Nickel Boys, based on Colson Whitehead’s 2020 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, tells the gripping story of two Black teenagers navigating the horrors of a reform school in the Jim Crow South. The drama, directed by RaMell Ross, now playing in select New York theaters as of December 13 and will expand to select Los Angeles theaters on December 20. A wider rollout is expected afterwards.
The film follows Elwood Curtis (Ethan Herisse), an optimistic teenager whose dreams of going to college are crushed when he’s sent to Nickel Academy after innocently catching a ride with a car thief. There, he meets Turner (Brandon Wilson), a fellow student who helps him survive the institution’s daily abuse. Set during the Civil Rights Movement, the boys’ friendship becomes a source of resilience and hope in the face of systemic cruelty.
Speaking to Vulture, Ross described his vision for the film: “I thought POV. I thought poetry. I thought archival. It came pretty fast, because the way I entered the book aligned so much with my aesthetic values.” His use of point-of-view filmmaking immerses viewers in the characters’ experiences, creating what Ross calls “a type of psychological double consciousness, where you’re both in it and on the outside of it.”
The cast includes Ethan Herisse, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor. Ross noted the significance of working with the cast, saying, “They were, I think, deeply enthusiastic to be part of a production that was predominantly Black.”
![nickel boys cast](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/ramell-ross-aunjanue-ellis-taylor-ethan-herisse-brandon-news-photo-1734041394.pjpeg?resize=980:* ""Nickel Boys" Special Screening")
The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in August, and is also nominated for the Best Motion Picture Drama award at the upcoming 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards. The New York Times praised Ross’s ability to “cradle the characters in soft, beautiful light, even as the story turns unbearably cruel.” ELLE also highlighted the film as one of the best of 2024.
Amazon MGM Studios has yet to announce an official streaming date or digital release date for Nickel Boys. However, it is expected to eventually stream on MGM+ and Prime Video. Past Amazon MGM Studios films have also landed on those platforms, including Challengers and The Beekeeper.
In the meantime, you can enjoy the film in theaters.