Movie: Sorry to Bother You
My Rating: 5 stars
Now, this movie is something special. It’s crazy, and insane, and brilliant! And, just when the story starts spiraling out of control, and you think it couldn’t possibly get any weirder, it goes ahead and blows through your expectations. I’ll give you a brief description of the story, but really, you should go into this movie knowing as little as possible about it. It’s way more fun that way. Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) needs a job, but all he’s been able to find is a crappy telemarketing gig that’s draining his will to live. When he learns the secret to success in this cut-throat business, he’s granted access behind the scenes, where he learns about all the industry’s shady dealings. His girlfriend, Detroit (Tessa Thompson), is a subversive street artist, and she’s not so sure she likes the new company-man that Cassius has become.
This movie is wild. The outrageous story is highlighted with sequences of magical realism, and tons of dark humor—two of my favorite elements in a film. A lot of it is pretty disturbing, actually. But, it’s meant to be. The film takes a pretty serious stance of a couple different, very bleak, social and political issues. But, the message is delivered with so much humor and horror, that the demoralizing message feels like pure entertainment going down. This is the kind of movie that will have you exclaiming out loud. (Really, I’m not sure how anyone seeing this movie in the theater would have been able to concentrate, with all the laughing and yelling it inspires). I can’t believe that this is the first feature film that Boots Riley has directed, because it’s pretty much perfect—the acting, the effects, the pacing, the humor. I loved it. And, so many of the concepts he uses in the story and filmmaking feel brand new. When’s the last time you were really surprised by a movie?
I would definitely recommend this film, but cautiously. The movie gets pretty raunchy, and it will definitely cause some heated arguments if viewed in mixed political company. It’s not for kids. It’s not for tea-sipping grannies. (Whisky swilling grannies, maybe). But, this movie is so delightfully rebellious that I urge you to find a way to watch it. All the people I know who saw it before me insisted that I watch it immediately, and then tell them what I thought. And, I can totally understand that impulse now. So, go ahead and watch it, and then tell me what you thought.