Our take
In the year of the Netflix TV Show Maniac, another absurdist title stole critics’ hearts. Sorry to Bother You is a movie set in an alternate reality, where capitalism and greed are accentuated. Lakeith Stanfield (Atlanta) is a guy called Cassius who struggles to pay his bills. However, when at a tele-marketing job an old-timer tells him to use a “white voice”, he starts moving up the ranks of his bizarre society. A really smart movie that will be mostly enjoyed by those who watch it for its entertaining value, and not so much for its commentary. It is like a Black Mirror episode stretched into a movie.
What it won
DGA
1 nom
Spirit Awards
1 win · 1 nom
Sundance
1 nom
Nat. Board of Review
1 win
The story
In an alternate present-day version of Oakland, black telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success – which propels him into a macabre universe.
Elsewhere
"[The] critique, ultimately, is a moral reversal, one that has less to do with making the white man a stereotype than with giving the black one a sense of self."
— Doreen St. Felix
"This palpably handmade movie doesn't reach out, and nor does it engage in chin stroking: instead, it extends a middle finger."
— Adam Nayman
The details
Who picked it
Bilal Zouheir is the founder of A Good Movie to Watch. He is based in the US and a member of the Nevada Film Critics Society. He grew up in Morocco, where he learned English from watching movies. Bilal's work with A Good Movie to Watch is focused on offering an alternative to streaming algorithms, which are often used as commercial tools by streaming services.
Weird, thought provoking, and super engaging. Wish they had stopped the movie a little earlier but still am going to recommend this movie.