The film Jaded dives into the literal definition of the word “jaded” meaning to be fatigued or exhausted. The main character Zanna deals with trying feelings of being jaded with her relationship which ultimately changes the trajectory of her life.
I enjoyed this film because it took a deep dive into how one person or incident can shape your life forever. I was concerned after the first three minutes because I could tell this film was going to show black trauma, which is something that we see far too often in cinema. While I believe black stories need to be told I feel like even black creators lean too heavily on narratives of pain. Jaded truly ended up being very understanding and digestible as everything unfolded. I finished this film feeling wanting a resolution but also not traumatized.
As an audience, we see Zanna’s story presented with flashbacks and juxtaposed with the present-day aftermath of her frustrations. The writer and director did a great job highlighting the connection between a black mother and her daughter. Zanna’s mom Mona tries to soothe Zanna’s pain while encouraging her to be strong during troubling times. Like most parents making things worst by pointing out why she should be happy. Even with her at times misspoken words of encouragement Mona is her daughter’s emotional rock, and the fact that Zanna came home to her childhood home says a lot about the calming space her mother has created.
Zanna’s boyfriend Jade who is the source of her trauma gives her a Jade color gift to be a symbol of clarity for their future and it just ends up being a constant reminder of her pain. I felt true disappointment as their relationship played out on screen. It was a good representation of when someone wants the best for you but you can’t fully process their intentions at the moment. As a viewer with every flashback you honestly fill for Zanna and that’s a tremendous nod to the actors Kemi Oyeneye and Tyrese Saint-Cyr.
To summarize a jaded relationship, a jaded gift, and some jaded feelings made this a great 14 minutes to watch.
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