They Cloned Tyrone

Fontaine (John Boyega) is a drug pusher working out of the black neighborhood known as The Glen. During his rounds of collecting money, he faces pimp Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx) who tells Fontaine he was killed last night with his story corroborated by soon to be retired prostitute Yo-Yo (Teyonah Parris). As Fontaine searches for answers with Charles and Yo-Yo reluctantly in tow, the three unearth a vast conspiracy with Fontaine's inexplicable reappearance only the tip of the iceberg.

They Cloned Tyrone is the newest film from Netflix and sees the streamer reteam with star Jamie Foxx having previously collaborated with him on Day Shift and Project Power. The film marks the feature directorial debut of Juel Taylor whose script co-written by Tony Rettenmainer was featured on the 2019 Black List of best unproduced screenplays and was acquired by Netflix for their streaming service. The movie has received critical acclaim and rightfully so because They Cloned Tyrone is an engaging sit featuring an unexpected mash-up of unique elements that collect together into a mostly satisfying whole.

What makes the film so engaging from the outset is definitely our three leads played by John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris who are so good dramatically and comedically in the first 20 minutes that they could've served as full characters for a straight drama if the movie were so inclined. Once we get the shift into high concept with Fontaine getting shot, the movie creates a fantastic hook with a really unique mystery that I can't go into full detail without spoiling. The filmmakers have cited films like They Live and Groundhog Day as influences upon the film and you can definitely see that from the mixture of social satire and genre thrills that does match the approach of They Live while also containing similar character dives like Groundhog Day. We also have a bit of a Cabin in the Woods type scenario with They Cloned Tyrone very much being a deconstruction of blaxsploitation in the same way that film was to horror films. The movie delivers some really exciting and thrilling moments, but I did feel like the film maybe began to stall a little in the third act where it felt like it lost momentum as well as that balance of humor and social satire. While the third act is still very enjoyable especially in regards to the climax, I did feel like the movie maybe revealed a major cameo a little sooner than it should've and made the momentum slightly less smooth.

They Cloned Tyrone is a fantastic debut film for Juel Taylor and with a clever script and a likable set of characters played by strong performances this is definitely one to see. I did feel like the film might've peaked a little too early with the third act losing the sharpness we saw earlier in the runtime, but this is still a movie that deserves your time and attention.

I just read a review about people who give this film anything but a 1 either being family members etc etc. Quite the tirade.

With a third of their review concentrating on a child slurping a drink. That's their review.

This one is mine.

Look. This is quite a different output than your usual.

It is very much influenced by blaxploitation (and at the end that is the point) films and the modern revisionism of someone like Jordan Peale.

A completely off the wall plot that mixes multiple genres into one.

John Boyega is such a good actor. He really, really is.

With multiple roles, he manages them well.

Jamie Foxx adds silliness and humour to proceedings.

This isn't an Oscar winner. Nor is it garbage. It is just different.

I was engaged throughout the film.

To give you in a nutshell what to expect think Groundhog Day meets Invasion of the body snatchers, meets Nancy Drew meets Shaft meets Get Out meets Boyz n The Hood.

It's just a crazy mix which on the whole, IMHO, works.

And as to the title....it'll all make sense by the end.

And it lends itself to a sequel (which likely it will get).

This Blaxploitation sci-fi comedy is clearly among the more fun, inventive films that Netflix has decided to pick up. The grainy visual texture, the funky costumes and hairdos, the energetic soundtrack, and much of the film's aesthetics are carefully designed to remind us of some of the finest entries in the Blaxploitation subgenre. The setting could be somewhere in or around 2008, as we still see picture-tube TVs, CDs being sold, mentions of Obama, and Blockchain being the future (LOL!). The absence of smartphones is also a notable aspect. Yet, even with the aesthetics already standing out and a pretty exciting (and potentially scary) sci-fi plot on the cards, it's the lead trio's performances and fun camaraderie that holds it together.

The revelations keep coming, but it's the banter between Boyega's Fontaine, Teyonah Parris' Yo-Yo, and Jamie Foxx's Slick Charles that keeps you entertained and invested in their fates. After the first hour, there were moments in the screenplay where it could've all looked and sounded artificial. However, director Juel Taylor keeps the conspiracy theories coming, complemented by wonderful production design work and sustained focus on the protagonist's journey. The finale (++the eventual antagonist reveal) is somewhat tepid when compared to the rest of the film, and it may also seem 10-15 minutes too long for the story it has to say, though I'll definitely recommend They Cloned Tyrone if you're an enjoyer of absurdist humour.

Whoever thought to pair John Boyega with Jamie Foxx is brilliant. Pure genius. Teyonah Paris in the third spot of the badass trio drug dealer, pimp, prostitute just brings it all together flawlessly.

Part sci-fi, part mystery, part action, and part comedy, "They Cloned Tyrone" is a perfect combination of mixed genres, intriguing plot, smart dialogues, and best of all believable chemistry among its actors.

The movie takes us down a rabbit hole of hilarious conspiracy and fantasy that not only African-Americans would appreciate. But to truly enjoy the shenanigans you have to have some understanding of Black American history.

And that's really the only downside of the movie - it's not made for an international audience that is unlikely to know the racial history of the U. S., the medical experiments done on minorities, the policies that kept people poor, etc.

That knowledge by the audience is an essential ingredient to get the most out of the movie.

Nevertheless, I think the general viewer can still enjoy "They Cloned Tyrone."

They Cloned Tyrone is one of the best movies I've seen in awhile. They filled up those two hours with so much fun, comedy, drama, suspense and action! This movie Felt like a great mashup of Black Dynamite and Us.

I thought the cinematography was on point, it wasnt the typical normal settings on a camera. It looks like they put some thought to it being that it was like a sci fi horror flick, I think that the grainy hazy dark filters capture that mood.

The social commentary was hilarious and tragic at the same time, but never felt ham-fisted or overbearing. Exposed some real life issues.

I think this film was executed well and the plot never felt force. Definitely worth watching.