moment where he begins to hate her (words he later pronounce). He detaches and dissociates himself from her, and simply witnesses what is happening in front of him. He makes a choice that he is not going to let her downfall bring him down too. The choice of editing in this scene is notable. Unlike when Chiron is with Juan and Teresa (where the cuts and transitions are mostly smooth and seamless), this scene uses sharp shot/reverse shots, bluntly switching between the two characters who are facing each other head on. This puts us right in on the action (it's as if we are directly in the middle of the scene) but it also reflects their distant and hostile relationship, an aspect which is further emphasized in the contrasting colour palette and mis-en-scene between the two shots, which makes it seem as if they are in completely different places. Furthermore, the music adds to the complexity and dissonance of his emotions, and it goes against the prejudices and expectations of associating the 'hood' solely with hip-hop music.
Seeing his mum constantly slam the door in front of him must take its toll on little Chiron. As he comes home, his mother is always going into another room, getting away from him, and closing a door behind her. In this scene, as the door closes and the florescent purple light is hidden, we feel a sense of extreme coldness and emptiness. It turns out that the purple light was also emanating warmth, and yet we didn't even notice or appreciate its warmth until it was gone. It's the perfect metaphor for what Juan tells Chiron about his mother in the following scene: "I hated my mom too. I miss her like hell now though". Purple might not be the warmest colour, but it is a colour nonetheless, and Chiron is denied it for most of his life (notice how we never see the interior of her room).
This analysis is part of an Instagram event (#oscarbestpictureecent) organized by the film account @frames_of_beauty's (for other events and collaborations, check out my Instagram account @filmkabinet if you haven't already).
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