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Sinners (2025)
Reviewed on 2025 May 11
Despite his general antipathy towards horror movies, Mr. Shukti decided to watch this with me. He loathes horror movie tropes, jump scares and all of those things. He truly enjoyed this, which could stand alone as an endorsement from him, but I wanted to give you a review. This is kind of a barebones synopsis but I’m doing that deliberately - the less you know about this thing I think the more powerful it will be and the more you’ll enjoy it.
It’s Mississippi, 1932, and a preacher is encouraging his son Sammie (Miles Caton) to give up his music and not follow the path of his cousins Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan in an amazing dual role). The brothers are wanting to leave their Chicago lives behind and open a juke joint, just something to entertain people and fatten their wallets with everyone having a good time. They need Sammie, whose bottleneck guitar work brings Robert Johnson to mind. They also poach a pianist and harmonica player, Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo) and add even more talent, booze, food….all they need to do now is have a crowd show up.
And show up it does. That’s when the trouble starts.
The acting from everyone in this is remarkable, and the music is astonishing. If you like horror rooted in folklore, sepia-washed movies about the Deep South of the 30s, or are just a music lover, you need to see this. Two things - once Sammy starts playing in the club, stay with that whole sequence - don’t get up for anything. Also - watch the full credits.
Three morsels, and an Irish beer.
— Shukti
