The Photograph: Mother-Daughter Relationships aren’t always Picture Perfect

The Photograph (2020), image provided by dailymotion

“I wish I was as good at love as I was at working.”

- Rachel, The Photograph

The Photograph is a love story with a modern twist, and it’s about time! Romance is my least favorite genre, but I decided to support Issa Rae and LeKeith Stanfield. They didn’t disappoint.

One element that I found interesting throughout the movie was the expression of love. Many black children, like Issa Rae’s character, are raised by single parents. According to the Census, 50.84% of black children (under the age of 18) currently (in 2020) live in a single-parent household. Between the financial and mental stress of raising a child or children, the presentation of love in a single-parent household can be toxic. In particular, women often experience strained relationships with their daughter(s). For example, take the socialite Blac Chyna. One aspect of her life that keeps her in the headlines is her volatile relationship with her mother—Tokyo Toni. Toni is a single mother who was raised by a single mother. As a result, she and Chyna often go months, sometimes years, without speaking to each other. They have been in physical altercations with one another as well. Honestly, their relationship is hard to watch. There is a saying, hurt people hurt people. In the end, no one heals. The film does a great job depicting a mother’s regret for her lackluster expression of love.

The Photograph may not be the most traditional romantic comedy there ever was, but it is the most unique. For that, it gets a five-star rating from me.