Skip to content

Recent Posts

  • If You’re Trying to Explain Away the Death of Rayshard Brooks, You Don’t Want to See the Systemic Problem
  • The Rise, Fall and Suicide Letter of MoviePass
  • Hot Take: Second Act
  • The First 25 Movies of the Next 100 Movies of 2018, Graded
  • Hot Take: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Movie Hot Take

Wasting $8 On Popcorn So You Don't Have To...

Primary Navigation Menu
Menu
  • Home
  • Top Movies of 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Hot Take: Sorry to Bother You

Hot Take: A brilliant, hilarious, original film. There’s an essence of zany satire that throws back to Zucker Abrahams and Zucker or Mel Brooks but deep enough to cut like a Spike Lee Joint. You can sense it’s heading to go off the rails but when it does you can’t even imagine how far off the rails it’s going. A wild, unapologetic, crazy ride.

You don’t expect the debut film of a 47 year-old cult indie rapper would hit with so much force as Sorry to Bother You. Writer/director Boots Riley had to hustle for years to even get the film made. He perfected his pitch: “It’s an absurdist dark comedy with magical realism and science fiction, inspired by the world of telemarketing. It’s called ‘Sorry to Bother You.’ ” He spent years tapping acquaintances he made over the course of his rap career and during his time as a community activist and organizer. Eventually, after being passed over by plenty of actors and artists, he found support in David Cross, Patton Oswalt and David Eggers (who published the script as a book in 2014). Thankfully, for all of us, Riley got the support he needed and what is currently MHT’s favorite film of 2018 became a reality.

It’s hard to provide a worthy synopsis of Sorry to Bother You because it’s got so much going on around the premise. Sounding too straightforward doesn’t give the film it’s due. In the film, Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) is out of work and living with his uncle Sergio (Terry Crews)… in his garage. His girlfriend Detroit (Tessa Thompson) is a performance artist by night and corner sign twirler by day. Green lands a job at telemarketing firm RealView where even lying on his resume and in his interview can’t keep him from being hired but once in, Green longs to rise to the upper echelon at the firm and join the ranks of the mysterious “Power Callers.” Struggling at first, Cassius meets Langston (Danny Glover), the office old head who advises Green to use his “white voice” to sell. Reluctant at first, Green turns on his “white voice” (provided by David Cross) and reaches levels of unprecedented success while his friends at work — Squeeze (Steven Yuen) and Salvador (Jermaine Fowler) — organize to unionize.

Without giving too much away, it feels only right to stop there. The film takes place in an alternate version of present-day Oakland where a controversial new company — WorryFree — is making the headlines due to its practice of offering a worry-free life with free food and living quarters and no bills in exchange for a lifetime work contract. If it sounds like slavery, you’d be on the right track. Green’s girlfriend is part of the radical group “Left Eye” which opposes WorryFree and it’s founder Steve Lift (Armie Hammer). Part political commentary, part screwball science fiction comedy, Sorry to Bother You is a fascinating watch. Is it scattershot? Sure. But that’s part of the film’s attraction.

Riley’s spectacular script also provides a platform for some great performances. Stanfield shines brighter than any of his previous roles and that’s saying something as he’s been straight fire recently. The same goes for Thompson who will eventually land some lead roles if she continues on her current trajectory. Hammer’s small role is a scene-stealer as he collects top honors in every appearance he makes on screen. None of it overshadows Riley’s amazing script, though, as it riffs on everything from capitalism to socialism to performance art to “art of the sale” movies such as Glengarry Glen Ross and Boiler Room. 

Even though it’s only July, Sorry to Bother You is going to be a tough film to top on MHT’s Best of 2018 list. It’s usually August that we get that film that sticks at or close to the top of the list for the rest of the year. In 2016, it was Hell or High Water which finished 3rd and last year, it was Wind River which landed 4th. Riley’s debut though is the strongest candidate of the three to ride the wave of Oscar hopefuls and still be sitting atop the list though it looks to be facing some promising competition come the fall. That doesn’t take anything away from how amazing this satirical farce is and how worthy of all the praise Sorry to Bother You is. As it continues to expand (now in 1,000+ theaters in its third weekend), it gives this film the chance to reach a wider audience and deservedly so. Sorry to Bother You might make you think and should absolutely make you laugh but watching it is no bother at all.

Why Watch?

You love satire and a movie willing to go completely off the rails to help deliver its message… and make you laugh your ass off.

Why Skip?

You think, after all of that, I’m going to give you a reason to skip it? SPOILER ALERT: NO!

Share this:

  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest

Related

2018-07-21
By: Brian Joseph
On: July 21, 2018
In: 2018, Hot Take
Previous Post: Hot Take: Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
Next Post: The Next Next 25 Movies of 2018, Graded

Recent Posts

  • If You’re Trying to Explain Away the Death of Rayshard Brooks, You Don’t Want to See the Systemic Problem
  • The Rise, Fall and Suicide Letter of MoviePass
  • Hot Take: Second Act
  • The First 25 Movies of the Next 100 Movies of 2018, Graded
  • Hot Take: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Recent Comments

  • Scott on Hot Take: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
  • BobJ27 on Hot Take: Second Act
  • Bob J. on The First 25 Movies of the Next 100 Movies of 2018, Graded
  • Brian Joseph on Hot Take: Ralph Breaks the Internet
  • Bob J. on Hot Take: Ralph Breaks the Internet

Categories

  • #5LinkMinimum (4)
  • 10 Things (6)
  • 1968 (1)
  • 1980 (1)
  • 1981 (2)
  • 1985 (1)
  • 1988 (1)
  • 2006 (1)
  • 2013 (1)
  • 2014 (5)
  • 2015 (127)
  • 2016 (270)
  • 2017 (169)
  • 2018 (133)
  • 7 Days (6)
  • Burning Questions (1)
  • BuRStS (86)
  • Hot Take (662)
  • Lists (24)
  • music videos (1)
  • Podcasts (1)
  • Ranked (43)
  • Spoiler Alert (1)
  • To See or Not To See (32)
  • Top Movies (7)
  • Trailers (120)
  • TV Shows (1)
  • Uncategorized (15)
  • Weigh In (13)

Archives

  • June 2020 (1)
  • September 2019 (1)
  • January 2019 (3)
  • December 2018 (6)
  • November 2018 (8)
  • October 2018 (10)
  • September 2018 (9)
  • August 2018 (16)
  • July 2018 (16)
  • June 2018 (16)
  • May 2018 (9)
  • April 2018 (18)
  • March 2018 (11)
  • February 2018 (17)
  • January 2018 (12)
  • December 2017 (7)
  • November 2017 (13)
  • October 2017 (15)
  • September 2017 (14)
  • August 2017 (20)
  • July 2017 (15)
  • June 2017 (16)
  • May 2017 (24)
  • April 2017 (25)
  • March 2017 (17)
  • February 2017 (17)
  • January 2017 (25)
  • December 2016 (6)
  • November 2016 (23)
  • October 2016 (24)
  • September 2016 (26)
  • August 2016 (28)
  • July 2016 (25)
  • June 2016 (32)
  • May 2016 (38)
  • April 2016 (36)
  • March 2016 (31)
  • February 2016 (26)
  • January 2016 (23)
  • December 2015 (19)
  • November 2015 (40)
  • October 2015 (34)
  • September 2015 (51)
  • August 2015 (25)

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Designed using Dispatch. Powered by WordPress.