“Assimilation is better than annihilation”
Like all streaming platform original films, Netflix’s are fairly hit and miss. The difference between them and the other services though is their ability to consistently attract A- list filmmakers and actors. Acclaimed films like The Irishman (Scoresese), Da Five Bloods (Lee), Beasts Of No Nation (Fukunaga) and The Power Of The Dog (Campion) are of a quality that the other services cannot match. Their latest offering, They Cloned Tyrone, I’m happy to say is another win for them, and while it may not be on the same level as say Power Of The Dog it certainly is in the upper echelon of their Original films.
Director and co-writer Juel Taylor, who’s only work I was familiar with was his writing on the underrated Creed 2, does a wonderful job executing his vision and also directing the seasoned cast.
The costume design is ridiculously on point.
Juel wears his influences on his sleeve, and will certainly draw comparisons to 70’s Blaxploitation films - especially as the opening act reinforces some of those stereotypes. While those comparisons are valid, it’s the new generation of African American filmmakers like Jordan Peele (Get Out, Nope), Boots Riley (Sorry To Bother You) and Daveed Diggs/Rafael Casal (Blindspotting) where I see his major influences.
Visual flare aside, if you were to go into this one blind, after the first 15 minutes, you may think this is just another generic hood film, but you would be mistaken. The following two acts head in a delightfully unexpected direction and the transition into the blend of sci-fi and dark comedy is tonally seamless and borderline genius.
Taylor’s visual style caught my attention straight off the bat. It’s shot on film (basically catnip for me), and is graded quite dark for the most part- so high contrast and crushed blacks. This makes his use of colour more effective. The whole neon lighting throwback thing has been done to death for sure, but it’s put to good use here and adds to the heightened effect of certain scenes. The costume and production design also add to that “not quite reality” feeling. This overall look also gives the film a timeless quality, making it feel like it could be set anytime within the past twenty years. This is definitely purposeful, and adds to the film's core messages/themes.
Director Juel Taylor made a lot of bold artistic choices with costume design, production design, cinematography and the overall look of the film.
I often struggle with comedies. The films that I find funny usually have some kind of darkness to them, and They Cloned Tyrone is one of those films. Things are played pretty straight for the most part with the exception of some of Jamie Fox and Teyonah Parris’ lines, and the humour really comes from the whole absurdity of what's going down. The random pop culture referencing (Nancy Drew haha) is also hilarious and never feels forced (I’m looking at you Scream 5 & 6), and the cuttaways to all the heightened commercials feel Verhoeven- esque.
I’ve been a huge fan of the ridiculously underrated John Boyega ever since I saw Attack The Block. He’s brilliant here, and he anchors the film with his stoic grounded presence. Needless to say that Jamie Fox is also killing it playing a small time pimp straight out of your favourite Blaxploitation film. In the hands of another actor this could’ve gone wrong, but he adds a sense of gravitas to the at times “cartoonish stereotype”. In fact some of his dramatic moments are arguably the strongest of the film. It’s the super talented Teyonah Parris who low-key steals the show though. She’s given some great dialogue to work with, and more than holds her own against the seasoned leads.
Jamie Fox crushing it (on brand) as the the og pimp "Slick Charles".
Themes like- the government controlling the poor, assimilation, settling for mediocrity, cultural appropriation and repetition of negative cycles are all at the films core. It’s well paced, well shot, well acted and while it doesn’t always work, what does is highly original, extremely effective and entertaining.
I’m happy that Netflix is backing new filmmakers and releasing quality content like this, but they really could do more in relation to promotion and fanfare. It’s a shame because this film is pretty damn good and would likely stack up with the better films screening right now (yes even Barbie and Openheimer), I just hope that it doesn’t get lost in the algorithm like so many of its predecessors.
FOUR out of FIVE Tyrone's.
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