: By focusing on small, intimate moments of generosity and struggle, the film suggests that strength is drawn from the community when institutional systems like education and the police have failed. Critical Reception
“Filming in black-and-white, Minervini finds poetry in silhouettes, the city's musical rhythms and small moments of generosity.” The New York Times · 6 years ago what_you_gonna_do
The film follows several interconnected stories in New Orleans and Mississippi during the summer of 2017, a period marked by a string of police shootings of Black men. : By focusing on small, intimate moments of
: The narrative centers on Judy Hill, a bar owner struggling to keep her business afloat while grappling with her past, and two young brothers, Ronaldo and Ashlei King, navigating the complexities of growing up in a harsh environment. Critics have praised the film for its "richness
Critics have praised the film for its "richness on both human and historical scales". It is frequently cited as a meditation on "insidious" forms of systemic pressure and a powerful example of modern social-realist filmmaking.