I know it’s hard to believe, but hear me out: there are other movies that were released outside of Barbenheimer. Granted, those two films have lived up to their hype and their organically meme’d face off at the theaters, both becoming box offices smashes and demonstrating that people will, in fact go to the movies if the movie is right. But in the craze of Plastic vs Atomic Bomb, there are bound to be casualties in other places, and one of those is Netflix’ new hidden gem “They Cloned Tyrone.” While the streaming giant has a laundry list of issues including their part in the strikes and lack of quality content despite offering the most robust selection, once in a while the make a good decision.
“They Cloned Tyrone” is an inventive and unique genre bending film that falls in the good decision category for the streaming giant. It’s a film that feels fresh even if it’s operating within some familiar frameworks. It’s bound to get lost in the shuffle and fall victim to its release date, pushed to the fringes further by the unprecedented turmoil in Hollywood. But the solid blend of blaxploitation and sci-fi powered by excellent performances (particularly from John Boyega) makes “They Cloned Tyrone” a film that people will discover 5 years from now and say, “Why didn’t anyone tell me about this movie?”
Written and directed by Juel Taylor (making his directorial debut) along with co-writer Tony Rettenmaier, the film stars Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris (“The Marvels“). Fontaine, Slick, and Yo-Yo are a drug dealer, a pimp, and a sex worker all living in the small ghetto called The Glenn. Fontaine (Boyega) goes about his life slanging, while Slick (Foxx) and Yo-Yo (Parris) argue over her constant claims that she is going to retire. After Fontaine confronts Slick for money that he is owed, he is shot by a rival dealer outside of the motel that Slick pimps out of. To the unexplainable shock of Slick, Fontaine shows up again the very next night, and with the confirmation of Yo-Yo that he was in fact shot to death, the unlikely trio begin investigating a massive government conspiracy packed with experiments, drugs, and cloning all lurking beneath the surface of the town.
There is so much that works in “They Cloned Tyrone,” and for a directorial debut it packs the maturity of a seasoned filmmaker. For starters, it is sharp with wit and rapid fire comedy, elevated by the incredible chemistry between the film’s stars. The inspiration of “Sorry to Bother You” cannot be overstated, as it gives off very similar vibes both in style and tone as well as its undertones of social commentary regarding black communities, government experiments (which, while conspiracies here for effect are rooted in some haunting truths) and poverty. Taylor smartly masks his intentions with purposefully grainy visuals, channeling the blaxploitation styling and layers the comedy to make his bitter pill easy to swallow. Much like its inspired work, this film has a lot on its mind even if it consistently leans into the ridiculousness and stereotypes of it all through its science fiction angle. It’s a lot of moving parts that should be in shambles by nature of ambition, but feels carefully crafted by a director with a clear vision and clear idea of how to bring that vision to life.
Of course, “They Cloned Tyrone” doesn’t work without its stellar three stars, who are all capable in their own right but come together to create something truly special here. Boyega in particular constantly seems poised to breakout, but always finds himself in great movies overshadowed by bigger budget blockbusters. It’s a shame too, because Boyega has far transcended his “Star Wars” run and deserves to be credited as a legitimate performer who consistently delivers. Foxx and Parris are the perfect oil and water couple, combusting with explosive back and forth dialogue delivered with near perfect timing. They are so funny together, and Parris continues to establish herself as a performer to watch. Going beat for beat and line for line with someone as fast talking as Foxx in a comedic role is hard, and Parris is up for the task while Boyega stretches his legs with a more measured, introspective performance that compliments the comedy with heart and emotion.
There’s a rolling effect- and it requires you to stick with it for your reward. Taylor opts to thrust you into this world without warning or hand holding, littering the frames with easter eggs and plot cues unbeknownst to the audience until you’re already invested and start to put the pieces together yourself. Sure, the idea of the government cloning and experimenting on black communities is nothing new, and you’d be right to telegraph most of the narrative with a pretty strong success rate. But what Taylor does with this predictability is what makes “They Cloned Tyrone” worth the journey, and really demonstrates an inventiveness and command over the blended genres. Again, “Sorry to Bother You” is all over this one, and I mean that as a compliment and not as a pejorative derivative.
My hope is this film gets the hype and praise it deserves, enough to warrant a sequel. The characters are so rich and I for one would love to see this trio reunite as many times as they’re willing to do so. Netflix doesn’t have a strong tracker record with what continues and what gets chopped, so here’s hoping “They Cloned Tyrone” gets another crack at this world.
Now who wants some chicken?
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
“They Cloned Tyrone” is now streaming on Netflix. You can watch the trailer below.
