If beale street could talk 2018 if beale street could talk r 1h 59min drama romance 25 december 2018 usa 101 trailer 13 videos 185 images a young woman embraces her pregnancy while she and her family set out to prove her childhood friend and lover innocent of a crime he didnt commit. If beale street could talk is a 2018 american romantic drama film written and directed by barry jenkins and based on james baldwins 1974 novel of the same name it stars an ensemble cast that includes kiki layne stephan james colman domingo teyonah parris michael beach dave franco diego luna pedro pascal ed skrein brian tyree henry and regina king . Set in early 1970s harlem if beale street could talk is a timeless and moving love story of both a couples unbreakable bond and the african american familys empowering embrace as told through. If beale street could talk is a 1974 novel by american writer james baldwin his fifth novel and 13th book overall is a love story set in harlem in the early 1970s 1 2 the title is a reference to the 1916 wc handy blues song beale street blues named after beale street in downtown memphis tennessee