devotional diary

Maybe in a year when Top Gun: nonconformist had it not outperformed the global box office, JD Dillard’s jewel of a film would have garnered more attention. Weather Dissident appeared in year-end lists as one of the best films of 2022, Dedication it landed as a direct release on Amazon Prime with little to no fanfare. Many comparisons can be made between the two films: both capture the thrill of aviation and the perils of deadly duels. Both films share the natural charm of Glen Powell, an actor who can light up any screen. The two also share the same flight designer in Kevin LaRosa, Hollywood’s favorite aircraft expert. But the significance of the story of Jesse Brown, the first African-American naval aviator, comes at a much-needed moment to show how black stories (especially heroic historical feats) have been hidden or erased from the history books. . It’s a different kind of war movie.

Change is in the air when we first meet Brown (Jonathan Majors) and Hudner (Powell) at Naval Air Station Quonset Point. As the United States prepares to enter another war, this time in Korea, assigned pilots from the VF-32 squadron begin testing the Navy’s newest arsenal of weapons: the F4U-4 Corsair aircraft.

If that sounds dry, it feels like an extremely immersive cinematic experience, carefully crafted by Dillard and his cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt; the first flight between Brown and Hudner as wings is captured with passion and grace. As the film opens, the focus returns to Jesse’s family, with Christina Jackson as his wife, Daisy, taking center stage. Even with the ugliness of racism and segregation, there is room for celebrating Black lives shared with joy and love.

Dillard’s film has occasional misfires. Aside from a few VFX shots and a plot that could have risked more story depth, the rest of VF-32 Squadron (which includes Joe Jonas’ Marty Goode) are portrayed with no real distinction in their personalities. . Powell has more going for it as Hudner, delivering a compelling turn as he earns Brown’s trust and support.

But make no mistake: it’s Jonathan Majors’ outstanding performance that motivates Dedication. There’s a lot of emotional complexity here: resilience, standing out from adversity, the personal struggle of being Black in the 1950s Army. At times, her character arc is euphoric: One scene shows a black female naval crew watching in awe as Brown lands her Corsair jet on the USS Leyte to pass her carrier test, proving just how can be challenging to be the “first”. At other times, the vicious mental scars of a man afflicted with every racial slur and assault imaginable are used as tearful self-motivation, with Brown gazing into the mirror. Even with the sparsest material, Majors pulls every nuance to make you feel invested in his character right up to the film’s powerful finale.