Oscar-Nominated 'Nickel Boys' Stands Out for Its Bold Visual Style and Emotional Depth

RaMell Ross's adaptation of Colson Whitehead's novel explores racial injustice through an innovative first-person perspective.

'Nickel Boys,' based on Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, is nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2025 Academy Awards.
The film, directed by RaMell Ross, uses a first-person point-of-view to immerse viewers in the experiences of its main characters, Elwood and Turner.
Set in Jim Crow-era Florida, the story follows Elwood, a young Black boy wrongfully sent to a segregated reform school, inspired by the real-life Dozier School for Boys.
Critics have praised the film's intimate and artistic approach, highlighting its ability to balance moments of beauty with the harrowing realities of systemic racism and abuse.
The movie is now available for streaming on MGM+ and Amazon Prime Video, providing wider access just days before the Oscars ceremony on March 2, 2025.