Netflix has been almost exclusively the source of entertainment during the Coronavirus pandemic.
They’re featuring new and old films practically every week, but recently, one, in particular, has caught my eye. Moonlight actor Ashton Sanders stars in Netflix Original All Day and a Night which has been trending in the “most popular” section of the streaming app since its release. The gritty, gut-wrenching, drama begins with Jahkor Lincoln, (played by Sanders) committing a heinous crime. It follows the young man through his complicated adolescence in Oakland, California. Sanders, originally from California spoke with The Knockturnal about working on a film in his home state, “This is my first time doing a movie, a centered role, in California” says Sanders “Oakland is different from Los Angeles, kind of one in the same but different culturally. It kind of has its own culture so it was cool being able to just tap into that”.
The movie was a raw depiction of what it’s like to grow up in a perpetual cycle of generational trauma. Jahkor was depicted as a young man trying to navigate life in his gang-riddled neighborhood the best he could. His character tried using positive outlets like a hopeful rap career to steer clear from negative influences but always found himself right back in the thick of it. “I feel like this story is about breaking generational patterns, right? The entire movie you see him struggling with that… I feel like in our community we know a lot of people like that, whether it’s family or friends who kind of get stuck and trapped in the trap shit or the hood shit but want a way out” Sanders explains.
All Day and A Night is currently streaming on Netflix.
