A Thousand and One - Movie Reviews (2024)

A Thousand and One Reviews

Daniel Allen Loud and Clear Reviews

There is something delicately novelistic in the way A Thousand and One tackles its themes of family and gentrification, helped by a range of nuanced performances (especially from Teyana Taylor).

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 25, 2024

Shanelle Genai The Root

"And while strides may have been made to put more space between their f*cked up beginning and the bright future ahead for Terry—the truth that’s been stewing and haunting their home built on lies is bound to bubble over to the surface."

Full Review | Jun 19, 2024

Jeffrey Overstreet Looking Closer

Every performance in the film feels just right, making this film's time-jumping narrative seem authentic at every turn. And the main event ... is the performance of Teyana Taylor as Inez.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Jun 6, 2024

David Bax Battleship Pretension

A Thousand and One is often a quiet film, even in its scenes of strife and devastation of both the emotional and financial varieties.

Full Review | May 30, 2024

Shadan Larki InSession Film

Ana Yorke PopMatters

Several knife-turning twists will rattle you whole before the end, but there’s no gimmick. The pain is real. A Thousand and One is an astoundingly accomplished debut film that stays with you long after the curtain falls.

Full Review | Dec 29, 2023

Bill Newcott The Saturday Evening Post

First-time feature writer/director A.V. Rockwell deftly navigates the epic narrative, including a finale that somehow both breaks your heart and sends your spirit soaring.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 21, 2023

Jared Mobarak Hey, Have You Seen ...?

It helps that Rockwell found actors who were able to give the material the authenticity it demands by portraying imperfect souls struggling to be better even as they find themselves failing again and again.

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Nov 22, 2023

Ruben Peralta Rigaud Cocalecas

A very dynamic family portrait in which the characters are molded by their own decisions as well as external forces. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Oct 5, 2023

James Croot Stuff.co.nz

A Thousand and One is one of the most absorbing and immersive dramas of the year.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 21, 2023

John Serba Decider

Rockwell maintains simmering tension beneath a rock-solid character-driven story...

Full Review | Sep 20, 2023

Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid

Taylor is the secret weapon here. She's gorgeous and ferocious and never hits a false note.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.4/5 | Sep 16, 2023

Jeffrey Peterson Naija Nerds

Overall, A Thousand and One is a solid film, with a good script, particularly from a dialogue standpoint. The characters don’t often overdo their lines and the team brings fresh approaches to common situations.

Full Review | Sep 7, 2023

Sarah Vincent Cambridge Day

The best revenge is living well, and Inez, a criminal mastermind, rejects the laws of this world and their condemnation to navigate life on her own terms.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Aug 16, 2023

Jillian Chilingerian Offscreen Central

A.V. Rockwell writes a love letter to mothers and the marginalized communities of New York through a painful character study following a mother-son relationship living in an ever-changing city.

Full Review | Jul 25, 2023

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A Thousand and One - Movie Reviews (2024)

FAQs

What is the meaning behind the movie A Thousand and One? ›

The A Thousand and One ending considers how difficult it is for families to stay together, particularly Black families in America, when there is a system set against them from childhood. The debut feature-length movie by Black director A. V.

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Is A Thousand and One worth watching? ›

great acting by Teyana. great ending suspense Content collapsed. Teyana Taylor gives a spectacular heart gripping performance as a mom trying to do the best she can for her son.

Is A Thousand and One a true story? ›

"A Thousand and One" Isn't a True Story, but It Pulls From Writer-Director A.V. Rockwell's Experiences - IMDb. Gritty, raw, and moving, "A Thousand and One" is already generating buzz among critics for its depiction of a mother and son struggling to survive in an increasingly gentrified and evolving New York City.

What is the point of A Thousand and One? ›

In an interview with Filmmaker Magazine, Rockwell says that the point of A Thousand and One is to show "how hard it is to keep Black families together, and the different things that try to rip us apart." Through Inez, Terry, and Lucky, that message is expertly translated to the screen, with each character experiencing ...

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Why did Inez smile at the end in A Thousand and One? ›

“Inez has been through a lot, but she never let her faith walk stop, which is the reason why you get to the end of the film, she could walk away with a smile on her face knowing that she did her part and did everything she could, knowing that he's gonna be something.

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Does Inez go to jail? ›

Inez and Lucky both spend time in prison, though it's never mentioned why. Inez also claims she's been to jail multiple times because of Lucky. Inez can act immaturely and lose her temper. Sometimes, it's a pride issue, but more often, it's caused by her own insecurities.

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Why did Inez kidnap Terry? ›

Inez is energetic and resourceful; while housed in a shelter, she gets freelance work doing hair. Believing that Terry has been neglected and mistreated in foster care, she kidnaps him and takes him to Harlem.

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What is the plot of A Thousand and One? ›

The film stars Teyana Taylor, Will Catlett, Josiah Cross, Aven Courtney, and Aaron Kingsley Adetola. Set between the 1990s and 2000s, it focuses on a single mother who decides to kidnap her son out of the foster care system to raise him herself, as the two struggle with life in a constantly changing New York City.

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Why is A Thousand and One called that? ›

This is also where we learn the double meaning of the film's title; as much as "A Thousand and One" refers to the never-ending obstacles Inez must overcome in her efforts to care for Terry, it is also their apartment's literal address (which is missing a dash).

Where was A Thousand and One filmed? ›

Some of the film was shot in Brooklyn, because we had to go to places like Brownsville or East New York to find streets that felt untouched from the '90s. We also tried to designate different time periods by colors. With the '90s, we wanted a red or warm palette, so we scouted locations with those tones.

Did A Thousand and One win any awards? ›

A.V. Rockwell's feature debut A Thousand and One won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.