Thread by @MovieDive

An interesting twist with #SorryToBotherYou is how it sacrifices characterization in favor of deconstructing a concept.

Some people who saw the film are struggling with this, so here goes a mini-breakdown of how lack of character development is weirdly a strength of the film:

Underdeveloped characters definitely bother me (😏) and #SorryToBotherYou does sideline a deeper understanding of Detroit (Tessa Thompson), one of a precious few Black female characters in film.

But in this ONE case... I’d argue that loss is for a greater good.

Time that other films spend on backstory & character arcs #SorryToBotherYou spends on building a layered depiction of capitalism that’s both surreal and too real. It gives a lot of time to the pernicious Worry Free and the slowburn of villain Steve Lift (Armie Hammer)

Most mainstream films also operate on the basis that audiences already get the major themes covered in the film: Good vs Evil, Love, Hate. Guy meets girl, guy hates job, guy learns to stop being a jerk.

#SorryToBotherYou is a whole other kettle of fish

#SorryToBotherYou⁠ ⁠actually endeavors to deconstruct and rebuke CAPITALISM, a system so engrained and pervasive that most of Western society think it’s natural, universal, and inescapable.

And the movie makes good on that premise.

I would argue that #SorryToBotherYou⁠ ⁠isn’t about people— it’s about the terror capitalism inflicts on people. The best part about this movie is that it uses surrealism to show that we may think this system we live under is normal but it’s not. It’s not ok. We’re not ok.

Oh hey @threadreaderapp unroll this for me please and thanks