The fight scene in Waves starts with Tyler confronting his dad (and knocking him down). He then drives to a party, drunk and eager to confront his ex-girlfriend, Alexis. The camera follows him through the large house, painting a melodramatic feel with harsh blue and red color schemes; it’s dark. Still in pursuit of Alexis, he stops at the bathroom, and in true A24 style, there’s a hyperfocus on his hands and his reflection in the mirror. He is faced with pressure; he’s a wrestler, and he’s wrestling expectations, which result in him fatally punching Alexis.
…The screen goes black for seven seconds. Yes, I counted because it felt like an eternity. And then for another 30 seconds, the sound is cut, not even music playing in the background. The camera zooms in on Kelvin’s face, drool, sweat, blood, tears, the whole Academy Award special! There is so much pressure leading up to this moment, and it comes out in a scream from one of the partygoers. And at that moment, Tyler breaks from the shock of having murdered his ex-girlfriend and immediately switches to panic. It’s too precise not to be mentioned. It’s too authentic not to be praised.
If you want drama, Kelvin Harrison Jr. will bring the drama. If you want an aspiring singer, an all-star athletic teen, a Disney villain, a trusted coworker and friend, a French composer, a Civil Rights leader, you gotta call Kelvin Harrison Jr. because there is no role he cannot authentically pull off! Kelvin has RANGE! 👏👏👏👏👏
