Through phenomenal visuals and storytelling, “Waves” is a stunning look into family dynamics and the different methods in which people handle grief. The avenues that it creates are both haunting and beautiful, leading to one of the best films of the year. 

Trey Edward Shults is an up-and-coming director who is building a reputation of challenging his viewers. His second film, and first with production company A24, “It Comes at Night,” puzzled general audiences expecting a routine horror film. Yet, he also delighted genre and cinema fans alike with this showing. “Waves.” 

“Waves” centers around the Williams family, a seemingly normal family in Florida. Tyler, played by Kelvin Harrison Jr., is a popular wrestler in a happy relationship who starts to face roadblocks while his sister Emily, played by Taylor Russell, enjoys high school. 

Sterling K. Brown who plays the father is a model citizen, but his tough love puts pressure on their son. Their stepmother, played by Renée Elise Goldsberry, tries to show support for her stepchildren. 

The film is told in two halves, starting with Tyler’s story and ending with Emily’s. The deviance in which the character’s take is what makes the film so troubling and human. It’s easy to get wrapped up in their dilemmas because their approaches to handling grief, whether healthy or not, is something that most viewers have seen before. 

What makes Tyler and Emily’s decisions stand out are the parallels in their arcs. Several recurring elements are present with this, like major moments in their relationships that occur in water — hence the title, “Waves” — including scenes in which frantic decisions must be made. It’s haunting to see how the slightest of changes in their decisions lead to similar results. Shults is keen to elaborate upon our choices under stress and grief and how these decisions make or break us in the end. 

Additionally, this is one of the most breathtaking visual experiences of the year. For a film shot in suburbia, “Waves” is teeming with vibrant colors that range all across the rainbow. Several dreamlike scenes are composed solely of vibrant lights on the screen, and these scenes are perfect transitions that express Tyler and Emily’s emotional state through colors. 

The usage of colors perfectly matches the feelings and character traits of Tyler and Emily throughout the film. From vibrant reds to match anger to joy in bright yellows, the color pallete in the film is breathtaking and unique for a film of this nature.

The lighting is heightened by fantastic cinematography. From a rotating camera used in driving scenes to give the viewer a better perspective on the characters as they are driving, to gorgeous images of the characters swimming in the ocean at night, to well-framed close-ups, the camera work in the film is phenomenal. 

The cinematography is also paired with meticulous editing and a beautiful score by Trent Reznor, a member of Nine Inch Nails, and Atticus Ross. These pieces, like the lighting, also change with the different perspectives. The fast cuts and intense music heighten Tyler’s arc, while calm edits and soothing hymns accompany Emily’s. 

“Waves” is built with attention to detail and care. This comes from the great performances, however, a great plan always starts at the top, and Shults brings everything he can into this project. The end result is a film that questions how we cope with loss and receive support, and whether or not those avenues alleviate that stress. 

Published on November 26, 2019 at 3:55 pm

Contact Patrick: pagunn@syr.edu