One thing that almost everyone would agree on is that getting a call from telemarketers might be the most annoying thing ever. Frequent, inconvenient calls from weird phone numbers are never wanted and having the job of a telemarketer doesn't seem too appealing either.
So after having this well-known bad reputation, why would anyone think to make a movie about being a telemarketer? It seemed like director Boots Riley wanted to challenge himself in his directorial debut by using a seemingly boring premise for a movie.
Somehow he managed to create a shockingly original, satirical film. This darkly comical thrill ride of a movie is set in modern-day Oakland, California but in an alternate universe where 80s-esque trends are present. The story follows a man named Cassius Green who desperately needs a job and winds up working for a telemarketing agency.
With the help of an older co-worker, he learns how to use his "white voice" (David Cross' voice) to work his way to the top which causes a rift between him his only friends, and his girlfriend. He becomes a hotshot in his new job as a "Power Caller" at the telemarketing agency just as his co-workers and friends start to protest the same company.
Eventually, he learns that some things aren't worth the big paycheck, especially when he has to fight with his own moral compass and his only friends to get what he wants. Little does he know what the agency he works for is really selling. The movie gets very caustic when tackling issues in America by using obscure concepts of slavery, privilege, and dealing with protests.
There have been a lot of movies that portray these issue but none have done it like Sorry to Bother You. The way they creatively portrayed slavery was interesting because they found a way to make it realistic in a modern society. They also used ideas of privilege and racism in a way that was disturbingly accurate even though some might say it was exaggerated for entertainment.
These issues are obviously serious topics but the films use dark, and at times, twisted humor to show these themes throughout the movie. Along with the deep themes presented in the movie, the intense scenes would not be as good as they were without the amazing cast that made each character memorable.
The movie starred Lakeith Stanfield (Atlanta) and Tessa (Thor:Ragnarok) with a supporting cast of Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead), Armie Hammer (Call Me By Your Name), Terry Crews(Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon), Omari Hardwick (Power), and Jermaine Fowler (Superior Donuts).
Overall this movie is fantastic. It's well written, has the perfect mix of comedy and emotion, and great character development.
Final rating 8.5/10
