Native Son (2019 film)

Native Son is a 2019 American drama film, directed by Rashid Johnson, from a screenplay by Suzan-Lori Parks. It is based on the novel of the same name by Richard Wright. It stars Ashton Sanders, Margaret Qualley, Nick Robinson, KiKi Layne, Bill Camp and Sanaa Lathan.

It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2019. It was released on April 6, 2019, by HBO Films.

Plot
A young African-American named Bigger Thomas (Ashton Sanders) living in Chicago enters into a seductive new world of money and power after he is hired as a chauffeur for an affluent businessman.

Production
In February 2017, it was announced Rashid Johnson would direct the film, from a screenplay written by Suzan-Lori Parks. In March 2018, it was announced Ashton Sanders, Nick Robinson, Margaret Qualley, Bill Camp and KiKi Layne had been cast in the film. Matthew Perniciaro and Michael Sherman will produce under their Bow and Arrow Entertainment banner, while A24 will distribute. In April 2018, Sanaa Lathan, Connie Nelson, Lamar Johnson and Jerod Haynes joined the cast of the film.

Principal photography began on April 9, 2018, in Cleveland, Ohio. Production concluded on May 6, 2018.

Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein compose the film score. The soundtrack will be released at Milan Records.

Release
The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2019, Prior to, HBO Films acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film. It was released on April 6, 2019.

Critical reception
Native Son holds a 67% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 42 reviews, with a weighted average of 6.3/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Native Son's struggles with its problematic source material are uneven but overall compelling, thanks largely to Ashton Sanders' poised work in the central role." On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 63 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".