Review: ‘Mickey Hardaway,’ a harrowing tale of one Black man’s pain

Far too often, mainstream cinema exploits the misery of Black men and women. It becomes less about unraveling the deep roots of pain than manipulating the audience and wallowing in despair. Black trauma through a delicate lens, writer/director Marcellus Cox’s Mickey Hardaway excavates years of physical and emotional abuse to unwind a story about a young sketch artist working through his hurt in therapy and his art. It’s neither exploitation nor a tepid portrait – it’s grounded in real life, exhuming the complexities of a Black man’s anguish and how he claws out of the abyss.

Mickey (Rashad Hunter) has been conditioned that he’s worthless. His father Randall (David Chattam) governs with a cruel hand, often resorting to violence to squash his spirit. Brutality bursts in bubbles, with pent-up aggression boiling to the surface. Perhaps masking his own suffering and crushed dreams, Randall fails to realize how his actions torment Mickey and force him from the home. But Mickey is a testament to perseverance. Despite his father’s heartless parenting, he never loses sight of his worth and ability to make people feel through his artwork. He soon trades a dysfunctional and dangerous living situation for one on the streets and living in his car.

While things look pretty grim, Mickey seeks therapy to confront, unpack, and process his trauma. His therapist (Stephen Cofield Jr.) guides him through the process of peeling back the layers of his past and understanding that his father’s blistering misery is not his responsibility. What he can control is how he reacts to it and the best ways to safeguard his mental health. Painted in black and white, Cox’s film dispatches a harrowing tale about a Black man who has the entire world built against him. Mickey faces more than his father’s violent behavior; he looks out his window and witnesses a harsh reality where police abuse their power and a white man tries to steal his art. It’s nothing new, but Cox zeros in on Mickey’s story so the world can see the truth for what it really is.

Mickey’s mental capacity continues to crack. He fights tooth and nail against his slow deterioration, but it’s like an avalanche – it’s going to crash down upon his shoulders regardless of his actions. It’s only a matter of when and how. The world, which once promised hope and freedom, darkens with despair. He’s left fending for himself, feeling as though he has no other options in life. His downward spiral leads him on an even darker, vengeful path, an unexpected turn in Cox’s dramatic thriller.

Mickey Hardaway leaves all the cards on the table. Hunt digs his fingernails into the script, coloring each layer with incredible nuance and care. He doesn’t just present one side of his character; every facet wiggles its way into the spotlight, resulting in a full-bodied character with depth and range. The script aches for more polish with another pass or two, yet what Cox has brought to the page roots itself in the here and now. It’s as timeless a piece of work as you might expect, with its two-ton themes and characterizations. What Cox has done on a limited budget is impressive and signals he has plenty more to say. Even with meager resources, the filmmaker jolts you awake and makes you pay attention—delivering a necessary reality check when it comes to race, complicity, and mental health.

Follow B-Sides & Badlands on our socials: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram