If Beale Street Could Talk is the sort of nice movie you’d like to take home and introduce to your parents. That doesn’t mean it’s a movie about nice things. Racism, poverty, rape, teen pregnancy, bigoted cops: all are part of the mix. The movie is based on the 1974 novel by James Baldwin. And the world according to Baldwin is neither a nice place nor a just place. Given the way things are in Harlem in the early 1970s, he’s absolutely correct. The film’s protagonists, 22-year-old Fonny (Stephan James) and 19-year-old Tish (screen newcomer KiKi Layne) are beyond nice. They are small emblems of hope, optimism and happiness in an otherwise unfair environment. Friends since they were kids, and now more recently lovers, the pair plans to get married. But before they can, Fonny is thrown in jail, wrongly accused of rape, and targeted by a racist white cop. At about the same time, Tish discovers she’s pregnant. So much for hope, optimism and happiness. At least Tish has the support of her family: wise mom (Regina King), gently jovial dad (Colman Domingo), and spitfire sister (Teyonah Parris). Fonny’s dad (Michael Beach) is a laid-back good guy, but his church-going sanctimonious mother (Aunjanue Ellis) is anything but. With the support of her family, Tish tries to prove Fonny’s innocence before the birth of their child. Much of the movie is told in flashback, as we get to know Fonny and Tish and the challenges they face. Race informs everything, whether they’re looking for a place to live or the way Tish, who finally lands a job at a perfume counter, is treated by the white male customers. “This movie works as a timeless romance, a family drama, a legal thriller and a poignant social commentary. A great American novel has been turned into a great American film,” says Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun Times. 1:57. Rated R for language and some sexual content.