A Thousand and One

Name: A Thousand and One
Genre: Crime
Released: March 31, 2023
Duration: 117 min
Rating: 81
Cast: Artrece Johnson, Ava Eisenson, Delissa Reynolds, Don DiPetta, Jolly Swag

2023

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 30 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 25 Ratings

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5.9

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5.9	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 25 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Focus Features | Release Date: March 31, 2023 | Not Rated

Starring: Artrece Johnson, Ava Eisenson, Delissa Reynolds, Don DiPetta, Jolly Swag, Josiah Cross, Lia Lando, Madeline Mahoney, Tara Pacheco, Teyana Taylor, Will Fitz, William Catlett

Movie Facts:

Winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize (Dramatic) at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.

Summary: Unapologetic and free-spirited Inez (Teyana Taylor) kidnaps her six-year-old son Terry from the foster care system. Holding onto their secret and each other, mother and son set out to reclaim their sense of home, identity, and stability, in a rapidly changing New York City.

Director: A.V. Rockwell

Genre(s): Crime

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 117 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Sarah-Tai Black

Apr 12, 2023

It is tempting to call A Thousand and One a love letter of sorts, but a more accurate read might be one of heartbreak. There is love here, certainly, but more than that there is frustration, anger and sadness at the way the world refuses to help those trying hardest to endure within it. Read full review

100

Ann Hornaday

Mar 29, 2023

This is a tough, beautiful, honest and bracingly hopeful movie about mutual care and unconditional love, with a transformative and indelible performance at its core. A Thousand and One isn’t just worth seeing — it’s worth celebrating. Read full review

Richard Brody

Mar 29, 2023

Rockwell’s vigorous detailing of personal life—with its evocation of inner lives—is at the heart of its political vision and of its dramatic strength. Read full review

Screen Rant Patrice Witherspoon

Feb 3, 2023

It doesn’t nail everything it set out to accomplish, but A Thousand and One is a breathtaking character study of perseverance in Black motherhood. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Apr 4, 2023

Rockwell’s achievement is to script a simple character study, cast it with an actress up to turning it into a tour de force, and making the entire enterprise a history lesson in the true cost of Giuliani’s “more livable city” experiment. Read full review

The Film Stage Jake Kring-Schreifels

Feb 1, 2023

Rockwell has plenty time to develop into a more distinguished storyteller, though her directorial instincts have a staggering specificity. This is a movie that gets gentrification right––she thrives in showing the way brief observations out a window paint a larger picture––and connects little dots from childhood to adulthood. Read full review

Kyle Smith

Mar 31, 2023

It’s a cousin to other superficially gritty but essentially cloying movies about the traumas of urban striving, such as “Precious” or “Moonlight.” Read full review

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User Reviews

Stream2BigScree

Apr 13, 2023

Hey, Streamers! The Grand Jury Prize winner at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival recently opened in theaters. It is called A Thousand and One and stars Teyana Taylor as Inez, a determined mother who kidnaps her son, Terry, from the foster care system in New York. Inez moves Terry with her toHey, Streamers! The Grand Jury Prize winner at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival recently opened in theaters. It is called A Thousand and One and stars Teyana Taylor as Inez, a determined mother who kidnaps her son, Terry, from the foster care system in New York. Inez moves Terry with her to Harlem, changes his name, and sets up a life avoiding trouble except for the changes of New York City in the 1990s. Inez and Terry rebuild their relationship and attempt to live a quiet life in order to avoid getting caught. Mother and son hijinks ensue.

A Thousand and One was written and directed by A. V. Rockwell. Rockwell has a really strong point of view as it juggles themes like motherhood, family, and even gentrification. It is a remarkable feature film debut from Rockwell, and I understand why it won the Grand Jury Prize. The plot could easily be a relegated to a TV movie, but it is elevated above that by the work of Rockwell. Additionally, Teyana Taylor's performance is powerful and supported by the really great script. In fact, Taylor has a role that feels tailor-made for her. She is very good at projecting the fierce loyalty and protectiveness of her character, Inez. She has surprisingly emotional scenes especially with the young actors that play Terry. Taylor is incredibly compelling throughout.

I guess the only pitfall of the movie is that plot machinations tend to get in the way of the compelling character drama, which veer more into that TV movie territory. At a certain point, things start to occur that feel inevitable but not necessarily organic to the story. Nevertheless, it always remains engaging and emotional.

As a side note: Teyana Taylor and Josiah Cross, who plays Terry at 17, could be the same age. That felt weird to me.

Ultimately, A Thousand and One is an impactful and emotionally engaging movie. It has a strong central performance by Teyana Taylor. A. V. Rockwell has done a great job writing and directing this movie. I can't say it's a must-see on the big screen, but if it is in your area, you should definitely check it out at a matinee with a bowl of popcorn.… Expand

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stevekm

May 26, 2023

A usual story plot, mother in prison and child in the system, mother trying to stay clean to keep her child and do better. A twist at the end didn't do it for me.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MattyIce34

Mar 31, 2023

Really well acted, I enjoyed the real feel and score, but end of the day it’s just a (at times boring) lesser version of better films we’ve seen before.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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