"Waves" – A Hauntingly Beautiful Exploration of Love, Loss, and Redemption
Released in 2019 and directed by Trey Edward Shults, Waves is an emotionally powerful drama that delves deep into the complexities of family, grief, forgiveness, and the struggle to move forward after tragedy. With its bold visual style, mesmerizing soundtrack, and raw performances, the film stands out as a deeply personal and poetic meditation on the human experience. It's not a traditional coming-of-age story—it’s a two-part emotional journey that shatters, then heals.
Set in South Florida, Waves follows the life of a suburban African-American family, initially focusing on Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), a high school senior and wrestling star with a seemingly perfect life. Driven by intense pressure from his father Ronald (played by Sterling K. Brown), Tyler works hard to succeed both academically and athletically. However, beneath the surface, he’s unraveling. After suffering a shoulder injury, he hides his condition and turns to drugs, alcohol, and reckless behavior. His relationship with his girlfriend Alexis (Alexa Demie) begins to crumble, and the mounting pressure culminates in a shocking and irreversible act that devastates the family.
At the film’s emotional midpoint, Waves shifts its focus to Tyler’s younger sister Emily (Taylor Russell), who quietly endured her brother’s collapse in the background. Her journey becomes the heart of the film’s second half, as she attempts to navigate grief, isolation, and the fractured remnants of her family. Through a tender and unexpected romance with a classmate named Luke (Lucas Hedges), Emily begins to rediscover connection and hope, offering a moving contrast to the film's darker first half.
What makes Waves truly remarkable is its innovative storytelling and aesthetic. Shults uses a dynamic, almost hypnotic visual style—wide-angle lenses, fluid camera movements, saturated lighting, and shifting aspect ratios—to immerse viewers in the emotional state of each character. The film pulses with life and anxiety in Tyler’s half, while slowing down into a quieter, more introspective tone during Emily’s. The soundtrack, featuring artists like Frank Ocean, Kanye West, Tame Impala, and Radiohead, is perfectly woven into the fabric of the film, becoming a second voice that speaks where words fail.
The performances in Waves are exceptional. Kelvin Harrison Jr. delivers a gut-wrenching portrayal of a young man under immense psychological strain. Sterling K. Brown captures the complexity of a father whose good intentions lead to harmful pressure. But it is Taylor Russell who steals the film’s second half—her quiet strength and emotional vulnerability give the story a chance to breathe and heal. Her transformation is subtle, honest, and ultimately redemptive.
Waves is not an easy film—it deals with trauma, guilt, and the kind of pain that doesn't have clean answers. But it is also a hopeful film, one that believes in the resilience of love and the human capacity for forgiveness. Shults presents an intimate portrait of a family shattered by tragedy, and then shows, with great care, how they begin to piece themselves back together.
In the end, Waves is a cinematic experience as emotionally intense as it is visually stunning—an unforgettable journey through darkness into light.
