‘Native Son’ Review: ‘Moonlight’ Star Ashton Sanders Captivates in This Stunning Adaptation [Sundance]
Posted on Friday, January 25th, 2019 by Ben Pearson
Native Son is an adaptation of Richard Wright’s 1940 novel, and while I haven’t read that book, first-time director Rashid Johnson arrives on the scene with a smart, impressive debut full of strong work from a young cast.
Ashton Sanders, who played the teenaged version of Chiron in the Oscar-winning Moonlight, transforms into Bigger “Big” Thomas, a young man from Chicago with a love of punk music and a look to match, wearing a shock of green hair and a long black leather jacket with writing scribbled all over it. Big is a rarity for movie characters: someone who completely defies conventional stereotypes (and acknowledges that fact several times in the film) while also feeling like a well-rounded, genuine human with a life that continues when he’s off-camera. Read More »
