On June 8th, director, David Fortune debuted Color Book at the Tribeca Film Festival, where the theme was Untold Stories. This heartfelt story is an emotional drama which sets place in the suburbs of Atlanta.
A widowed father by the name of Lucky (played by William Catlett) is left to take care of his 11-year old son with down syndrome, Mason (played by Jeremiah Daniels), after the death of wife and mother Tammy (played by Brandee Evans) due to a car accident. By far, this movie encapsulates the importance of fatherhood within the Black community along with having to endure the intersections of disability and losing an important figure in one’s life.
Fortune makes it known in the black and white film that experiencing the complexities of grief isn’t easy and it surely isn’t a feeling that just passes by. Color Book begins with Tammy helping her child, Mason, make a beaded necklace with her name on it, as she is enjoying spending time with him. One scene later, Tammy is no longer there and the audience sees Lucky brushing Mason’s hair, making breakfast for them both, and leading breakfast with prayer.
If you have a knack for observing films, then one would notice that mother’s usually do the nurturing, such as their child’s hair, cooking and even saying the family prayer. Sadly, because Tammy has passed, Lucky is left picking up where she left off as Mason’s mom, but also has to continue to be the role of his father.
It is noticed that while dealing with Tammy’s passing, Lucky didn’t have much patience with his son’s learning abilities in the beginning of the film. When the audience sees Tammy teaching Mason how to make the beaded necklace step-by-step, they also see that she had the patience to teach her son. However, since experiencing myriad emotions of grief, Lucky seems to be impatient with Mason when teaching him and when he isn’t following his father-like directions. Within the film, Mason has an emotional attachment to a balloon, which seems to remind him of the balloon he held during his mother’s memorial.
When him and his dad get’s invited to a baseball game that Mason is highly anticipating, he insists on taking the balloon, but Lucky doesn’t let him. It may also seem like he doesn’t realize that Mason is also feeling the emotion of despair, as they have both lost someone so close to them.
Through many moments within the film, Lucky is reminded of his wife. From going to the auto salvage yard to pick up her belongings from the wrecked car, finding the necklace that Mason made with his mom, the balloon that Mason wanted to take with him, to another balloon that causes him to stray away from Lucky. However, after experiencing a day of Murphy’s Law, Lucky realizes how his snappy behavior has affected his son to some degree, and he learns to be more patient, which was heartwarming to watch.
Central to the film is the theme of fatherhood , emphasizing Lucky’s unwavering love and dedication to his son, despite the challenges they face. It is overt that he loves his son despite Mason’s differences from most kids. Regardless if he has down syndrome, Lucky still wants his son to grow up to be a self-sufficient man and utilizes certain tasks, like helping his dad pump the gas, to show his son how to be just that.
Despite the obstacles they were facing to get to the game, Lucky tried his best to keep his word, which also shows the efforts that he has put in to make his son happy. As the story unfolds, viewers witness Lucky’s growth as a single father and his realization of the importance of patience and understanding in nurturing Mason’s development. Their father-son relationship emulates one that is loving, healthy and vulnerable, which was greatly encapsulated by Fortune.
The overarching theme of the film revolves around coping with the daily grief of losing a cherished family member. After leaving his balloon on the train and wanting to go back for it, Mason emotionally reveals that he misses his mom. As the film nears its conclusion, Lucky asks Mason to make a commitment. Just before they step onto the crosswalk leading to the stadium, Lucky tells Mason, “You gonna hold my hand, and we gon’ keep running, you hear me?” He emphasizes, “We not gon’ look back.” This symbolic gesture, referencing their journey through Tammy’s passing, deepens their bond even further, offering hope for eventual healing. Despite missing the game, their day spent together allows them to confront their grief and support each other through it.
Overall, Color Book is a compelling exploration of loss, love, and resilience, anchored by heartfelt performances and a poignant narrative that resonates long after the credits roll.
