Middle of Nowhere is an ultra-independent film not many will get a chance to see in theaters but should check out when it’s released On Demand/Red Box/Netflix. It’s the kind of small movie that can leave a big impact just by exploring one character very, very well.
What Works: The film is about a black couple (Ruby and David) torn apart by a prison sentence for him. The film centers really more on Ruby, as she tries to be a loving wife and hopelessly wait for him to be released, even if, at some points, it feels like she cares more about his future than he does. It follows her as she gets gradually frustrated and even develops a connection (possibly romance?) to a single dad bus driver who likes her. Emayatzy Corinealdi is excellent as Ruby, a performance filled with hope in all the wrong things and right things. Ruby refuses to become a bitter person, and watching her romantic optimism in her husband, life, and, ultimately, herself was incredibly moving.
What Didn’t Work: As with a lot of micro-budgeted indies, there are some scenes that could be trimmed or patches of low energy that seem to make a good scene last too long, but I don’t feel like criticizing a movie that gets so much right.
What I Would Have Done Differently: The character of David is always a little abstract. We never really learn what he’s been arrested for (it’s hinted at that he sold guns), and we never learn his perspective all that much. Now that’s partly an intentional choice, since we’re experiencing him as Ruby does, but I still think the character could have been fleshed out a bit more. Still, why split hairs?