What happens when you combine the volatile climate of
political/social strife with a fantastic, up and coming cast, sharp satirical
writing/direction, and film-making at its most inventive and creative? You get
the truly eye-opening debut of writer/director Boots Riley called Sorry To Bother You, an absurdist,
dystopian comedy that is not only a reverently, darkly funny film but also one
that is subtle yet hard hitting with its commentary on society as well as the
culture being shaped by corporate interests.
This was a critical darling during South By Southwest and has generated
buzz at different festival with a talented and diverse cast at work here along
with a great premise surrounding a telemarketer’s rise to power and the
illogical world that surrounds that work culture in contrast to impoverished
world surrounding it. How does this
film truly stack up to the greats of comedy/even science fiction itself (no
spoilers but it does relate to that genre in a big way) and what does it do
differently enough to tell its own cautionary tale in its own unique
voice? Let’s dive right into the call
and check out this film’s story.
We follow our laid about but hopeful stoner Cassius Green (Lakeith
Stanfield), who is looking for work and to provide a better life for his girl Detroit
(Tessa Thompson) who is a performing artist that thrives on the belief of true
self and rebelling against the norm.
They live in the lovely, rundown neighborhood of Oakland, California
with his uncle Sergio Green (Terry Crews) and his family housing them in a
spacious but dingy garage. This is a
society that has now become accustomed to free labor through a program called
Worry-Free that promises to provide free food, bedding, and housing in exchange
for your freedom and identity. Not really
liking that prospect from the leads, Green heads to a job interview for a
telemarketer position for the company RegalView compliments of his friend Salvador
(Jermaine Fowler). Green has a rough
time at his first days working as a telemarketer sales rep, as he continues to
be rejected constantly by using his actual voice.
He is comforted by his girlfriend and approached by his
co-worker Squeeze (Steven Yuen) to form a union to get workers paid fairly and
on time as they should be, despite Green’s hesitation to rock the boat. Until he is given advice by Langston (Danny
Glover), a veteran sales rep that tells Green to use his white voice that
resides in himself to change his very being to earn those sales and make
money. He demonstrates this (cameo by
Steve Buscemi) for the newbie and Green gets it instantly. Green finds his inner white voice (David
Cross) and becomes RegalView’s top tier sales performer in the country, much to
the dismay of his struggling friends and colleagues as well as his girlfriend. He completely transforms himself and will
discover as a power caller for the company that being the best, means having to
change in ways that go against our own beliefs and humanity, which might
reflect a different kind of prison.
Green becomes a part of a struggle between the working class and the
rich and powerful, as he changes through the power of his voice.
This is a truly ambitious and satirically scathing film that
makes it very clear of its themes, ideas, and subject matter it wants to make
fun of or even provide thoughts on using comedic exaggeration. When the film does this within its
hyper-reality confines of the world and setting, the film fires on all
cylinders in its delivery of the classic but zany rise and fall story well,
lead by compelling performances from the entire cast. The story zips through so much conflicts and
ideas that are provided visually through satirized reality tv shows, the idea
of slavery still being around in modern times but in the guise of indentured
service, and the contrast of the lower class and upper class through the work
culture. This is what the film does
exceptionally well, at taking our known realities and ramping the exaggeration
up to the point where the conflicts mirror what we put up with everyday and
this is excelled by the visual language of cinema feeling very passionate and
strong throughout this film. It seems
like a perfect concoction of great visual eyes and sharp writing with a
youthful, energized voice to really explore this wacky tale of artificial
humanity for the process of making money and the conflicts that arise from it,
what could possibly be flawed in this film?
Well, there are some problems inherent to the film in its
pacing and most importantly, the views on this film being identified as Science
Fiction as well as a comedy without giving away the very core nature of this
story. First off, the pacing does start
off sluggish in the beginning, as it took some time for the story to kick in
before we really get used to being in this story’s world. For as much as it keeps to its hyper-reality,
it does go completely bonkers by the end of the 2nd act and shows
its true nature in the most hard-hitting and unsubtle way possible. This is where the film completely goes insane
and does lose the amazing momentum and subdued comedy/drama that made its
middle act so enjoyable to watch. That
doesn’t mean it’s a failure in execution, but it does come completely left
field and there will be viewers that could be confused by the analogy that the
twist does have to racism and slavery (the only clue that will be given here),
which are at the very core of this story’s conflict for the characters to
overcome in this film. However, even
with these misses, it is still amazing to watch it miss as well as succeed in
what it does well, the comedic exaggeration in harmony with its hyper-reality
without feeling disingenuous, pretentious, or even condescending as most film
dealing with racism and slavery struggle to find that balance.
Let’s get into the talented cast in this film starting with
the leads and then the supporting cast, with the focus on Stanfield as
Green. Stanfield is truly a versatile
actor that embodies the everyday man stoner of this lead character and handles
the changes the character goes through well.
