JUANITA

2019, 90 minutes, Colour.
Alfre Woodard, Adam Beach, Ashlie Atkinson, Jordan Nia Elizabeth, Blair Underwood, Marcus Henderson, La Tanya Richardson Jackson.
Directed by Clark Johnson.

Juanita is a very plain title. The film is based on a novel by Sheila Williams, Dancing on the Edge of the Roof – far more imaginative!

The film is a portrait of an African American woman, an interesting device for the opening credits with animated sketches illustrating her life, its developments, failures, building up to the present situation where she is in middle age. She is Juanita, played by Alfre Woodard – with the device of her addressing the audience throughout the film, confiding in them.

She lives in Columbus, Ohio, lives by herself except that she has three children, by different fathers, one of whom is in prison, one of whom is irresponsible, and the daughter who lives a casual life, moving in and out of home, a boyfriend. While Juanita has friends, she is becoming more and more exasperated and decides to go on a journey, giving herself an opportunity to find her real self.

Juanita then becomes a road film, Juanita buying a ticket to Butte, Montana (which she pronounces, ‘butt’). She is very tired – but has an imaginative moment when she sees the bus passengers singing and dancing with her. But, at a stop, she encounters a truck driver, Peaches (Ashlie Atkinson) who offers her a lift.

She does not get to Butte, but stops at Paper Moon, clashing with Jess (Adam Beech), a Native American who has served in the Gulf War and still suffers from trauma even as he tries to make his diner a modern French cuisine. Juanita bonds well with Jess, working in the diner, accompanying him to a gathering of Native Americans, disturbed at first, but then at ease.

While the film has a focus on African-Americans? and Native Americans, it has a universal story, a middle-aged woman realising that life has been hard, that she is tired and exasperated – and needs to go on a journey, even a physical journey as well as emotional, to discover her real self.

1. The title? The focus on Juanita?

2. The initial sketches, their style, humour, building up Juanita’s life and dilemmas?

3. A piece of Americana, race issues, women’s issues, crime?

4. Columbus, Ohio? Homes, streets, workplaces, prison? And for Juanita a place to get out from? The musical score?

5. Juanita, Alfre Woodard and her screen presence, the dialogue and talking to camera and confiding in the audience? Her age, family background, the men in her life, fathers of her children, her relationship with her children? The responsible children at home? Her son in prison and a visit to him?

6. Her decision to leave, her friend and confiding in her? The later phone calls?

7. Juanita and her fantasies, her dreams, the presence of Blair Underwood, the sex symbol, his sending himself up? Romance, yet his being self-centred, wanting the loan? His continual reappearance – and her finally ridding herself of him?

8. Going to the bus station, wanting to go to Butte and her pronunciation? On the bus, the ride, the escape, the effect? Her imagining the passengers and their singing and dancing?

9. The stop, at the diner, the encounter with Peaches, their discussion, deciding to go with her, in the truck, the trip, arriving at Paper Moon?

10. The diner, wanting the old-fashioned breakfast, the French cuisine at the diner, her encounter with Jess, the discussions about food? Differences? His inviting her to the kitchen, making the breakfast? His attraction, driving her to the boarding house? Giving her the job, the collage of her cooking, the increasing customers?

11. Jess, his life, the Gulf War, witnessing the death of friends? The traumatic effect on him and his later life?

12. The invitation to Juanita to go to the Native American gathering, the people, the traditions, the rituals, the camaraderie? Her experience, her being sick, recovering, the effect of the visit?

13. The phone calls, her children and their responsibilities, irresponsibility?

14. Her son arriving from prison, parole, Jess urging him to come? The son working in the restaurant?

15. Juanita, the effect of the experience, a new lease of life, the future, Jess?