Chinonye Chukwu’s film “Till” is a difficult watch that leaves the viewer with a sickening feeling. The film focuses on the life of Emmet Till, played by Jalyn Hall, who was a Black 14-year-old that was tortured and lynched in Mississippi during the 1950s for allegedly whistling at a white woman.

It also involves his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, played by Danielle Deadwyler, who, throughout the movie, is seen trying to find justice for her son. She takes a huge step when deciding to have an open casket ceremony at her son’s funeral to show the harsh reality of his suffering.

The film starts by foreshadowing what would soon be an impacting tragedy in the South. As Mamie and Emmet are on their way to do some shopping for his upcoming trip to Mississippi, the anguish and worry on Mamie’s face show what a mother only knows and feels. Emmet was only a young, innocent boy, and his innocence made him seem reckless in the eyes of people who did not trust him.

Some may say this movie is more about Emmet’s mother than him. Although the film shows the racist violence and cruel images of what Black people endured during this time, it doesn’t fail to recognize the grief a mother has to go through after seeing her son killed in such a horrific way.

Emmet’s interaction with Carolyn Bryant, who is the white woman he allegedly whistled at, is a perfect example of neglecting the truth and the consequences that follow. Throughout the film, Mamie fights through politics and the press to convey the truth about what happened to her son.

In order for her to be strong after her loss, Mamie has to start following her head more than her heart.

The film “Till” reopens your eyes to the gruesome murder that affected the lives of so many people, but most importantly, the heart of a mother who lost her young child. It has been years since his death occurred, but Emmet Till’s legacy continues to be discussed today.