Sundance 2023: Movie #7

"What do I do right now?"

A parent's job lasts a lifetime, and the scale of that responsibility is present each day. Inez has never stopped working toward her son's safety; she knows nothing is guaranteed. Her decisions are not always the most rational or even legal, but in giving a constant effort and always forced to think on her feet, all she can do is what's best in that singular moment. The slice-of-life quality of the storytelling is maturely enhanced by the textured cinematography and jazzy score, highlighting the drama even in the more mundane sequences. While this structure gives the film a somewhat episodic feel that grows aimless at times, the final act reveals the sum of these individual parts and the necessity of their inclusions. Everyday life means something different when there are people actively trying to disrupt it. Even when the stakes feel deceptively small, sirens always hang just out of earshot and threaten to break the illusion.

Teyana Taylor's empathetic performance truly captures the deep frustration of having one's ability for growth limited. Her character Inez is introduced to us as a criminal, and that label forms cracks in her foundation that she can never repair within the margins of the law. Everything must be built without any promise of stability, and Taylor's ability to communicate that burden is powerful. There is so much stress and depression caught behind her eyes, but it is never for a moment unclear that she moves from a place of love. Josiah Cross and William Catlett are similarly strong performers, and the dynamic of their characters in the film is nearly as moving and refreshingly intimate. A Thousand and One beautifully explores what it takes to maintain a loving, stable family when no member of it has previously experienced that level of care.