Adam Grinwald is a Feature Writer at Collider with a lifelong passion for cinema, literature, music, and culture.
The Big Picture Long before his drama Moonlight made Oscars history, Barry Jenkins crafted a discreet but potent romantic drama called Medicine for Melancholy. Shot on a shoestring budget, Jenkins's feature-length directorial debut wrestles with many of the same themes as his later works. Racial oppression, cultural identity, romantic intricacies, and sexuality–it's all here, even if in a less glossy package.
Against the backdrop of a gentrified San Francisco, the would-be couple navigates their romantic spark while examining what their racial identity means in the white-dominated art world. They wake up after a one-night stand then, after an awkward goodbye, part ways, only for Jo to leave her wallet behind in a shared cab.
On another level, the film works because its themes, primarily expressed through the politically charged conversations frequently held between its two leads, are timely, important, and relevant. Jo and Micah’s San Francisco may not necessarily be your city, but the complex issues plaguing it are that of the greater America and the world at large. That the topics of conversation so frequently touch on race is almost entirely thanks to Micah. For him, it's not just important, but crucial.
'Medicine for Melancholy' Is a Testament to Low-Budget Filmmaking The finished product of Jenkins's first film is made all the more impressive when considering its microscopic budget of $15,000. Jenkins has stated that the film was largely a result of "trying to find a way to make a film that we didn’t need anyone’s permission or anyone’s money". And, frankly, Medicine is the type of film whose potency would only be diminished by excessive studio meddling.
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