Slavery was abolished in the U.S. in 1865, but as recently as 1967 it was still illegal in some states for interracial couples to marry. Jeff Nichols’ film tells the story of Richard and Mildred Loving (played by Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga), a white man and a woman of color who fought the antimiscegenation laws in their home state, Virginia, and won. Nichols’ beautifully restrained approach makes the Lovings’ story feel immediate and vital. It’s also a reminder that change often happens in the margins.
