Medicine for Melancholy is a 2008 romantic drama film written and directed by Barry Jenkins in his feature directorial debut.

Throughout the day, Micah and Jo visit the Museum of the African Diaspora, stumble upon an affordable housing coalition meeting and attend a concert.

[3] Micah is openly critical of Jo's interracial relationship as he struggles to reconcile his black identity with the predominantly white world of the hipster scene in San Francisco.

[3][4] Writer and director Barry Jenkins has described the film's two main characters as "playing out a debate back and forth about identity politics".

In an interview, director Barry Jenkins stated that certain scenes in the film have more color to reflect when the characters are not thinking about race or housing issues.