Sorry to Bother You
Ten Second Review: An excellent piece of film making, Sorry to Bother You sees Boots Riley tell the story of “Cash” Green, a telemarketer, climbing the ranks of big business. Filled with engaging ideas and interesting visuals, Sorry to Bother You is a a definite recommend.
In his feature film debut, Riley Boots combines engaging film making and a mixture of messages to make something that is truly one of the most interesting films of the year.
Set in a fictitious alternative reality of Oakland, CA, Sorry to Bother You tells the story of “Cash” Green, a telemarketer struggling to make sales. After a co-worker suggests he try using his “white voice” on the phone he starts to rapidly progress at his work and is soon promoted. Trying to balance his morals, his new job, his friends and his girlfriend proves a difficult task but in a film filled with surprises what win out for Cash as the most important thing...
To be honest, this is a hard film to talk about without giving away some of its intrigue. It’s a real surprise and I think it should stay that way. From the incredible comedic storytelling to the interesting social commentary and from the very realistic scenarios to the increasingly absurd ones, this film was not what I was expecting! It simultaneously feels like a movie from a seasoned pro while having the authenticity of a small budget independent film. The fact this is Riley’s debut feature film marks him as a writer and director to watch.
While the acting was great and Lakieth Stanfield once again proved himself to be able to take on any emotion and genre (this time in a single film), the real star of this film is the storytelling and cinematography. It has this bizzare vibe of being partly a serious satirical film while also feeling like a one-shot comic book.
It attempted to cover so much ground and this was both it’s biggest draw in and its only major issue. Because it touched on so much (and I really mean so much) it never felt like it fully addressed each thing fully. You end up left with a smorgasbord of interesting ideas, talking points and insights while never feeling fully satisfied with their depth. You’ll be left hoping he makes more films that more specifically discuss the topics he begins to investigate here.
While it can feel a little cluttered at times, it often adds to its charm and tone and the film remains incredibly watchable and a definite recommend. Whether you turn up for the way in which the story is told, the way the film looks and sounds or just the thought provoking content, i’d be shocked if you left not feeling that this is some of the freshest film making of the year.
