Waves (2019)
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2025-09 to 2026-08
A suburban American family must navigate the heavy consequences of a tragic loss and the complexities of love and forgiveness.
The story
Tyler Williams is a popular high school senior and wrestler whose life is complicated by a secret injury and a burgeoning relationship with his girlfriend, Alexis Lopez. When a medical complication and a personal crisis regarding a potential pregnancy collide, Tyler's life begins to unravel. The film follows the emotional journey of his family as they navigate the fallout of a tragic event, exploring the bonds of blood and the weight of personal choices in the wake of a devastating loss.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Tyler Williams, a high school wrestler, hides a severe shoulder injury while being pressured by his domineering father, Ronald. When his girlfriend Alexis reveals she is pregnant, a conflict over the decision to keep the child leads to a fractured relationship. Following a series of escalating tensions and a physical altercation at a party, Tyler's actions lead to a tragic death and his own arrest. He is sentenced to life in prison. The narrative then follows his sister, Emily, as she navigates her grief and begins a relationship with a classmate, Luke. While Emily deals with the fallout of her brother's actions and her parents' strained relationship, she and Luke travel to visit Luke's dying father, ultimately finding moments of reconciliation and peace amidst the tragedy.
- First release year
- 2019
- Runtime (minutes)
- 135
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Trey Edward Shults
- Writers
- Trey Edward Shults · writer
- Cast and characters
- Kelvin Harrison Jr. · Tyler; Taylor Russell · Emily; Sterling K. Brown · Ronald; Renée Elise Goldsberry; Alexa Demie · Alexis; Lucas Hedges
- Genres
- psychological drama; romantic drama
- Themes
- grief; toxic masculinity; family dynamics
- Tone and mood
- dramatic; tense
- Premise and plot tags
- father-son relationship; sports drama
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances, cinematography, and the director's work.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 80 · scale: 100 · review count: 45
- Awards and nominations
- National Board of Review · one of the ten best films of the year · win
- Production trivia
- The score was composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.; The film features a variety of contemporary rap, R&B, and alternative music.; The script was originally written without a specific racial ethnicity for the family.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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