A.V. Rockwell’s “A Thousand and One” is a powerful and emotional film that deservedly won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. While other films were considered frontrunners, it’s the sheer force of Teyana Taylor’s central performance that makes this film truly stand out. It’s easily one of the best performances of the year so far, and Taylor’s ability to disappear into her character is truly remarkable. She gives a raw and organic performance that elevates the script, even with its structural problems and the final act’s credibility issues. Taylor is so good that you won’t care about the narrative’s weaknesses, and you’ll be too invested in her story to question where it ends.
The film opens with Inez (Teyana Taylor) returning to New York City from Rikers Island. At only 22 years old, she carries herself with a determination that comes from having lived a lot of life already. Inez is desperate to be reunited with her son, Terry, who has been in foster care while she was behind bars. When six-year-old Terry has an accident and ends up in the hospital, Inez impulsively decides to take him home. She’s determined to protect him and be the mother that he needs, but she’s also damaged by her experiences.
Inez forces Terry to change his name and not tell anyone about his background. “A Thousand and One” is less of a thriller than that synopsis might suggest. Instead, it’s a poignant and authentic story of a mother and son’s relationship and their journey to navigate the world around them. As their New York neighborhood shifts and changes around them over the ’90s, they share a secret that defines their bond. The film comments on the gentrifying world around Inez, and it gives her arc the tenor of a survival story. She’s not on a set; she’s in the real world, trying to hold on to her child in a city that’s spinning out of control.
As the story progresses, Inez marries a man named Lucky, played by William Catlett, but the film still focuses on Inez and Terry’s relationship. It’s a traditional mother/son drama with a new structure that emphasizes how quickly everything can be taken away. The decision that Inez makes and the secret that Terry has to hide creates a symbolic urgency to their relationship. The film captures the authenticity of a single mother’s struggle and the way it shapes her child’s worldview.
Unfortunately, the film’s final act doesn’t live up to its potential, and it loses much of its veracity. Without spoiling, there’s another secret in Inez and Terry’s life that completely changes everything that came before. The narrative decision is a bit jarring and pushes the story into melodrama territory, which is not what the film had been building towards. The final scenes are manipulative, and they don’t feel authentic to the story’s intimate tone.
However, Teyana Taylor’s performance is exceptional throughout the film. Even as the narrative falters, she remains a force of nature. Taylor embodies her character’s pain, love, and desperation in a way that’s raw and real. She captures the soul of a woman who knows her son needs her to navigate this dangerous world, and that she needs him too. Taylor’s performance is a true standout, and it’s worth watching the film for her portrayal alone.
