I saw this as part of AMC's Screen Unseen series, so I had no idea what the film was gonna be when I arrived. In fact, I still had no idea what to expect when the title card popped up; I'd never heard of it before!
It was ... interesting. There was a wild mix of tones, from whimsical to disturbing, and I was never convinced the film balanced those tones well. Also not a fan of the story centering…
A truly beautiful film. It whispers profound truths, simply and with a lot of heart. The acting is top tier. Colman Domingo is at his best, but the rest of the cast, comprised of actual inmates playing themselves, don't need to be lifted by him to shine. They all bring powerful performances.
I was really on board with the film for the first half, when it was chaotic and aimless (but in a good way). The percussive music, the rapid flow of the camera, and the completely unpredictable action make the debauchery enjoyable to watch. But then the film settles into telling four separate stories and can't really balance them out that well. It wants us to get lost in one main character's journey, but half the time, you're wondering what's happening…
This was a fantastically campy and completely entertaining film I never knew existed but now think everybody should watch! Every actor knew exactly what movie they were in and played played their roles to a T. This is satire without preachiness. I love that this movie didn't bother giving a detailed background or motive for the main character; that's not what we're here for. We were here for ludicrous kills and, boy, did it deliver! What an absolute blast!
