
Bygones: Review.
Directed by WNBA player Angel McCoughtry, Bygones weaves a story of love, forgiveness, and basketball through 1969 and present-day Atlanta. In 1969, Leon (Jordan Pressley) is a young African American basketball player fresh off the celebrations of a championship victory. While walking back to his hotel, a group of white men attack him in the woods, leaving his fate a mystery until later in the film.
Cut to present-day Atlanta, and Charissa (Malyah Glover) is struggling with her basketball skills, that is, until a former basketball standout and resident “old white guy” begins to help her develop her game to the next level. Officially selected for the Raindance Film Festival, Bygones aims to move audiences with its powerful message and plenty of heart.
McCounghtry makes the most of her budget on Bygones. She uses minimal locations and makes her basketball shots feel true-to-life and kinetic rather than overly choreographed. McCounghtry’s track “Big Dipper” plays well in the film, adding energy to the cookout scene (along with being a solid Atlanta hip-hop track).
Bygones overlapping stories and dovetailing timelines leave more than enough room for a feature, yet feel natural in a 26-minute run-time. Notably, there are some abrupt character beats that miss prevent the deeper emotions from marinating within the story, but nothing too distracting from the final message.
It’s tough to fault Bygones for its shortcomings. Indie filmmakers do not have the millions of dollars to create massive, dynamic basketball scenes or create a gripping championship game for viewers to witness at high stakes. The story itself is moving and socially relevant, something McCounghtry could run with in the future or leave in Bygones.
Those ingrained in the world of indie cinema will find plenty to enjoy in this short drama about so much more than basketball. Yet those outside of the indie world may not appreciate a film with such an indie feel in every frame.
Regardless of indie familiarity or community, Bygones succeeds in crafting a strong emotional arc for Chrissa and showcasing McCounghtry’s ability as a filmmaker.
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