‘A Thousand and One’ Movie Review [Sundance 2023]: Teyana Taylor Is Transcendent in Mother-Son Drama

The Sundance Film Festival 2023 program includes several films highlighting the parent-child relationship under difficult circumstances. A.V. Rockwell’s A Thousand and One dives into the world of a mother and her son rekindling a relationship after the system failed them both. It’s a compelling story, but the performances are a real knock-out.

‘A Thousand and One’ follows a mother seeking a relationship with her son

Inez (music artist-turned-actor Teyana Taylor) moves from one New York City shelter to the next in the mid-1990s, refusing to live her life on anybody else’s terms. She commits to raising her 6-year-old son, Terry (Aaron Kingsley Adetola), who’s in the foster care system.

After some thought, Inez goes through with kidnapping her son so that way they can live the life that she always wanted to have with him. Terry grows up into an intelligent, yet shy teenager, viewing Inez’s boyfriend, Lucky (William Catlett), as a father figure. However, the secret of his kidnapping threatens the life that they built together.

The definition of family and home

A Thousand and One finds a mother and her young son both under the thumb of the city, but they’re itching to break out. Inez promises that she’s out of trouble for good this time, although Terry isn’t convinced that’s the truth. However, he doesn’t realize the pain and trauma that she’s harboring from the past, having no mother herself to rely on or model her own parenthood on. The pair have very different definitions of family and home, often causing them to clash.

“There’s more to life than f***ed up beginnings,” Inez tells Terry. This statement echoes through the entirety of the narrative, reflecting on both mother and son. They experience multiple beginnings over the course of the film, with the most substantial being their initial reconciliation. He’s living with the story that his mother abandoned him on the street corner, but she realizes that the foster care system has its own narrative surrounding her. She’s aware that such a home isn’t where her son will have the best opportunities in life.

Inez wants Terry to reach his full potential in life, but she never acknowledged his biological father as a potential positive influence on their son. Instead, Terry develops a bond with Lucky, which presents its own problems in their household. Inez only wants what’s best for her son, even though it often results in battles with those closest to her. A Thousand and One chronicles the ways that her pain manifests differently over the course of several years, as she finds new ways to reconcile with what’s weighing on her mind and soul.

‘A Thousand and One’ is a thoughtful character piece

Rockwell makes a solid writing and directing feature debut with A Thousand and One, even despite some issues. Her screenplay tackles several years in the life of Inez and Terry, taking on a wide breadth of the story. It’s a bit narratively overstuffed, and the final dramatic conclusion twists and convolutes the story in a way that doesn’t feel as impactful as what came before it. Nevertheless, the central character arcs are thoughtful and meaningful. None of them are painted with a single stroke, allowing them to exist on the screen with all of their imperfections.

The performances elevate the film’s dramatic impact, as Rockwell draws out tremendous portrayals. Taylor is flawless as Inez, introducing nuance to the character’s journey. Hopefully, the world is about to see a lot more of her in future feature films because she’s a force. Meanwhile, Josiah Cross is stellar as 17-year-old Terry. He brings dramatic weight to the role, impeccably volleying with Taylor.

A Thousand and One is an enthralling story about motherhood and the failures of the system, featuring a soul-shattering performance from Taylor. Rockwell proves herself a formidable talent, crafting a film from the heart that stays true to its characters.

A Thousand and One comes to theaters on March 31.