Cassius Green gets a new job as a telemarketer, dreaming of getting out of debt. It's going terribly, until a co-worker advises him that he won't be very successful sounding black on the phone. He should adopt a "white voice." As soon as he does, he begins to rise like a rocket through the company ranks. But he soon discovers just how dark and sinister the company is.
This really only scratches the surface of what's actually going on in this movie. It's a scathing package of social commentary. You'd expect it has a lot to say about racism, and of course it does, but that might only be about third or fourth on the list of topics it cares about. It's also an indictment of capitalism, corporate greed, the silent acceptance of the conforming masses, junk television, pretentious art, and a few more I'm probably not thinking of. (All while being the most pro-union movie to be made since Norma Rae?)
Along the way, the movie makes its points using a unique and heightened sense of style. This story does not take place in the real world, but a version of it you might see on The Twilight Zone. And its presented with a broad palette of strong decisions, from jarring edits to theatrical staging, from satirical dialogue to clever insert shots, and natural acting to outsized showboating. The end result left me with a feeling of "what just happened? what did I just watch?" more than any movie I could think of since Being John Malkovich.
There's a lot about this movie that's going to have to roll around in my mind for a very long time before I figure out for sure what I think about it. I know I'm generally positive on the movie, but I can't decide if its wild, scattershot approach is a bug or a feature... or if its even really as scattershot as my gut reaction believed it to be.
I can say I'm unreservedly high on the cast, led by Lakeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson. Both do an excellent job of portraying characters that aren't entirely likeable. Both characters make decisions you probably won't agree with, but thanks to the actors, you'll definitely understand them -- and you'll keep rooting for them instead of turning on them. The supporting cast includes great dramatic work from The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun, and an unhinged over-the-top turn by Armie Hammer. Minor (but entertaining) characters are played by Terry Crews and Danny Glover. And there's some hilarious voice-over work from David Cross, Patton Oswalt, Lily James, and Rosario Dawson.
For the moment, I'm feeling Sorry to Bother You lands at about a B+ in my view. It may rise or fall a lot over time as I ponder what it had to say and whether it feels especially insightful. (Or, even if it is saying something obvious, whether it gets credit for saying it at the right time, and in such a gonzo way.) If you check the movie out, I'd be curious to hear what you think. For sure, you'll have a lot to talk about (though perhaps not the words to articulate it).
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