Film Review - Sorry To Bother You

Cassius "Cash" Green (Lakeith Stanfield) is fumbling aimlessly through life. He lives in his Uncle's Sergio (Terry Crews) garage. Spends time with his performance artist girlfriend Detroit (Tessa Thompson) and drives a car on its last legs deemed The Bucket in an alternate version of modern-day Oakland. With absolutely nothing going Cash takes a job at a telemarketing firm Regal View soon discovering if he puts on his white voice (Dubbed by David Cross) the potential customer on the other end of the line will feel more at easy allowing Cash to vault to record sales. His success gets him access to the golden elevator promoted to Power Caller where he can make real money selling military weapons and labor from a company called WorryFree owned by Steve Lift (Armie Hamner). A controversial company that offers a job, housing and food in exchange for signing a lifetime contact. Activist see the companies actions as slavery form a group called left eye of which Detroit is a proud member sabotaging the company at every opportunity. Cash's success catches the eye of Steve List gaining an invite to an exclusive party where Lift has a lucrative hard to resist offer for the new golden boy.

Writer-director Boots Riley goes up to the line with this film then obliterates it. The narrative is a strong comment on current American society giving a distinct picture of where the country will end up if the current path is not altered. Worry Free is a shot at corporate culture from Walmart to Apple that currently has factories housing employes ringed with suicide nets. Reality television is squered though I Got The S*it Kicked Out of Me the most popular show on television. The scrip features several running gags that add to the mayhem including Cassius' head bandage for a minor injury that seemingly bleeds for weeks, Detroit's wonderful message filled tops and earrings. Plus a plot device to drop Cash's work station into space of the target he is calling putting him virtually face to face with his mark.

Lakeith Stanfield steps onto rarified ground as Cassius"Cash"Green. He is a modern-day everyman struggling to get by to earn enough money to put gas in the tank of a broken down wreck. He moves slowly with a slight slouch but is easy going with a telephone at his ear with a deal to close Tessa Thompson continues her streak of delightful performances as Detroit. She is fierce, opinionated and dedicated to her art and beliefs. Detroit forces Cash to make a choice between her and dubious financial glory. Look for Steven Yeun in a supporting role as Squeeze a radical union activist at Regal View. He moves from company to company organizing workers using wildcat strikes as a preferred tool.

Sorry To Bother You is the right movie for our current times. The real world gap between rich and poor plays out right in front of the viewer. Our hero wants to make a difference gains the golden ticket then is faced with real choices. Boots Riley's razor sardonic wit lights up the screen in a film that I can highly recommend.

**** Out of 4.

Sorry To Bother You | Boots Riley |  U.S.A. | 2018 | 105 Minutes.

Tags : Telemarketing, Oakland, Sales, Strike, Picket line, Alter Ego, Head Wound, Rapping.