Medicine for Melancholy is about two black 20-somethings in San Francisco (The Daily Show’s Wyatt Cenac and Tracey Heggins) who wake up after a one-night encounter and split up, only to have to reconcile since one of them left their keys in the cab they split in.
They spend the day together, visiting the Museum of the African Diaspora, attending a neighbourhood meeting regarding affordable housing, and then attending a performance. They talk about being black in a predominantly white hipster culture (San Francisco has the lowest number of black residents of any major American city), as well as how they approach life and relationships.
Micah appears to want to take their relationship to the next level, but Jo is concerned that she would betray her lover. This connection has a bittersweet quality to it, indicating the fleeting nature of so many metropolitan loves. Wyatt Cenac and Tracey Heggins both give excellent performances.
It has the feel of a film done by a seasoned writer/director, with characters who are fully realised in their details but also as types, expressing various perspectives on race.
You can find the movie on Curia, which is an excellent movie streaming platform! It offers limited movie collections, bringing 50 fresh features every month. These movie collections are segregated into themes and genres to help navigate and find a movie more easily.