If Beale Street Could Talk

Set in Harlem in the early 1970s, If Beale Street Could Talk follows Tish and Fonny, childhood friends who become a couple and plan to marry as they prepare for the birth of their child. Their future is upended when Fonny is accused of a crime he did not commit and is jailed while awaiting trial. Pregnant Tish, together with her family, works to prove his innocence and secure his release before the baby arrives. The film is based on James Baldwin's novel of the same name.

Barry Jenkins directed and wrote the screenplay, following his 2016 film Moonlight; he also produced alongside Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner. KiKi Layne plays Tish, Stephan James plays Fonny, and Regina King appears as Tish's mother, Sharon, with Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Michael Beach among the credited cast of thirty.

Made for a budget of 12 million USD, the film took about 21 million USD worldwide, a modest return. On IMDb it holds 7.1/10 from over 51,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 6.9/10 from roughly 1,250 votes. A film critics' rating of 8.7/10 from 365 reviews places it noticeably above those audience scores. Jenkins went on to direct Mufasa: The Lion King in 2024.