Waves 2019 _top_ -

Upon its release in late 2019, Waves polarized some critics who found its stylistic choices overindulgent or its tonal shift jarring. However, in the years since, the film’s reputation has grown significantly. It is now widely regarded as one of the most honest and visually arrestive depictions of Gen Z youth culture put to film—avoiding the cynical caricatures often found in teen dramas to deliver something deeply empathetic.

The story initially centers on Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), a high school wrestling star under intense pressure from his domineering but well-intentioned father, Ronald (Sterling K. Brown). The cinematography is frenetic and vibrant, capturing Tyler’s internal pressure as it boils over into a series of catastrophic choices. waves 2019