I can see Sorry to Bother You ranked as a cult classic in future years. We live in an era where future job security is at risk from AI, robots and drones. The films asks important questions. The answers though are unpalatable. Workhouses for future workers unless they are part of the elite.
Sorry to Bother You starts out as a satire on race. Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) gets a telemarketing job and is struggling just to stick with the script. Cassius is in debt and is living at his uncle's garage. His uncle is behind on his mortgage payments so he could lose his house.
His fellow black colleague Langston (Danny Glover) tells Cassius that he will get more sales for using his 'White Voice.' Once Cassius adopts this, his sales hits the roof and pretty soon he is on his way to the top floor to become a power caller and more money. Meanwhile his fellow workers are on the picket line for better working conditions.
On the top floor, Cassius finds himself working to sell services from WorryFree to the highest bidder. WorryFree guarantees folks employment, housing and food for life. However in reality it is slavery, the food is slop and the housing is prison like cells. They work long and hard for whichever corporation takes on WorryFree staff.
However this is not enough for Steve Lift (Armie Hammer) the young chief executive of WorryFree. He plans to have a low cost workforce that can work harder and longer. He is not horsing about.
What starts out as a social satire quickly morphs as a surreal attack on modern capitalism. Governments and corporations do not give a damn if the populace are modern slaves, only profits count.
As for Cassius, he bends his principles when he starts to make huge commissions. He turns his back on his striking friends and splits with his activist girlfriend Detroit (Tessa Thompson.)
First time director Boots Riley shows his inexperience in film making, its message gets chaotic and muddled. Yet it is a daring and absurd debut.
Sorry to Bother You starts out as a satire on race. Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) gets a telemarketing job and is struggling just to stick with the script. Cassius is in debt and is living at his uncle's garage. His uncle is behind on his mortgage payments so he could lose his house.
His fellow black colleague Langston (Danny Glover) tells Cassius that he will get more sales for using his 'White Voice.' Once Cassius adopts this, his sales hits the roof and pretty soon he is on his way to the top floor to become a power caller and more money. Meanwhile his fellow workers are on the picket line for better working conditions.
On the top floor, Cassius finds himself working to sell services from WorryFree to the highest bidder. WorryFree guarantees folks employment, housing and food for life. However in reality it is slavery, the food is slop and the housing is prison like cells. They work long and hard for whichever corporation takes on WorryFree staff.
However this is not enough for Steve Lift (Armie Hammer) the young chief executive of WorryFree. He plans to have a low cost workforce that can work harder and longer. He is not horsing about.
What starts out as a social satire quickly morphs as a surreal attack on modern capitalism. Governments and corporations do not give a damn if the populace are modern slaves, only profits count.
As for Cassius, he bends his principles when he starts to make huge commissions. He turns his back on his striking friends and splits with his activist girlfriend Detroit (Tessa Thompson.)
First time director Boots Riley shows his inexperience in film making, its message gets chaotic and muddled. Yet it is a daring and absurd debut.