Sorry To Bother You (Movie 2018)

Now, I have to admit I went into this a little blind thinking it was going to be your run of the mill message movie. I was told that it was about the destructiveness of Capitalism. But the rapper Boots Riley who wrote, directed, and stars in it takes it to a surreal level to make his point. Sorry To Bother You has Cassius Green living in his uncle's garage in Oakland, CA. He's in desperate need to get up from out under and start to make it in this world. He gets work as a telemarketer. He is told that if he can really produce a lot of sales he can move upstairs to the land of Power Caller which is represented by golden elevator doors. Aaahhh Valhalla! But Cassius in the beginning isn't making any sales until another co-worker played by Danny Glover tells him he needs to use a different voice, a "white" voice or as he explains further a business like voice. It all starts to come together and success is at hand. But meanwhile his friends and co-workers are planning a strike to unionize and get more pay. Cassius does get bumped upstairs and leaves his friends to fight for the scraps. However, Cassius finds out moving up is basically selling your soul and this is where the movie really takes a turn into the strange and dark. This isn't a film you go to just for entertainment's sake. It makes you think about society. And whether or not you will agree with Boots Riley there is no doubt there are severe problems in the country and with the economy so the questions need to be asked. And, Boots does it in a funny, creative, thoughtful way.