She Taught Love, Hulu’s new Black romance movie, was released last weekend to positive reviews from viewers. Starring Arsema Thomas and Darrell Brit-Gibson, it was particularly exciting to see a story centered on two Black dark-skinned leads. The movie tells a love story between a woman named Mali, who is suffering from a terminal illness, and an actor named Frank, who is on a self-destructive path. From the beautiful cinematography to the stunning film locations and the stylish fashion, many of the filmmakers’ intentional choices positively impacted the storytelling.
She Taught Love was divided into three parts and told in chronological order. The first part, She, centers on the individual lives of Mali and Frank before connecting; the second part, Taught, centers on their union and lives intertwining; and the final part, Love, centers on the conclusion of their love story. The story has a beautiful message of looking beyond yourself and choosing to love someone unconditionally despite death knocking on their door. However, the writing left some plot holes in understanding why characters made certain choices. For example, Frank’s destructive path was never really explained, so it was hard to understand how that influenced his hurtful decisions once he was in a relationship with Mali. The chemistry between the characters also could have been stronger through more emotionally gripping dialogue.
One of the highlights of She Taught Love is the breathtaking way the film was shot from the beginning to the end. It is clear that the filming style was very intentional because the cinematographer (Justin Derry) did an amazing job of highlighting the filming locations and set designs. He was particularly masterful at capturing the lighting in different scenes, especially the beautiful way the skin tones of the lead actors were portrayed on screen. The story was based in Los Angeles, and despite not using fancy filming locations, the way the location was captured on screen made it feel dreamy and romantic. With shots worth framing as artistic pieces, the cinematography stole the show.
The beauty of the cinematography was enhanced by the masterful curation of set designs and scene locations in She Taught Love. The chosen outdoor shots of LA were breathtaking in a simple and rustic way. The scene locations enhanced the storytelling in a very raw and authentic manner — it was as if they had a voice as supporting characters. The intentional highlighting of nature and the landscape in some outdoor scenes amplified the romantic nature of the film. The set design was also very artistic, especially with the color contrast of different set pieces, which commanded the viewer to pay attention to what was happening on screen. The set design proved to be an instrumental part of She Taught Love by cohesively enhancing the storytelling.
The costume design featured a chic streetwear/retro fashion style, which was also a big highlight of the film. There were particular artistic accessories, like the purses that Mali wore in different parts of She Taught Love, which stood out on camera. She also wore distinct shoes, especially her white vintage heels, which added to the nostalgic feel of the film. Frank wore chic coat pieces and stylish baggy jeans that were a great representation of Black fashion. She Taught Love also showcased both characters with their natural hair throughout the film, which was beautifully captured through the cinematography. Parts of the film showcase shots of Mali staring into the camera with her natural hair and an eye-catching background to accompany her, resulting in visually pleasing shots. The fashion does a great job of creating a nostalgic aura that uplifts the storyline.
She Taught Love is worth the watch despite falling short on the character development and chemistry between the characters. The message of the story was strong, but the writing could have done a better job of fleshing out the characters to help the audience understand them more intimately. Everything else, including the music choices throughout the film, was on point and did an excellent job drawing the viewer into the story and maintaining their attention. If you have yet to see She Taught Love, be sure to check out this artistically captured film now on Hulu.
Breathtaking cinematography that keeps you glued to the screen
Stunning set design and filming locations that amplify the story
Beautiful music score throughout the film
Nostalgic costume choices: fashion, accessories, and natural Black hair throughout the film
The writing could have done a better job of fleshing out the characters
The chemistry between the characters could be more electrifying
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