SORRY TO BOTHER YOU
US, 2018, 111 minutes, Colour.
La Keith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews, Kate Berlant, Michael X. Sommers, Danny Glover, Steven Yuen, Armie Hammer, Robert Longstreet, Forest Whitaker.
Voices of: David Cross, Patton Oswalt, Lily James.
Directed by Boots Riley.
This is an unexpectedly striking film. Judging by some blogging comments, a number of viewers have loathed it. But also judging by some blogging comments, many find it quite an exhilarating experience, serious, funny, realistic, imaginative, fantastic. This review will be in support of the latter view.
The film was written and directed by musician, singer and rapper, Boots Riley. It takes us into an African- American world in contemporary Oakland. We see the central character, Cassius (a versatile performance by La Keith Stanfield who appeared in Get Out and was the American official authority in The Girl in the Spider’s Web) is spruiking for a job, false credentials, immediate exposed by the interviewer – but also immediately hired because he is committed to persuasion and that is what is needed for the job, telemarketing.
This is very much a message film about capitalism, oppression and exploitation, and the theme of “what does it profit to gain the whole world…?). But, while the message is familiar, this film communicated in idiosyncratically creative ways.
Cassius is living with Detroit (Tessa Thompson, an artist, who also support herself by creating and wearing big signs outside shops and diners). They also live in a garage. Cassius goes off to work, get his particular booth for phoning, the director using an amusing visual device of Cassius being lowered into the scene where he argues, cajoles, is cut off by potential clients. At first a failure, he is persuaded by his neighbour, the elderly Langston (Danny Glover – who uses his famous old saying from Lethal Weapon for his new situation! – to put on a white American voice and assume that kind of personality (David Cross supplying the voice). He is a great success and is on the verge of promotion.
Actually, there are quite a number of strains and subplots. The main one concerns a company called Worry Free, organised by an entrepreneur, Steve Lift (Army Hammer also at his best). The commercials for Worry Free have to be seen to be believed, people signing away their lives for perpetual work contracts and reduced to living in dormitories, canned food, the commercials praising this way of life and campaigning for others to join. There are some dire consequences as this particular strand is pursued.
There is another subplot concerning an extreme Reality TV show where a host encourages guests to be victims and to be bashed and humiliated on screen. And this will have its place and later consequences.
And, as well, there is a character called Squeeze (Stephen Yuen) who travels around to different workplaces, urging union activity, organising protests and demonstrations, with picket lines outside companies. Cassius and Detroit are caught up in the protests even as Cassius receives his promotion and is taken upstairs to become a Power Caller, living in luxury, and discovering some unhappy truths about contemporary capitalism, arms-deals and people-slavery.
And there is far more to come, far more, Steve Lift and his cohorts planning something even more drastic, moving the film into the realm of science-fiction, science-fantasy (including an unrecognisable Forest Whitaker who is one of the producers of this film).
And, of course, it doesn’t end there and, while for a few moments it looked like a pat happy ending, it certainly isn’t!
If this all seems too much, probably let it go. If this sounds the least bit intriguing, certainly go to see Sorry to Bother You.
1. The title, for telemarketing, the irony?
2. A message film, its image of the world, of exploitation of ordinary people, Worry Free, of capitalism, of capitalistic tyranny, oppression, rebellion and the uprisings? And rebellions being put down? The implication of “what does it profit to gain the whole world…�?
3. The difference with the film and its style of communicating its message, imagination, serious drama, humorous touches, the blend of the real and the fantastic?
4. Oakland, a vision of an ordinary part of a city? Yet the universal implications? The streets, the traffic, homes, living in the garage, offices, phone booths for telemarketing, the brutal television show, clubs and the VIP room, in the streets, art galleries? The Power Callers in the upstairs luxury offices? Parties, Lift’s apartment, the discovery of the cages, the strikers and protests in the street? Creation of an atmosphere?
5. Cassius, in himself, the interview, his photo as employer of the month, his huge trophy from school? Exposed as lying, his being hired, work with his friend, Detroit and his life? Going to work, the boss hiring him because he could sell a point of view? The encouragement, Stick to the Script? The pep talk and its banality, Diana and her enthusiasm? The encouragement by Langston to use a white voice, the supplying of a white voice by David Cross? The other white voices, for Detroit? The tone, the spoof? The encounter with Squeeze, supporting him, the buildup to protest?
6. The comic touch of Cassius being lowered into the phone call interactions with the variety of people, their hanging up, the reactions, conversation, grief?
7. Cassius and Detroit, living in the garage, the comic touch with the garage door? His uncle and his debt? The photo of his uncle and the car? And later paying him back?
8. The inserts from the brutal television show and their effect? The kind of world an audience that watched this show?
9. The working conditions, Squeeze and his protest activity, going for the drink at the bar, the car with the group inside, Detroit and her involvement, or the discussions, Langston and his contribution, building up to the protests from the booths, putting down the phones? The street demonstrations? The pickets? The police, armed guards, the bashings? Letting the scabs through?
10. Cassius, part of the rebellion, the news of his promotion, his reaction? His decision to accept the promotion, the attraction of the money, the conditions? The irony of abbreviating his name to Cash? Going up in the elevator with Diana, the joke about the extended security code, the introduction to the man with the eyepatch? The people lounging around with their phones, work? Guiding him around, getting to work, his getting in through the picket line? The example of his ringing the Japanese, the white voice, his field, the sale, his being acclaimed, developing his technique, being acclaimed as the star salesman?
11. The campaign for Worry Free? The range and frequency of commercials, the speakers, yet the dormitories and living conditions, the handing out of food, cramped slavery, and the genial appeal of more people to sign up to perpetual work contracts?
12. Detroit, her artwork, the show, the pieces, Cassius and his visit, Squeeze, the momentary affair with Detroit?
13. Cassius and his work, his growing reputation, the other callers and their admiration, the party, his being invited to go to Steve’s office, the privilege, the corridor, the office, the discussion? Lift and his explaining his philosophy of life, commerce, the workers, their transformation, Worry Free? His proposal for Cassius, to change, to go five years underground, to observe the workers? And the million dollars for his future?
14. Cassius going to the toilet, seeing the creatures, their plight, the effect on him, his return? Confronting Lift, the offer of the money, the limit of five years – the effect on him and his fleeing?
15. Cassius and his involvement with the campaigns, the background of the brutal television show, his being part of it, beaten and brutalised, the reactions, the commercials – and his situation not being listened to? Commercial considerations overtaking?
16. Connecting with Squeeze, Detroit, the determination to expose Worry Free? The rallies, the police, the demonstrations, the violence?
17. The expose, Cassius in Detroit, thinking that he was safe – after the seeming happy ending and the kiss, the reality of his transformation?
