I grew up surrounded by sound—rap, jazz, pop—and I learned early that music can express things that words can’t express. So when Sinners treated music like a living and breathing force, something that reaches across time, I felt that in my bones.
Sinners is one of the greatest movies of this decade because it comments on real-world situations while being captivatingly entertaining at all times. Sinners’ draw has caused it to be nominated for over 16 Oscars, the most in history. Three weeks ago, Sinners won four Oscars for best actor, best original screenplay, best cinematography and best original score, edging over the highly acclaimed movie, One Battle After Another, with six.
One of the biggest plot points of the movie is the idea that if “You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s gonna follow you home.” It’s a warning, a prophecy and a truth that every character in the film has to face: the things we chase—fame, freedom, lust, love, escape, our dreams—always come with a cost. Everyone has their own version of the “devil.” The movie doesn’t explain it; it lets you recognize it for yourself. For me, it’s pressure, expectation and fear, constantly holding me back. Watching the movie helped me “kill” my devil.
The most pivotal theme of the movie is how music can transcend both time and space. We learn that talented musicians can access this hidden sense of music to bring it into our plane of existence. Across different cultures, these talented musicians are called different names. In West Africa and across the American South, they are called griots. The main character, Sammie, is a griot. When playing for his community, Sammie “activates” his powers and conjures the spirits of the past, present and future through his music.
This idea of griots hit me the hardest. It reminded me that every culture, especially those pushed to the margins, uses music to stay connected. Watching Sammie play, watching him bring history into the room, made me think about how music has always been the one place where people across the world, generations, races, and genders come together. It is the one unifying force. I could always count on music. Music has helped me make moments, memories but most importantly, it has helped me find a community of like minded people over a shared love.
In the mid-credits scene, Sammie, after experiencing the death of his town and being grasped in the hands of the devil himself, still chooses to keep playing the blues. That felt real. Sometimes choosing your dream isn’t a big speech or a heroic moment. Sometimes it’s just deciding to keep going, even when life gives you every reason not to.
Rating: 10/10
