TIME

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

TIME
TIME Courtesy of Amazon Studios

In this love story filmed over two decades, indomitable matriarch Fox Rich strives to raise her six sons and keep her family together while fighting for her husband’s release from the Louisiana State Penitentiary, commonly known as Angola.

Garrett Bradley, Lauren Domino and Kellen Quinn

“Time” is a documentary about real people dealing with real issues. Fox Rich tells the story of her family’s life with the help of home videos. Her husband is sent to prison when they rob a credit union. Over twenty years, Fox singlehandedly raises their six sons, all the while pouring everything they have into getting her husband out of jail. Their devotion to one another and God is just as powerful to watch as seeing their sons grow up into intelligent, respectful young men. The documentary shines a light on how flawed our justice system is, showing the difficulties of getting out of jail once you’re there.

At the center of the piece is the dynamic real-life character that is Fox Rich. She’s such a powerful woman, and you love to watch her go about her day. From her impassioned public speeches to a quiet phone call with her incarcerated husband, you genuinely get a sense of her way with words. Despite the adversities she faces, she stands firm with quiet sternness. My favorite moment in the film, however, is following a phone call with the county clerk. Speaking to the camera, Fox lets out some of her frustration in an angered way. She speaks of some of the things said to her about her husband’s release from jail, how these people have no care for anyone in the system, and how tired she is of waiting twenty years.

The documentary was quite the darling throughout the awards season. The Oscar experts are even predicting “Time” to win it all. Personally, it falls somewhere in the middle for me. “My Octopus Teacher,” with its stunning cinematography and peek into a world we know little about, stands a bit taller than “Time.” Even “Collective” feels more like a once-in-a-lifetime journey in uncovering the corrupt nature of a government. All I can say for sure is that the Best Documentary Feature is likely to be another category that will win or lose your office Oscar pool.