Regardless of what people might say, and even though offering forgiveness to someone can have positive consequences, it's often a challenging thing to do. While there’s truth to the idea that good things can come from it, getting to that point usually involves dealing with considerable pain, resentment, and disappointment. This is true for Tarrell (André Holland), an artist who has achieved both talent and success. However, his impressive artwork largely comes from a difficult childhood; he was mainly raised by his loving mother, Joy (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor), after she removed Tarrell’s abusive, drug-addicted father, La’Ron (John Earl Jelks), from their home. Despite the departure of that source of pain, it has lingered throughout Tarrell's life, and painting has served as a form of therapy for him. But the roots of his anguish remain, and he struggles to move past his history – until his long-gone father reappears. This unexpected reunion presents an opportunity for Tarrell, Joy, and La’Ron to confront their experiences, but will they be able to do it? That's what writer-director Titus Kaphar’s debut feature aims to explore; a story inspired by the filmmaker’s own life and featuring paintings he created himself. Through this narrative, forgiveness is examined from many perspectives, honestly portraying the pain and difficulty involved in achieving it. The film also demonstrates how such trauma can unintentionally affect others, including seemingly innocent people like Tarrell’s wife, Aisha (Andra Day), who puts her music career on hold while trying to help her husband deal with his problems – a source of tension in their marriage. All of this is effectively conveyed through an artistically beautiful and gorgeously photographed production, accompanied by an emotive and engaging soundtrack. It's true that the pacing could be improved at times, and the emotional depth that should have been present in some scenes doesn’t quite reach its full potential, but those shortcomings are largely hidden by the excellent performances of the cast, especially Holland and Ellis-Taylor, who give some of their best work to date. Above all else, “Exhibiting Forgiveness” is a film with an important message, and it makes no attempt to hide that fact. It emphasizes its point forcefully and clearly, avoiding the trap of glossing over or minimizing how difficult extending forgiveness can be. We could all benefit from learning something from this – and, given the current state of things in the world, it would serve us well if we did.

Source on TMDB