In “A Thousand and One,” Inez (Teyana Taylor) reunites with an old boyfriend, Lucky, but he hardly seems to be the best choice for a single mom on the run from the law. He’s coming out of prison, he’s a womanizer, and he initially expresses no interest in co-parenting her son, Terry.
But A.V. Rockwell’s fierce yet delicate drama continually subverts cliches and expectations in ways large and small, and Will Catlett’s quietly magnetic portrayal of Lucky breathes vitality into both the tempestuous romance with Inez and the evolving bond with Terry. “I was impressed by his original interpretation and the intensity of his presence,” Rockwell, directing her first feature, recalls of Catlett’s audition. “Inez is a powerful woman so we needed someone who was truly masculine — he is so hardened by what a man is supposed to be but also unafraid to show his…
