Social commentary in media can seem so tacky nowadays. Everyone has a take that they're willing to throw out, and many of them tend to either be sanctimonious rants about going back to the old days or cliche-ridden satires that have more snark than bite. You can't blame people for wanting to have their two cents though, it's natural for us to reflect on our times. Given that life lately feels like running backwards on fire on a treadmill from velociraptors, there's even more urgency to say something about the horrifying, insane situation we've found ourselves in. But what has been said is tired in its approach and tiring to see in abundance. Sorry To Bother You however, is anything but tiring. It is the slap to the face that jolts you mind and your heart too.
Following Cassius's rise through the ranks as a telemarketer down in Oakland, Sorry To Bother You sounds like a standard rags-to-riches story in which the protagonist must come to learn the folly of their greedy ways once they're in too deep. The story beats of his desperation for money, the betrayal of his "true" self and so on all call to a familiar and lackluster character arc. Sure, it's funny seeing Lakeith Stanfield and Danny Glover being dubbed over by David Cross, and there is quite a polished yet indie style to the production based on its tiny quirks, but for the most part it appears to provide nothing more deep than a puddle. Indeed the film itself doesn't really have much else to say that would warrant a doorstopper of a book to be published about it. But Sorry To Bother You is not concerned in lengthy diatribes. It's concerned with hitting you with what its got as hard as it can.
Much of what allows Sorry To Bother You to stand out from other stories like it is its forceful lack of tact regarding the way capitalism has affected our lives. Elements of Boots Riley's Oakland (and America) follow from Idiocracy's blatant style of commentary. Many of the people are barely getting by, living in tents or having to get ready while they're in their car. Wage slaves are essentially just slaves with hardly any wage at all. Those that are on top are literally above the rest of the working class. Hell, it even goes into the deterioration of standards in pop culture aspect by having a show where people get the living shit kicked out of them. Why? Just for the hell of it. That's not even mentioning the more obvious aspect of the black characters in the film having to pass as white to get any kind of legitimacy. All of this provides wonderful background the the main story, providing us with a world that is as frank as it is dark. Furthermore, it works perfectly at a time when subtlety is spelled in all caps.
The film itself is quite hilarious amid all the mayhem that occurs. The trailers emphasize the white acting but it's far from the only source of humor. From sight gags, to clever lines to just how crazy the story's willing to go, there's a lot that'll get one laughing as well as thinking. The fantastical elements of the movie have a particular contribution to the comedic aspect of the film with half of them serving as visual flourishes and the other being actual events in the reality. At times they both can come across as forced, as if they're trying to get a laugh from you from the sheer awkwardness of the situation. Other times, they go beyond what one expects and leave you cackling in utter confusion.
The characters in Sorry To Bother You offer interesting glimpses into Riley's views regarding politics, society and identity as a whole. Cassius perfectly exemplifies the malaise of the working class feeling more disposable and worthless with each passing day, contemplating about how worth it their lives will be given the inevitable heat death of the universe, clinging onto the fantasy of making it and holding onto it once they've had. His higher ups show a far more corrosive side of the system that he's a part of and how much they're willing to let those below them eat their cake. His friends (and girlfriend, Detroit, who does well to challenge the world with her artistic abilities) however manifest the ever-growing anger that the working class face and the need to take action, no matter how small it may be. For the most part they are all well contained, though a few have some ideas going for them that hardly come to any kind of conclusion.
All in all, if you want to see a film that cuts through the bullshit with its message and provides an experience that is as bizarre and thrilling as the daily news on acid, Sorry To Bother You is ready to take your number and tell you about the amazing experience it has to offer you.
