---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing about 'Nickel Boys' is its a…"
description: "\"The thing about 'Nickel Boys' is its a film that is more intelligent than its maker.\" — RaMell Ross"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/ramell-ross-6108_about_the-thing-about-nickel-boys-is-its-a-fil_225994.jpg"
---

#  The thing about 'Nickel Boys' is its a film that is more…

![“The thing about 'Nickel Boys' is its a film that is more intelligent than its maker.” quote by RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/ramell-ross-6108_about_the-thing-about-nickel-boys-is-its-a-fil_225994.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/ramell-ross-6108_about_the-thing-about-nickel-boys-is-its-a-fil_225994.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/ramell-ross-6108_about_the-thing-about-nickel-boys-is-its-a-fil_225994.jpg)

> “The thing about 'Nickel Boys' is its a film that is more intelligent than its maker.”

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The movie exceeds the intelligence of its creator, suggesting a disconnect between intent and execution.

**In simple terms:** The film is smarter than the director who made it.

Key Takeaway

Critically assess a work beyond its creator’s reputation.

Themes

artistry intelligence authorial intent

Mood

analytical thoughtful

Type

critical interpretive

When to use this quote

- cinema studies
- media literacy

Key Concepts

film criticism creative process

Questions to Reflect On

- Does the creator’s skill affect your enjoyment?
- Can a work outshine its maker?

A Different Perspective

Even a skilled work can be limited by its creator’s vision.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nickel/)

## Related quotes

> ['Housefull' is not a 'leave your brains behind' kind of a film. It has a very intelligent screenplay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid-khan/housefull-is-not-a-leave-your-brains-behind-kind-of-a-film-it-has-a/)

[Sajid Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid-khan/)

> [If a film is being made by an intelligent director, they're going to cast the right guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-sturridge/if-a-film-is-being-made-by-an-intelligent-director-they-re-going-to/)

[Tom Sturridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-sturridge/)

> ['Pyaar Ka Punchnama' was mainly a boys' film; we girls were just a catalyst. We would set up a situation for them to react…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nushrat-bharucha/pyaar-ka-punchnama-was-mainly-a-boys-film-we-girls-were-just-a/)

[Nushrat Bharucha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nushrat-bharucha/)

> [I have two little black boys. And a film like 'Do the Right Thing' can help illuminate the times for them with great storytelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/i-have-two-little-black-boys-and-a-film-like-do-the-right-thing-can/)

[Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/)

> ['To All The Boys' is one film amongst a couple other romantic comedies through the decades that promotes... I don't know what they're calling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-centineo/to-all-the-boys-is-one-film-amongst-a-couple-other-romantic-comedies/)

[Noah Centineo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-centineo/)

> [Forget it, Louis, no Civil War picture ever made a nickel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-thalberg/forget-it-louis-no-civil-war-picture-ever-made-a-nickel/)

[Irving Thalberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-thalberg/)

> [When I was going through my whole divorce, for six years, I didn't get a nickel! I had to make it on my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larsa-pippen/when-i-was-going-through-my-whole-divorce-for-six-years-i-didn-t-get/)

[Larsa Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larsa-pippen/)

> [My father had a piano that was a nickelodeon - put a nickel, and the roller would play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra/my-father-had-a-piano-that-was-a-nickelodeon-put-a-nickel-and-the/)

[Frank Sinatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra/)

> [Nobody talks about Shaq Thompson. I don't know what he is. He's like a nickel corner/linebacker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gruden/nobody-talks-about-shaq-thompson-i-don-t-know-what-he-is-he-s-like-a/)

[Jon Gruden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gruden/)

> [Three years ago I came to Florida without a nickel in my pocket. Now I've got a nickel in my pocket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/three-years-ago-i-came-to-florida-without-a-nickel-in-my-pocket-now-i/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [History doesn't turn on a dime; it turns on a plugged nickel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/history-doesn-t-turn-on-a-dime-it-turns-on-a-plugged-nickel/)

[Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/)

> [If I had a nickel for every time I said 'Why me?' I'd have probably said 'Why me?' more often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wilson/if-i-had-a-nickel-for-every-time-i-said-why-me-i-d-have-probably-said/)

[Tom Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wilson/)

