Juel Taylor’s directorial debut is a strange mix of Blaxploitation, comedy and sci-fi with a trio of lead performances from John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris.
Plot: A series of strange events leads three unlikely people to discover an abusive government conspiracy in this mystery maze.
Review: Some filmmakers come along who define a style of filmmaking that turns their name into a description. In recent years, Jordan Peele has become a benchmark for which many genre films have been compared, especially when they focus on the Black experience. Storytellers like Donald Glover and Boots Riley have come close to earning Peele-like name recognition. Now, we can add Juel Taylor to the list. They bowed to Tyrone, Taylor’s directorial debut, is a smart science fiction story wrapped in a humorous narrative that mixes blaxploitation with a contemporary flavor for a truly unique film. With another positive turn by John Boyega, They lost Tyrone presents excellent efforts from Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris for the strangest film of the summer.
The trailers and first images released from They lost Tyrone focusing heavily on the comedy aspects of the story. From John Boyega’s grill, Teyonah Parris’ thigh-high yellow boots, or Jamie Foxx’s flat top, everything oozes retro flair. Despite taking place in the 21st century, many of They lost Tyrone feels like it was ripped from a low-budget 1970s horror movie. From the very beginning, the movie reminded me of the recent Prime Video series I am a Virgo and episodes of Donald Glover Atlantic. A surreal tone runs through They lost Tyrone from the first moment we see Boyega in a character like Fontaine. A drug dealer with a routine in his neighborhood, Fontaine is a mopey and serious guy who never bothers. That is until he realizes that something strange is happening in the area, An Glen.
The science fiction element of the plot begins one night after Fontaine runs into a prostitute named Yo-Yo (Teyonah Parris) and her pimp, Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx). When the three begin their investigation, the mood of the film shifts dramatically to comedy and some not-so-simple jokes involving fried chicken, hairdos, and hip-hop music. There are white guys all over town with afros and a strange preacher played by David Alan Grier. As Fontaine, Yo-Yo, and Slick Charles discover an underground facility beneath the Glen, they learn the secrets of their neighbors, and the family goes beyond mere cloning. All of these elements are revealed near the halfway point of the two-hour film, leaving a lot of running time that Juel Taylor and co-writer Tony Rettenmaier use to devastating effect. As the film progresses, there is a lot of comedy, but the tone shifts to darker themes. When Kiefer Sutherland appears, They lost Tyrone switching to another movie.
Although a smaller cast could have gotten lost in the subtlety of this story, They Cloned Tyrone benefits from three main actors. Teyonah Parris, star of the upcoming MCU series WandaVision and The Marvels, as well as Candyman Nia DaCosta, bring charisma to the whipsmart ho Yo-Yo who sees the truth about what’s going on in the Glen. Jamie Foxx plays Slick Charles as the most likable pimp I’ve seen on screen in a long time, able to deliver a perfect commentary on whatever strange situation is happening at the time. John Boyega steals the show here, adds. They credited Tyrone with his string of strong performances in Breaking, Small Axe, and The Woman King. Far from being classified, Boyega does more here with his role(s) than the trailers lead by balancing an emotional performance with a stoic presence throughout the film. .
So good I really liked it They bowed to Tyrone, the film still suffers from the common issue that many Netflix originals fall prey to. Running at just over two hours, there are moments throughout the film that could have been edited out. There is so much going on in the first half of the film that isn’t quite related to the overall plot that it could have benefited from trimming a few minutes here and there. These are minor quibbles as Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier have balanced many genre effects and tributes throughout. They lost Tyrone beyond just spy, horror, and science fiction. Taylor has a very skillful approach as a director and uses darkness in many scenes very effectively. The production values are excellent, with every sign and screen boasting a custom message. There are so many Easter eggs that you’ll have a blast going back through each frame for clues, puzzles, and inside jokes.
When the end credits rolled, I was wondering what the title was They lost Tyrone means Stay tuned, because there’s still more, even when you think the movie is over. I can’t say what that last scene might mean, but if this movie gets the buzz it deserves, there could be more to this story than the two hour movie. this. They lost Tyrone is a strange mix of genres that works out to be a truly original film unlike anything else out there. Thanks to Boyega, Foxx, Parris, and writer/director Juel Taylor, They lost Tyrone may be the most inventive Netflix movie to date. With one of the best soundtracks of the year, featuring a title track performed by Erykah Badu, They lost Tyrone a strange, funny, surreal journey that will make you think as much as laugh.
8
