The Photograph is a romantic drama that follows two related stories set in different time periods. Mae (Issa Rae) has always had a love of art, and works as the assistant curator for The Queens Museum in New York City. She is working late one night when she gets the news that her estranged mother, famed photographer Christina Eames, has died unexpectedly. In her mother’s safe-deposit box, Mae finds two letters, one addressed to her, and the other to her father, with the instructions to read hers first before giving the other one to her father (Courtney B. Vance). Initially Mae finds it difficult to read the letter, pausing on the opening words “My Mae” over and over again—her mother had never expressed this kind of love for her when she was alive. But Mae eventually starts reading further into the long letter, which delves into her mother’s early life, explaining her rough, distanced relationship with her own mother. Christina ultimately put her work and career above everything else, and in the letter, she often apologizes, wishing she had been as good at love as she was at work.

Meanwhile, Michael Block (LaKeith Stanfield), a reporter for The Republic, is doing a story on the people of Pointe à la Hache, Louisiana, and how they’ve been affected by recent disasters such as Katrina and the BP oil spill. As he’s interviewing a man named Isaac Jefferson (Rob Morgan), Michael notices an old photo of a woman sitting alone at a table, and asks Issac about her. Issac explains that the photo is of a woman he once loved named Christina. Christina had had ambitions to become a professional photographer, and 30 years later, he still regrets that he didn’t fight for her, and let her leave for New York City without him. Isaac begins to recount the story of how he (Y’lan Noel) and Christina (Chanté Adams) first met and fell in love in 1984, and the relationship that followed.

Michael had just recently broke up with his girlfriend and is looking for a change, both professionally and personally. He decides to look for Christina, in hopes of talking to her for his story, but soon discovers that she has passed away. However, in the process, he crosses paths with her daughter Mae, and the two instantly feel an attraction. The two start to date and explore their new relationship, but there are some definite parallels between their relationship and that of Isaac and Christina. Similar obstacles threaten to derail this budding romance, but can Mae and Michael learn from Isaac and Christina’s story, or are they doomed to follow in the footsteps of their mistakes and regrets?

The Photograph is constantly flipping back and forth between Christina’s story and that of Michael and Mae, often to emphasize the parallels between the two romances. While I enjoyed the story overall, I found that this constant back and forth slowed down the pace of the film at times. I think the story of the mother’s life could have played down a little, and more time concentrated on the relationship between Michael and Mae. However, the Isaac/Christina storyline, does provide this nice mirror between Mae and her mother that would have been missing otherwise. LaKeith Stanfield and Issa Rae have such great chemistry, and they make it easy to see why Michael and Mae are drawn to one another, with an attraction that feels quite genuine. You find yourself instantly invested in this couple and rooting for them to find a way to succeed where Christina and Isaac failed. The result is a beautiful love story crossed with a tale of the one that got away, and exploring new beginnings. While the film is more of a straight up drama and not a rom-com, it does have some lighter, fun moments. These scenes usually involve the talented supporting characters, such as Michael’s brother Kyle (Lil Rel Howery) and sister-in-law Asia (Teyonah Parris), Michael’s boss Sara (Chelsea Peretti), or Michael’s friend/co-worker Andy (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Mae’s friend Rachel (Jasmine Cephas Jones).

Universal’s Blu-ray release looks and sounds quite good. The picture remains clean, crisp and detailed throughout, and the audio track showcases the movie’s excellent musical soundtrack while also providing clear dialogue. The release includes both a Blu-ray and a DVD disc packed in standard HD keepcase with a slipcover. There is an insert with a code to redeem for an HD Movies Anywhere digital copy of the film as well as a code for a bonus digital movie. The discs contain about 11 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast and filmmakers.

What’s Included:

Film: (1:46:21)

Blu-ray:
• 1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
• Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish DTS Digital Surround 5.1, French DTS Digital Surround 5.1
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

DVD:

• 480i / Anamorphic Widescreen 2.39:1
• Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Digital (code may not be valid after 6/30/2021):

• HD digital copy redeemable via Movies Anywhere
• Bonus Digital Movie (Redemption Deadline 10/16/20)
  Additional bonus digital movie redeemable at www.upherewards.com. At the time of this review, the list of available titles includes Nocturnal Animals, Les Misérables, Hard Target 2 and The Deep. These usually change every 4 months or so, but are currently well overdue for a refresh.

Extras:

All of the bonus material is available on both the Blu-ray and DVD discs. There is a convenient Play All option to watch all of the featurettes back-to-back.

• Shooting The Photograph (5:37)
  The writer/director talks about the personal inspiration for the story, directing her own work, casting the movie, and the look of the film. The cast and producer talk about working with a director/writer, the characters, the settings, and more. Includes clips and behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with writer/director/executive producer Stella Meghie, producer Will Packer, and stars Issa Rae (“Mae Morton”) & LaKeith Stanfield (“Michael Block”).
• Culture in Film (3:28)
  The cast and filmmakers discuss the importance of portraying black culture in cinema, and showing audiences authentic romantic and family relationships. Includes interviews with producer Will Packer, writer/director/executive producer Stella Meghie, and stars Issa Rae & LaKeith Stanfield.
• The Film Through Photographs (2:24)
  The cast and filmmakers talk about the use of photography in the story, the inspirations for the photos in the movie, and the woman behind the photos. Includes interviews with writer/director/executive producer Stella Meghie, producer Will Packer, and stars Issa Rae & LaKeith Stanfield.

Final Thoughts:

Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield really shine in this film about two related and similar love stories, with (hopefully) different endings. Universal’s Blu-ray release of The Photograph looks and sounds quite good, but only includes a small assortment of bonus material. The film is worth checking out for fans of the cast, or for those looking for an entertaining romantic drama.