> [Why fight for a flag when you can buy one for a nickel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/why-fight-for-a-flag-when-you-can-buy-one-for-a-nickel/)

[Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/)

> [They're making a ton of money, and no one is getting a nickel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-blades/they-re-making-a-ton-of-money-and-no-one-is-getting-a-nickel/)

[Ruben Blades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-blades/)

> [A nickel ain't worth a dime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/a-nickel-ain-t-worth-a-dime/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

## More by RaMell Ross

> [To give subjectivity to the Dozier School boys is fundamentally mind-blowing. In literature, you're allowed to write from the inside, but at least most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/to-give-subjectivity-to-the-dozier-school-boys-is-fundamentally-mind/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

> [What a thing of free will to be in the air and to have that much control over one's directionality, up, down, left, right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/what-a-thing-of-free-will-to-be-in-the-air-and-to-have-that-much/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

> [You know, I feel like when we're watching films, typically, the films do the thinking for you, one could say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/you-know-i-feel-like-when-we-re-watching-films-typically-the-films-do/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

> [I realised that I wasn't going to the NBA when I broke my foot my second time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/i-realised-that-i-wasn-t-going-to-the-nba-when-i-broke-my-foot-my/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

> [Film peddles in one blip in the sea of emotional relationships when it's literally the content of the whole ocean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/film-peddles-in-one-blip-in-the-sea-of-emotional-relationships-when/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

> [Cinema lends itself to the play between the surreal, the symbolic, the experiential, the nonsensical and the aesthetic. It's on this weird carousel that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/cinema-lends-itself-to-the-play-between-the-surreal-the-symbolic-the/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

> [I don't think you need a lot of money to make a film that's cinematic and deserves to be in theaters, but people feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/i-don-t-think-you-need-a-lot-of-money-to-make-a-film-that-s-cinematic/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

> [The South is my home and I'm trapped in its stomach trying to get to its brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/the-south-is-my-home-and-i-m-trapped-in-its-stomach-trying-to-get-to/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

> [Black folks aren't asked to make films about all white people. But what would have happened if we did? What would white culture look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/black-folks-aren-t-asked-to-make-films-about-all-white-people-but/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

> [Micro-looking processes that are human are what I was interested in. How can you use the camera to mime the way that we look?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/micro-looking-processes-that-are-human-are-what-i-was-interested-in/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

> [Imagine something where you are just provided with the truth, which is something that everyone deserves. It's insane that's a line like that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/imagine-something-where-you-are-just-provided-with-the-truth-which-is/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

> [I'm less interested in cinema, and more interested in the experience of cinema approaching the experience of reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/i-m-less-interested-in-cinema-and-more-interested-in-the-experience/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

> [Yeah, I think any type of filmmaking is good as an on-ramp to making films. But I will say that documentary filmmakers have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/yeah-i-think-any-type-of-filmmaking-is-good-as-an-on-ramp-to-making/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

> [Films typically peddle in meaning with big things and make connections between events. They don't peddle in images in the same way which in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/films-typically-peddle-in-meaning-with-big-things-and-make/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

> [My father was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina in the late 1950s and early 60s. We'd visit there often, what felt like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/my-father-was-born-and-raised-in-charlotte-north-carolina-in-the-late/)

[RaMell Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

[Explore all 100 RaMell Ross quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/)

## More About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

Browse all 26,122 About quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The thing about 'Nickel Boys' is its a film that is more intelligent than its maker.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "RaMell Ross"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/the-thing-about-nickel-boys-is-its-a-film-that-is-more-intelligent/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/the-thing-about-nickel-boys-is-its-a-film-that-is-more-intelligent/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/ramell-ross-6108_about_the-thing-about-nickel-boys-is-its-a-fil_225994.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/ramell-ross-6108_about_the-thing-about-nickel-boys-is-its-a-fil_225994.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/ramell-ross-6108_about_the-thing-about-nickel-boys-is-its-a-fil_225994.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The thing about 'Nickel Boys' is its a film that is more intelligent than its maker.” — RaMell Ross",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "RaMell Ross",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramell-ross/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The thing about 'Nickel Boys' is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/the-thing-about-nickel-boys-is-its-a-film-that-is-more-intelligent/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramell-ross/the-thing-about-nickel-boys-is-its-a-film-that-is-more-intelligent/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
