I keep hearing people talk about how they never want to see this movie again or how they need bleach for their eyes or whatever, and while I understand this sentiment (the Equisapiens and Cassius's gargantuan nostrils at the end are indeed horrifying) and comedic hyperbole, I very much enjoyed the movie and would very much enjoy to watch it again. It just seems like one of those movies that maybe you could catch fun hints of foreshadowing on the second watch-through.
This movie reminded me a lot of Get Out, I think probably just because Lakeith Stanfield, who plays Cassius, was also in Get Out, and also because both movies are race-related and have traces of comedy and horror (Get Out has significantly more horror and Sorry to Bother You has significantly more comedy but you get the idea). But also more specifically, both have this theme of a marginalized group of people being exploited for white society in a weird surreal way. In Get Out it's black people and in Sorry to Bother You it's I guess lower-class blue-collar workers. I don't know, I'm curious about if other people who've seen Get Out also got similar vibes.
And another thing that stuck out to me was that part where all the fancy elite people at that Worryfree party were insisting on Cassius rapping for everyone. This of course reminded me of the scene in Invisible Man where the narrator is asked to sing a spiritual, the scene from Native Son where Bigger is asked to sing a spiritual, and the mention of an elementary school presenter killing herself after being asked to sing a spiritual in White Boy Shuffle. But it also reminded me of this bit from Donald Glover's comedy special, Weirdo, where he went to I think a Kanye West concert in Texas. Apparently, in one of the songs which included the n-word, the predominantly white audience just unashamedly screamed it along with Kanye. While I recognize that a lot of comedy bits are made up to get a reaction, this still disturbed me because it reminded me that things like this can and do actually happen in real life.
All in all, I really liked Sorry to Bother You. I thought it really effectively incorporated modern-day issues into a bizarre and engaging film. And I look forward to rewatching it!
This movie reminded me a lot of Get Out, I think probably just because Lakeith Stanfield, who plays Cassius, was also in Get Out, and also because both movies are race-related and have traces of comedy and horror (Get Out has significantly more horror and Sorry to Bother You has significantly more comedy but you get the idea). But also more specifically, both have this theme of a marginalized group of people being exploited for white society in a weird surreal way. In Get Out it's black people and in Sorry to Bother You it's I guess lower-class blue-collar workers. I don't know, I'm curious about if other people who've seen Get Out also got similar vibes.
And another thing that stuck out to me was that part where all the fancy elite people at that Worryfree party were insisting on Cassius rapping for everyone. This of course reminded me of the scene in Invisible Man where the narrator is asked to sing a spiritual, the scene from Native Son where Bigger is asked to sing a spiritual, and the mention of an elementary school presenter killing herself after being asked to sing a spiritual in White Boy Shuffle. But it also reminded me of this bit from Donald Glover's comedy special, Weirdo, where he went to I think a Kanye West concert in Texas. Apparently, in one of the songs which included the n-word, the predominantly white audience just unashamedly screamed it along with Kanye. While I recognize that a lot of comedy bits are made up to get a reaction, this still disturbed me because it reminded me that things like this can and do actually happen in real life.
All in all, I really liked Sorry to Bother You. I thought it really effectively incorporated modern-day issues into a bizarre and engaging film. And I look forward to rewatching it!
I will admit I was one of those people who said something along the lines of "I'm not sure if I'm better off having watched this movie" but I definitely was kidding, because as much as the movie was disturbing and weird and awful in some places, I also agree that it was just legitimately a really great movie. It's the same humor we see in White Boy Shuffle and Get Out (which I still!! haven't seen, but as far as I've heard) where it's just so surreal it's hard to comprehend, but that's also part of what makes it so interesting.
ReplyDeleteI also have to admit that I was (and still am) part of the group that you referred to in the beginning, but that was mainly because of the amount of nudity and sex in the movie. I still appreciate how developed the plot was and how it depicted race and class. I have to agree with you on the fact that the rap scene was highly uncomfortable to watch considering the fact that something like that still happens. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI'm still not sure if I enjoyed watching it, but like you pointed out, it was interesting. I also had a fun time discussing it in class. I definitely agree with you about the rapping scene because I could barely watch that part because it made me so uncomfortable. Nice post!
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to watch it again, to try and pick up on smaller things and such. I actually really did enjoy watching it despite its upsetting parts. I really want to watch Get Out as well. I liked what STBY did with the film medium a lot, like playing with color and stuff.
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