Example of heavy handedness, and kind of odd framing, is the radio dial keeps hitting 1619.
When the movie lets the characters breathe, it's better, Ali starts getting into his zone about an hour in. His first parts aren't very convincing, which could be intentional, given the situation they are depicting. To me, though too much didn't work or was not needed, or some of it worked, but was so heavy handed and obvious. Hitting viewers in the head with the signals and nods at larger themes of division, racism, whatever.
Great actors doing their thing is always fun, but this is like a B- at best. Why do Netflix movies so often have that look to them like an AI created soundstage set, even with some dope establishing shots?
The biggest issue would be the people felt like caricatures to move the plot along and bounce around ideas about race and class. The book characterized the family so incisively, it was like they were real people, because they probably are, composites. The movie lost all the details about family, and status, and privilege, and corporate culture, plus academic culture. Scathing but measured criticism of liberalism in places like gentrified Brooklyn. it was just vicious, but still humane. The movie lurches from BIG ISSUE to BIG ISSUE like a drunk leaving a bar.
is the easiest jam to catch your rhythm to
