Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- wistful
- intimate
- romantic
- date night
- quiet evening
What critics said
Critics generally found the film visually beautiful and emotionally affecting, with Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield’s chemistry sustaining its familiar romantic drama.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Mae’s investigation into Christina’s early life directly informs her understanding of her mother and her own romantic decisions.
Mae and Michael’s present-day courtship is interwoven with Christina’s earlier life in New Orleans.
The photograph found in Christina’s safe-deposit box motivates Michael’s reporting and Mae’s search into her mother’s past.
The film moves between contemporary New York and New Orleans while centering Black creative, journalistic, and family lives.
Films like The Photograph, and why
Beyond the Lights
contemporary romantic drama centered on emotional guardedness, artistic identity, and a developing relationship between charismatic leads
Past Lives
intergenerational romance and family secrets connected through photography, memory, and unresolved maternal history
Love Jones
warm, visually polished relationship drama about love, grief, and the influence of parents on adult choices
The Last Letter from Your Lover
romantic drama using letters, artistic expression, and a cross-generational story to explore intimacy and loss
Movie Details
- Director
- Stella Meghie
- Release Date
- 2020-02-14
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (219)
Cast
- Issa Rae
- LaKeith Stanfield
- Chanté Adams
- Y'lan Noel
- Kelvin Harrison Jr.
- Lil Rel Howery
- Teyonah Parris
- Jasmine Cephas Jones
- Wakeema Hollis
- Rob Morgan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Photograph about?
- A guarded gallery curator follows a photograph into her late mother’s hidden past while falling for the journalist investigating it.
- What is The Photograph like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Photograph as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Photograph violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Photograph.
- What did critics think of The Photograph?
- Critics generally found the film visually beautiful and emotionally affecting, with Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield’s chemistry sustaining its familiar romantic drama.
- Which films are like The Photograph?
- Films with a similar feel include Beyond the Lights, Past Lives, Love Jones, and The Last Letter from Your Lover.
- How long is The Photograph?
- The Photograph runs 106 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Photograph?
- In United States, The Photograph streams on YouTube TV.
