Strong Island

A deeply personal attempt to understand a family tragedy (Netflix)

By Alissa Wilkinson@alissamarie Oct 26, 2017, 2:17pm EDT

Strong Island launches on Netflix on September 15

Alissa Wilkinson covers film and culture for Vox. Alissa is a member of the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Society of Film Critics.

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More memoir than “documentary,” Netflix’s Strong Island is a searing personal account of filmmaker Yance Ford’s grief, frustration, and struggle in the wake of his brother’s murder. The film, which premiered to strong reviews at Sundance, is both emotional and pointed, with Ford attempting, on camera, to determine what really happened and assess what it means for self, family, and country when justice is so frequently crossed with prejudice.

”It is that very lack of objectivity that makes ‘Strong Island’ the experience that it is. It is a very tough film to shake.” Sheila O’Malley, RogerEbert.com

Release date: September 15, 2017

Streaming on: Netflix

Metacritic score: 86 out of 100

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