The Underground Railroad

In Colson Whitehead’s 2016 novel, the figuratively magical network that aided enslaved people in their pursuit of freedom took on a real mythical valence: the miracle of The Underground Railroad was powered by a literal locomotive. Director Barry Jenkins’s adaptation of Whitehead’s book adds yet another layer of fantastical meaning to the story, approaching its characters and landscape with a stunning reverence and a palpable sense of imagination. In tracing the path of Cora, the story’s enslaved protagonist, The Underground Railroad weaves in an immersive sensory experience of the land that both aided and foiled her, poignant moments of connection between characters spanning generations, and weighty lessons about the utter devastation of the transatlantic slave trade. The resulting production is a meticulous, wrenching work that remains faithful to the emotional core of historical narratives while incorporating an evocative score and sweeping cinematography. For its daring, expansive adaptation of Whitehead’s sprawling novel, The Underground Railroad wins a Peabody Award.