Fast Color

Ruth has kept her extraordinary abilities hidden for years, living apart from the family she once left, until suspicion and the practical realities of survival push her back toward home. When she returns, old wounds and complicated loyalties resurface as her presence forces her teenage daughter, Lila, and Ruth's estranged mother, Bo, to reckon with what those powers mean for their safety and future. The film follows Ruth's attempts to protect the people she loves while outside forces, both practical and emotional, close in. It moves at a quiet, tense pace, favoring character scenes and small mysteries over nonstop action, and it never reveals every secret up front.

Directed by Julia Hart, Fast Color was written by Hart and Jordan Horowitz, and it premiered in 2019. The original screenplay features Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ruth, Saniyya Sidney as Lila, Lorraine Toussaint as Bo, with David Strathairn and Christopher Denham in supporting roles.

Fast Color opened on a limited theatrical run in the United States and around the world, and it drew modest box office returns rather than blockbuster figures. Its release strategy leaned on film festivals and specialty distributors, aiming at audiences interested in genre films that prioritize character over spectacle.

The movie earned attention for putting a Black woman at the center of a science fiction story about inherited power, motherhood, and restraint. Viewers and critics often pointed to the film's sparse visual language and its emphasis on domestic settings, which helped it stand out among more conventional superhero fare and sparked conversations about representation in genre cinema.

Critical response was mixed to positive, reflected in modest aggregate scores and a user vote average near the midpoint. Reviewers praised the strong performances, especially Mbatha-Raw and Sidney, while some noted the film's deliberate pacing and pared-down worldbuilding might frustrate viewers seeking more exposition or action. Themes include legacy, responsibility, family bonds, and the costs of secrecy.