At first of “Study to Swim,” Dezi (Thomas Antony Olajide) trembles barely as places his saxophone to his lips. The Canadian director Thyrone Tommy cuts from that opening picture to a quintet flowing in stunning sync at a membership. The scene grooves. The band’s trumpet-playing chief, Sid (Christef Desir), and Dezi ply their onstage chemistry. A visitor vocalist, Selma (Emma Ferreira), takes the microphone promising “I see you. I see you” in a spoken-word riff. And isn’t that the spark of many a romance: Being seen?
Selma and Dezi start an affair. Though start is a tough matter. As a result of their relationship is recounted via Dezi’s recollections, that are themselves refracted via a prism of ache brought on by heartbreak and probably the most mundane of illnesses: a tooth ache.
Dezi’s abscess and his swollen jaw sign when he’s within the sullen current or occupies the potent, risky previous. A few of this drama’s hurts transcend the romantic, carrying the load of the African diaspora. Others come from mourning: Dezi shares a disquieting anecdote with Selma about his deceased mom. And the residing, no-nonsense Black ladies right here — Selma’s buddy Jesse (Khadijah Salawu); neighbor Sal (Andrea Davis) — trace at a protagonist in want of nurturing.
On this characteristic directing debut, with a screenplay he co-wrote with Marnie Van Dyk, Tommy works properly along with his ensemble and is clearly intrigued by emotional states. Or at the very least the concept of them. “Study to Swim” is beautiful to behold, however the sullen artist on the heart feels too usually like he’s drowning in melancholia and would possibly take us down with him.
Study to Swim
Not rated. Operating time: 1 hour half-hour. Watch on Netflix.