A Inspeção

Finding one's family may not always occur where one most likely expects it. For many of us, that typically comes with our blood relations. But sometimes circumstances arise that prevent that from happening, as is the case for a twentysomething gay Black man (Jeremy Pope) who has been on his own since age 16 when his close-minded single mother (Gabrielle Union) forced him out onto the streets to fend for himself. And, after years of bouncing around aimlessly, he decides to try getting his act together by joining the Marines, a seemingly unlikely choice but one that unwittingly helps him find what he's been looking for all along. Writer-director Elegance Bratton's fact-based debut narrative feature tells a compelling story of acceptance among those from whom it might least be expected and its absence where one would think it should most likely be present. The film's superb Independent Spirit Award-nominated performances by Pope and Union, along with fine supporting portrayals turned in by other members of the excellent ensemble cast (most notably Bokeem Woodbine and Raúl Castillo), truly give this picture its razor-sharp edge and its touching moments of heartfelt compassion, an unusual mix of elements on the same story, to be sure. In several regards, "The Inspection" also echoes groundbreaking themes first addressed in "Moonlight" (2016), though with slightly different but nevertheless equal significance. Admittedly, the production could probably benefit from a little more back story development and slightly brisker pacing in the first half-hour, but those are truly minor shortcomings in the greater scheme of things where this film is concerned. If this ISA candidate for best first feature is any indication of what we can expect in future works from this filmmaker, I can't wait to see what else he comes up with.

Though the movie focus on a man whose gay and his experience going through the Marines Boot Camp, the movie actually examines a diverse group of young men going through the Marine Corps training. Of all the types you'll find your type that you can relate to.

I feel the movie makes you guess a little too much about the main character French's background. Most likely done on purpose as the purpose of the Marines is to have no background when you put on that uniform. Slowly along with the character we discover what type of man he can be without putting any further labels on him.

Find it ironic that the inspection actually was positive propaganda for the U. S Marine corps, casue what I saw a coming-of-age story that molded the story teller greatly.

It was a small picture which triggered great emotion.

As the movie states it was "inspired" by a true story, meaning the characters use fictional names and many of the exact situations and dialog were invented, but as the filmmaker says, everything is accurately autobiographical to the substance of the story.

The main character is Jeremy Pope, a gay black actor, as Ellis French, a gay black man in New Jersey. The story starts in 2005 and the first 12 minutes of the movie shows us his life. He had been on his own since he was 16 and now, at 25 was homeless, spending nights in shelters, and riding the train by skipping over the gates. He looked around. Most of the other men were older and he decided he wanted to make a life for himself.

He and his mother, who had him at 16, were estranged, she did not approve of his being gay. As if she though he could control it and maybe he could decide to be straight. There is a short scene where he goes to her to get his birth certificate, he has decided to join the Marines.

The rest of the movie is during boot camp, the difficult time French had, not so much with the training, more with the anti-gay sentiment he was confronted with.

This is not an easy movie to watch at times but it overall is an excellent story of coming-of-age and setting himself up for a better life. And of course in real life he has become a writer and the director of this movie.

At home on DVD from my public library, the DVD "making of" extra is worthwhile.

"French" (Jeremy Pope) is an itinerant gay man who, estranged from his prison office mother "Inez" (Gabrielle Union), has concluded that the only way to stop himself becoming subsumed into an underworld of drugs, disease and most likely death, is to join the US Marines. Having failed at just about everything else, his mother is somewhat sceptical, but to bootcamp he goes where he encounters the stereotypically brutish gunnery sergeant-major "Laws" (Bokeem Woodbine). It's all based on a true story directed and adapted from his own story by Elegance Bratton, so jeopardy here there isn't. That said, Pope and Woodbine are both on good form as the former runs the gamut of a tough training regime coupled with a prejudice against his sexuality that proves distinctly dangerous. His trainer offers him nothing by way of support or sympathy, intent on instilling the most primitive of "survival of the fittest" mentalities amongst all of his recruits. It is a little procedural, but it's still an interesting tale from a man who resisted the temptations to jack it all in - and sends a clear message of perseverance and determination that does resonate to a certain, predictable, extent. Essentially, though, it's a television movie that doesn't really need a cinema screening and though watchable and important, it isn't a story that will linger in the memory for long afterwards, I'm afraid.

Kicked out of home at age 16 by his single mother, likely because she found out he was gay, a black man eventually decided to turn his life around by joining the Marines, during the time of the Afghanistan War. This is mostly a docudrama about his time in boot camp. While he answered "no" to the question of "Are you a homosexual", shouted at all recruits early on (plus others like "Have you smoked marijuana, etc.), presumably his physical reaction to being in a shared-shower situation gave away his secret. In his continuing journey, he has both detractors and allies.

Given that this film is heavily biographical, despite the usual disclaimers, I wonder how the director will fare in a narrative that does not come from his own experiences.