Review: Nightingale

There has been much speculation regarding PTSD and how it affects those women and men that defend our country in war. There has also been much speculation regarding the discrimination, unfair treatment and generalizations of those in the LGBTQ community from strangers and especially family members. However, when that family member is your mother…do you snap or continue to swallow the constant insults and nagging?

Right on the heels of Lee Daniels’ The Butler and his stellar performance in SELMA, Oyelowo, in Nightingale (originally a one man play by Frederick Mensch), commands the screen with such bravado that he will surely be a Best Actor contender when awards season rolls around.

As military vet, Peter Snowden, we have a front row seat (along with his vlog audience) to his meltdown after he murders his Mom in a fit of rage and gets rejected by the love of his life. Nightingale doesn’t excuse Peter’s behavior, but it makes it understood. And given the role of YouTube profiles in recent crime cases, the movie’s vlogging element raises some valid questions with real-life resonance.

I originally screened this film at the 2014 Los Angeles Film Festival, where you could feel the entire audience holding its breath wondering if anyone would come to the house to discover Peter’s secret.  Oyelowo was unable to attend due to his wrapping on SELMA at the time.  It suffices to say that Oyelowo will surely gain some much deserved heat for this film throwing him into the Best Actor race once again.  Nightingale premieres this weekend on HBO. Warning:  Don’t watch this one alone…

Here is an interview with writer Frederick Mensch at the LAFF…No spoilers…I promise