‘Till’: Another well-acted drama honors the memories of Emmett Till and his uncompromising mother

Danielle Deadwyler of “Till” is the second actor to play Mamie Till-Mobley in a high-profile project this year, after Adrienne Warren in “Women of the Movement.” (Orion Pictures)

Think of someone you know who is in their early 80s and has enjoyed a long and enriching life, and who still might be with us for another decade or even longer, the Good Lord willing.

Now consider that even though the story of the horrific lynching of Emmett Till feels like a part of long-ago America, Emmett would be 81 years old if alive today. The year 1955 might sound like ancient history to some, but it’s not; what happened to Emmett Till might seem like a horrific reminder of a bygone era — and yet, the story of the United States in the 21st century is filled with far too many chapters about the killings of innocent Black boys and young men.