David Cross as his white voice is reliably funny and really adds to the
surreal nature of the story’s atmosphere.
Tessa Thompson as Detroit provides a very relaxed but committed
performance as the rebelling artistic girlfriend that conflicts with the
problems of society’s use of Worry-Free labor.
The leads are great in the roles and provide likable yet larger than
life characters to follow into this dystopian society that is not too different
from ours.
The supporting cast is very diverse in talent and
characterization that add to the grounded yet surreal nature of the story. Steven Yuen plays Squeeze, the radical worker
that is always going against the norm of the work force for better wages and he
plays it earnestly with humanity to the character. Another stand out of the cast is Jermaine
Fowler as Salvador, who provides some great humorous moments both crude and
subtle in timing and his interactions with the other characters. However, Armie Hammer as Steven Lift (a
parody of Steve Job) totally steals the second half with his arrogant,
obliviously evil character that does way too much coke and completely ignorant
to the world/society that doesn’t involve dollar bills. There is also Omari
Hardwick as Mr._____ with the voice from Patton Oswalt providing a stern but
dry humorous performance to contrast with the chipper, upbeat performance from
David Cross greatly. The entire cast is
on point here and that is a credit to the sharp script and confident direction
on display here.
Let’s get into the technical components of the film,
starting with the art direction of this setting and the combination of the
grounded with the exaggerated. The
setting for the film is Oakland, California and it’s about as rundown as it
gets contrasting with the nightlife, seedy parts of the world with the
characters lower in status than the power callers. There
is a great blend of urban poverty with the sleek, cold lifestyle of corporate
culture in the locales and settings especially being set around California. The only visual motifs that has futuristic
elements with the Worry-Free factory along with the reality show “I Got The
S*!T kicked out of me” along with the great use of space with each locales to
showcase the economical disparage of this world. It is wonderfully crafted in its art
direction in creating an exaggerated reality to the setting of this story that
matches the satire it instills in its visuals.
Next up, the cinematography and editing of the film from
structure to the distinctive look of the film.
The film uses a wide range of colors especially for a film that deals
with some heavy and real subject matters by using it effectively to showcase
the struggling conflict of the lead and the two worlds he inhabits. The director utilizes his music video experience
with the editor Terel Gibson to really play with time and motion within a scene that
allows for the absurdist comedy to happen in the film. The editing is solidly put together and allows
for the characters to develop with each other and feel the impact of the
changes they go through especially with the character Green. While it does have its pacing problems in the
beginning and loses its focus by the time the last act rolls around, it is a visually
vibrant and energized film that is committed to its story and characters even
if it doesn’t always stick to the landing.
Lastly, the sound design and music score from Tune-Yards
& The Coup that features mostly composition music as well as the use of non-diegetic
sounds to establish its style for the film. The sound design is very much a
character in this film as we have sounds that do not match the source of it,
within the characters putting on their white voices. It is well timed and provides for some truly
subtle humor in a film that is mostly about the abstract and absurd with its
comedy. As for the score, it is a mix of
synth/hip hop beats with classical music that serves as an interesting contrast
for where the characters are within the story.
The important takeaway is that the sound design for this film is used effectively
and adds to the surreal nature of the film’s story and comedy.
Sorry To Bother You
is one of the most inventive and relevant social comedies that touches upon ideas and themes that our culture and world can relate to in its satirization of
it. The enthusiastic and well put
together cast really make the most out of this sharp and witty script through
their fully realized performances. This
is made possible by the confident direction from a first-time director but also
a musician who has a keen eye on how to tell a story with meaning and purpose
without losing its sheer entertaining value at all. Thankfully, the film comes together as a
whole and presents ideas of racism, slavery of all kinds, corporate culture,
and media oversaturation despite its few shortcomings in balancing these story
elements with the characters as well as its odd, possibly alienating finale. So, if you have what it takes, sign up for
RegalView and you can be a “Power Caller” as well!
Score **** out of *****
Sorry To Bother You is the surprising gem of the year that comes out of nowhere to be not
only reverently funny but insightful with its commentary on the troubles of the
world today. It invokes the energy and
passion of other satirical comedies of the past few decades in its absurdist approach
to the story as well as the eccentric characters that inhabit this exaggerated
yet grounded world of Oakland, California.
The story reaches its potential and peak in humor and satire by the time
the film hits its second act despite a very slow, ropey beginning and its ludicrous
and uneven finale. This is made better
and truly entertaining by the terrific performances from the entire cast including
Lakeith Stanfield and Armie Hammer turning in amazing performances, with everyone
else fitting into their characters and playing to their strengths as
actors. It also has an exceptional sound
design that plays with the idea of having voices not match the actors to demonstrate
the key characters’ white voice along with a unique blend of classical music
with synth, hip hop beats throughout the film.
This is one call you might want to take, because it might give you something
to reflect upon with today’s world, while have a blast with this larger than
life, surreal comedy.
