ReelBob: ‘Waves’ ★★★★½

By Bob Bloom

“Waves” is a poignant movie that follows the ebb and flow of an upper middle-class black family as they face turbulence, tragedy and, finally, a sense of acceptance.

The film, directed by Trey Edwards Shults (“It Comes at Night”), can be seen as two movies in one. The first centers on loss, anger, desperation, turmoil and despair, while the second deals with forgiveness, compassion and love.

Trey (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) appears to be a model student. He makes good grades, is a star on the wrestling team and has a beautiful girlfriend. His future seems bright.

But family dynamics place a heavy emotional burden on Trey. His successful father, Ronald (Sterling K. Brown), continually pushes Trey to excel. Ronald even works out with his son, making their exercise sessions a competition.

He continually hammers away at Trey that only excellence is acceptable.

The expectations finally send Trey into a spiral of bad decisions — especially after he suffers a shoulder injury during a match and begins taking painkillers so he can continue to wrestle.

Other unexpected developments also deluge the teenager until he finally snaps — creating a life-shattering confrontation.

It is here that the movie changes course, and Shults begins to focus on Emily (Taylor Russell), Trey’s younger sister, who has consistently lived in his shadow.

At this juncture, “Waves” becomes calmer and slower, allowing you to catch your breath.

Because of Trey’s actions, Emily becomes a pariah at school. At first, she shuts herself off emotionally from everyone. But then, she meets Luke (Lucas Hedges), a member of the wrestling team, and they strike up a friendship that slowly deepens.

Luke and Emily help each other with family issues and feelings of guilt, as well as regaining senses of worth and understanding.

“Waves” is an emotional rip tide that pulls you into an ocean of despair, then frees you to swim toward a shoreline of hope.

It’s a movie about bad choices and redemption, about parental domination and desolation.

Most of all, “Waves” is a celebration of healing and climbing out of the abyss and again basking in the sunlight.

A quartet of strong performances dominate the movie. Brown metamorphosizes from an overbearing parent, firmly strong in his conviction that he is doing what is necessary to make his son the best person he can be, to the tragic realization that his actions were the foundation of what nearly tore his family apart.

Harrison is wonderful as the cocky son whose determination to please his father makes him vulnerable to options that upend his life.

Russell’s Emily is a treasure. She mostly remains in the background during the first part of “Waves,” overshadowed by her brother and father.

But when events begin to unravel, she slowly finds her voice and the strength to reach out to her father without judgment, allowing him to unburden himself and bringing them closer together.

Hedges is awkward and uncertain as Emily’s new-found friend, who shares with Emily his own sense of hurt and loss. He has a decent heart and is a soothing reassurance that life can return to normal.

Renée Elise Goldsberry as Catherine, Ronald’s wife, is a strong presence, who often warns her husband that his dominating demeanor can have unforeseen consequences.

“Waves” is an emotional tour-de-force that will leave you emotionally exhausted. But, by the final fadeout, you also will be able to mentally bask in a ray of optimism and faith.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

WAVES

4½ stars out of 5

(R), violence, strong language, sexual situations, drug and alcohol use involving teens