Hollywood adores war films. Most of the time, the heroes are white, giving the impression that they are the only heroes in these campaigns, but Devotion is more than that. Devotion is about a forgotten hero, Jesse Brown, whom we should all know. His life was more than just being an aviator. He was a loving husband, father, and friend. In a film that continues to ask why America does such a poor job of telling the stories of Black American Veterans, J.D Dillard does justice to this forgotten hero.

The plot revolves around Ensign Jesse Brown (Johnathon Majors), the first Black Naval Aviator, and his friendship with fellow naval aviator Lt. Tom Hurdner (Glen Powell). We get to see how Brown navigated being the only Black aviator as the navy prepared for the Korean War. The Korean War is a conflict that often gets overlooked due to the fact that the US didn't win as in WW2 or was as divided as in Vietnam. Nevertheless it did help set up the stage for the presence of the US military in South Korea.
Devotion does an excellent job of depicting not only Brown's struggles as an aviator, but also his home life with his wife Daisy (Christina Jackson) and his daughter. Too often, films like this focus solely on the struggle, with no indication of the person in question experiencing any joy.

It’s important to note that when you are the first at anything it’s a solitary existence. Your character is constantly being tested and one has to endure not just for personal survival but for those following in your footsteps. 

Daisy notated how Jesse was very careful in who he considered a friend. Jesse understood just because they worked together didn’t mean they were brothers in arms that is until Tom Hudner entered the picture. 

Hudner, who is naïve to the ills of racism, doesn't quite grasp how different of a naval experience his colleague has. 

He thinks that Daisy asking him to look out for Jesse is more of a buddy thing when in reality she was asking him to be a friend so that he wouldn’t have to endure everything on his own.

The two men’s friendship endures its ultimate test when they embark on a rescue mission over no man’s land at the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. In that moment it's not about Black or white but two men who bonded by service.

Devotion is a film that will appeal to Black audiences. Many people will be able to relate to the loneliness of being the first in a department, position, or anything else.

Jonathan Majors is always excellent, especially when playing morally conflicted characters. Glen Powell gives his best performance as Hudner. The two actors complement each other well, and their brotherhood comes across as genuine.

Dillard did an excellent job of depicting Brown's struggle and informing the audience of the difficult journey without making it traumatic for the sake of trauma effect. He also demonstrated the hypocrisy of the US Navy, which wanted to demonstrate their diversity through a photo opportunity.

A journalist interviews Jesse and focuses on his race rather than the fact that being a naval aviator is difficult for anyone, not just Black men.

That is significant because, too often, when Black people achieve success in a predominantly white field, the consensus is that they must be exceptional, rather than thinking that the individual worked just as hard as their peers because they were given the opportunity.

Another crucial scene in comprehending Brown's story was when Hudner wrote him up for insubordination. Although he technically did not follow an order, a negative mark on a Black officer's performance can have a long-term impact on his career.

Unlike his white counterpart, who would not have been reported or received a minor infraction because this is considered an attribute.

Jesse had to teach Tom that the world does not give Black men second chances, and his actions had a significant impact on Jesse's life, and more importantly, the life of his family. Jesse also needed Tom to understand that he didn't need him to save him, but instead saw him as an equal.

While Devotion contains angst, it is also a very entertaining film with great battle scenes. It's not as flashy as Top Gun, but these are older planes, and audiences get a sense of what it's like to see the world from above.

Fans of Majors will undoubtedly enjoy this film. It is hoped that it will inspire many more people to learn about Jesse Brown's remarkable life, whose descendants are fighting to educate the public about this real-life hero. Devotion should prompt the navy to improve its statistics on recruiting Black aviators. Sadly Black men make up less than fives percent of the of the fighter pilot  in the armed forces. 

Devotion comes to theaters on November 23rd.