Forgiveness is something that is earned rather than guaranteed, and it usually depends on the scope of one’s moral and ethical misdemeanours and those who were victims of whatever actions impel someone to seek contrition for their wrongdoings. The concept of “forgive and forget” is not always as simple as it seems, and it can be a daunting process to be confronted with the past, especially when it comes in the form of an individual who defined it as a period of considerable pain. This is what Titus Kaphar sets out to explore in Exhibiting Forgiveness, his striking directorial debut which follows an artist who is intent on making a name for himself through his paintings that depict memories of his childhood (and for which he has received considerable critical acclaim, something he is struggling to process), as well as doing his best to be a good husband and father, something that is made even more urgent considering his own father was abusive to both him and his mother when he was younger, leading to him deciding to entirely cut off communication with the man who wreaked havoc on his formative years. However, this proves to be only a temporary solution when his father returns into his life, now destitute and essentially homeless, searching for his son’s forgiveness, something that he isn’t very eager to give away, especially since it becomes clear that their relationship needs a lot of work before they can even begin to heal the wounds of the past. A simple and compelling film that follows the protagonist as he comes to terms with the past, Exhibiting Forgiveness is a strong debut for the director, who weaves a beautiful and haunting story of familial strife and the efforts to which we go when it comes to mending our broken souls, especially when we know that working through that difficulty will lead us to some kind of peaceful resolution, regardless of how difficult it may seem at the start. 

Kaphar doesn’t seem all that invested in placing the viewer in a position where we have to guess the thematic structure of this film, since he lays everything out as thoroughly as he can, which ensures that the audience is entirely on the same page when it comes to the concepts that drive this film and make it such an immensely intriguing character-driven work. This is, at its foundation, a story of fatherhood and how an absent paternal figure can deal a considerable blow to any young person, especially one coming from less-than-ideal circumstances. Navigating adolescence is difficult enough as it is; having an abusive father who seems more interested in asserting his dominance over his wife and son only complicates his life and makes his formative years all the more challenging. The film doesn’t dwell on the abuse so much as it looks at how this pain can fester into trauma that the protagonist carries with him constantly, even as he starts his own family and does his best to be a better father to his own son. The correlations between the protagonist’s efforts to be a strong head of his family and his reflections on his upbring, only made more intense by the return of his own father, are central to the film, which explores the feelings of regret and anger that divided these two men, who are hoping to repair their broken relationship, but realize that healing the wounds of the past are not as easy as it seems, and one cannot simply forgive and forget without getting to the root of what caused this pain in the first place. Kaphar has quite a challenge in front of him when weaving this story together, but the results are genuinely very impactful and meaningful.

In order to tell this story, Exhibiting Forgiveness recruits actors capable of handling the various nuances of this film, leading to a quartet of exceptional performances that anchor the narrative and allow it to flourish into a bold, daring work of art. André Holland has been working for years as one of the most under-appreciated actors of his generation, consistently turning in wonderful work but struggling to get much recognition, despite his talents and impeccable work ethic. This film foregrounds him and allows him to lead a film with incredible sincerity and boldness, delivering an exceptional performance that is heartfelt and deeply moving. Andra Day, who has carved out a solid niche for herself as an actor after working for a while as a singer, takes a relatively one-dimensional role of the protagonist’s conflicted wife and elevates her to being the emotional heart of the film, finding the nuances in a slightly more thankless role. However, the truly extraordinary performances come from Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, as the protagonist’s dedicated mother whose health issues serve as the catalyst for some of the film’s major tensions, and John Earl Jelks, an actor who has also been working for decades, but primarily in small roles that very few noticed, leading to this film being his breakthrough. Ellis-Taylor is wonderful and adds a lot of gravitas to the narrative, while Jelks is absolutely heartbreaking as the father trying to mend the scars he inflicted on his family, discovering that forgiveness is not always something that can be given, especially when it comes after years of absence. An apology can only mean so much, and the more meaningful impact is made when someone changes their ways, and his gutting portrayal of this old man seeking a second chance is truly extraordinary, anchoring this film.

Exhibiting Forgiveness is a film built on its underlying themes, which emerge through quite a subtle and delicate approach in which the director has to find the right tone and register to make this authentic and meaningful. The story lends itself to social realism, which is logical considering the narrative and how it manifests, since a more melodramatic or comedic approach would have nullified some of its more tender, earnest moments that don’t necessarily mesh with the specific style and story that Kaphar intended to convey here. The film openly avoids becoming too heavy-handed, which is quite an achievement considering the depth of the narrative and how it handles quite challenging themes, most of which are considerably more profound than we would initially expect, and which are only made more meaningful through this direct, unfurnished approach. Managing to tell a story of a broken father-son relationship undergoing its various challenges without becoming overwrought is quite an accomplishment, and only makes the overall result stronger. Exhibiting Forgiveness does benefit from this specific kind of social realism, one built to reflect a more authentic understanding of the human condition, which is made more complex by the frank approach that prioritises the authentic emotions more than the excessive. There’s very little room in this film for intensity, with everything orbiting around a more nuanced, subtle narrative – it can make the film slightly slow at times, and some of it can be unnecessarily elongated, but it is ultimately the right method to tell this story, which uses simple cues to tell an incredibly resonant, heartfelt story that is both moving and thought-provoking, avoiding going too far into the more harrowing emotions, and instead choosing to be more genuine.

While it may seem quite small on the surface, Exhibiting Forgiveness has a depth that we only encounter once we witness it for ourselves. It seems to be telling a simple story, but the direction in which it goes is more unexpected, especially when it comes to the emotions that drive the narrative, which prove to be far more compelling when they’re put into practice. The performances are wonderful, especially in how they’re all united in capturing the subtle nature of the narrative, which is built on small, significant moments of human connection, rather than excessive depictions of melodramatic emotion, which would have derailed the poignant nature of the narrative. It’s a delicate, earnest film that carries an immense weight in terms of the themes it is exploring, and which conveys a deeply captivating message that many of us will likely find resonant. There’s something beautiful about how this film explores the quiet nature of reality, looking at a family undergoing many changes in the aftermath of years of abuse and neglect, and asking whether forgiveness is a right or a privilege, making a good case for both sides of the argument. Simple but effective, the film is extremely powerful, and Kaphar makes a strong case for himself as a unique voice in contemporary cinema, with his delicate control of the subject matter, coupled with his earnest attention to detail and willingness to have the difficult conversations, being the root of many of this film’s most significant achievements in capturing the raw essence of humanity in vibrant, earnest detail, delivering it with such incredible consistency and honesty.