“You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s gonna follow you home.”
In Sinners, the narrative revolves around the enigmatic SmokeStack twins, portrayed by the talented Michael B. Jordan. Their return from Chicago sparks whispers and concerns in the town, as their history of trouble precedes them. Even their uncle, the righteous preacher Jedidiah (Saul Williams), is wary. His son, Sammie, also known as Preacher Boy (Miles Caton), idolizes his twin cousins, despite the rumors surrounding them.
Jedidiah would prefer his son to stay home and help him deliver the church sermons, but music is what calls to Sammie’s soul. So, when his cousins invite him to play music at the juke joint they are opening, he swiftly takes them up on their offer. As the cousins set off on the task of finishing up the juke joint, inviting more people to work there on opening night, including another bluesman, Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo), and some muscle for the front door, Cornbread (Omar Miller), Smoke and Stack are well on their way for a night of community, music and fun. However, they don’t know that evil is lurking right around the corner, soon to be at their front doors, and it wants nothing more than to be invited in.
Ryan Coogler has graced us with another fantastic film in Sinners. From the star-studded cast to the music, Sinners fire on all cylinders. If you’ve watched the trailers for the movie, you might be expecting one thing, but you’ll soon see that there is a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to Coogler’s story. The film is filled with many intricacies as it pertains to its characters, as well as the story that’s being told. Without giving away too much, as Sinners is the kind of film you must experience for yourself, its allegories are exceptional. Coogler doesn’t hold back with the film’s powerful commentary on racism, injustice, inequality, and the institution of the church. These elements combined make for a thought-provoking and enlightening experience, much more than your typical vampire horror flick. The film’s exploration of these themes is not just thought-provoking, but also timely and necessary in today’s world.
Throughout his career, Coogler has always surrounded himself with fantastic performers and supporting players, which is no different for Sinners. Coogler reteams with frequent collaborator Ludwig Göransson, who once again outdoes himself with the film’s score. The composer never misses and, with his work on Sinners, creates a character solely with the music. The music in Sinners is not just a background element, but a character in its own right, shaping the narrative and the characters’ experiences. Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw reunites with Coogler after their work on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Once again, Arkapaw ignites the screen with her beautiful shots, giving viewers more than just the performances and music to get lost in.
Michael B. Jordan’s performance in Sinners, particularly his portrayal of the enigmatic SmokeStack twins, is a standout in his career. Jordan’s seamless transition between the distinct personalities of Smoke and Stack brings the twins to life on screen, captivating the audience with their complex characters. His performance is further elevated by the talented leading ladies who share the screen with him.
Wunmi Mosaku and Hailee Steinfeld, who portray Annie and Mary, respectively, are fantastic. Annie and Mary are two sides of the same coin in many ways. The two are dealing with grief, trying to navigate the return of Smoke and Stack, and trying to figure out where all of this fits within their worlds. Mosaku is a force to be reckoned with. Whether helping a neighbour’s children, telling off the twins or being a total badass in the face of vampiric devilry, she is captivating, giving a phenomenal and multifaceted performance as Annie. Mosaku truly needs to be in absolutely everything, and I am not exaggerating.
On the other hand, Steinfeld’s Mary is navigating her life as a white-presenting biracial woman. Just like Mary, she is grieving, but one of her losses she refuses to let pass her by, especially when Smoke and Stack re-enter the picture. Steinfeld has always been a great actress, but I feel like her role in Sinners will remind audiences why she was one of the youngest Academy Award nominees. It’s been a week since I saw the film, and I can hear Steinfeld’s chuckle and venomous line delivery of “We ‘gon kill every last one of ya,” as clear as day in my mind.
Like Annie and Mary, Delta Slim and Preacher Boy are two sides of the same coin. Delta Slim is also a Blues musician, but he’s an OG, whereas Preacher Boy represents a new generation of musicians. Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim was one of my favourite parts of the film. I would watch anything with Lindo in it, and he shines as the bluesman who many believe is past his prime. Charming, bold and funny, Lindo brings his A-Game as Delta Slim. He’s just looking for someone to give him that chance, and he finds it when he gets to dance his fingers across the piano keys at Smoke and Stack’s new juke joint. Miles Caton shines as Preacher Boy in his debut feature film role. Caton is soft spoken and vulnerable in his portrayal, but still has a commanding screen presence – and that voice?! No wonder he was cast to portray a character whose voice and musicality transcend time and worlds.
Lastly, Li Jun Li and Jayme Lawson are another pair tethered together by some similarities, but the way they move through life is vastly different, based on the hand life has dealt them. I wish we saw more of their characters throughout the movie, but they were both compelling whenever they were on screen and had great performances. I enjoyed seeing multiple complex women characters take centre stage at many points throughout Sinners. All the women in the film, Mosaku, Steinfeld, Li and Lawson were a joy to watch.
I need to touch on the sensuality in Sinners. I try not to watch more than one trailer for a film as I want to go into it knowing as little as possible, so I wasn’t expecting the sexiness that flowed throughout the film. It’s felt in the music and dancing and permeates the screen in the lingering gazes and touches of the characters. It was extremely well-done, whether a slow-burning moment or a breath-stealing kiss. Hot is probably the best word to describe the scenes I’m thinking about, and considering the chatter in the film about hell and the use of fire, I think hot as the descriptor is quite à propos.
Everything about Sinners is excellent, but where it fully shines is in its story, expertly brought to life by Coogler. The use of music is nothing short of brilliant, elevating the intensity of the story. Sinners effortlessly depicts the connections between music and folklore and how both can serve as a form of connection between people. Both can shape and transcend people’s experiences, and even if different cultures have different myths, legends and music, a throughline can always be found within that serves as a common denominator.
This is illustrated beautifully in the main musical number where Canton’s Preacher Boy sings to the crowd in the juke joint. It is a near-spiritual experience for those in attendance and catches the ear of some nefarious characters. As Annie’s character says, “There are legends of people with the gift of making music so true, they can conjure spirits from the past and the future. This gift can bring fame and fortune, but it can also pierce the veil between life and death.”
With the film set in the South, racism is part of the narrative, specifically when the twins are purchasing the land and building to make into the juke joint. The bigoted seller reeks of white hood energy, even though he claims that the klan is long gone. His comments are enough to make your skin crawl, and the need for him to get his comeuppance is real. While he’s a living piece of garbage, he serves a purpose in the film’s narrative that ties back to the theme that it’s not only those who are physically monsters who are evil. Evil walks among us every day and appears in different forms. Only as a community can we combat that evil and put it in its place by any means necessary.
Ryan Coogler has another hit on his hands with Sinners. With every movie he directs, he excels even further in his craft, and it’s thrilling to see and experience as an avid watcher of his films. Much like the vampires it depicts, Coogler’s latest shall be immortal. Sinners is a timeless tale that is part social commentary, part creature feature, and a boldly bloody good time.
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