They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

[Joimiaroxeu]

Starring John Boyega, Teyonah Parris and Jamie Foxx.

[Joimiaroxeu]

It was worth watching just to hear Erykah Badu's modified version of "Tyrone." I wonder which came first, the concept for film or the idea to tie it to Miss Badu's classic song?

The retrofuture blaxploitation vibe was perfect though it took me a minute to pick up on it. For example, people in the 70s would not have been talking about blockchain or using cellphones. I guess the story was supposed to be happening in the early-2000s?

The whole repeat cloning thing gave me a headache but the premise was an imaginative way of explaining why so many so-called "urban" areas are similar across the US. And why hair straightener, malt liquor, fried chicken, grape drank, and holy roller meets trap gospel churches are endemic to predominantly Black populaces, presumably to their detriment given certain possible bad heath or financial consequences.

Nice touch to have Kiefer Sutherland in this since his father starred in Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Whoever produced/wrote this movie really thought that through.

John Boyega does an excellent American accent, and in particular an AAVE-flavored one. I've noticed many British actors being unable to suppress their native accent during intense, emotional scenes but I didn't detect on any mistakes in Boyega's pronunciations in this movie.

Would love to have been in the room when Jordan Peele--probably--watched this. I think it's kind of what his film Us was driving at, but TCT leaned more toward sci fi than horror.

I wouldn't mind a sequel.

[Spartan Girl]

Started off slow, but then things really took off! Both freaky and hilarious. John Boyega played straight man to Jamie and Teyonah. I was cracking up so much watching them interact.

Best part was the pimp calvary storming the secret hideout.

[peridot]

I really liked this movie.  Slick had so many laugh out loud lines, I cracked up when they first met the lab tech with the afro.

I'm surprised Fontaine didn't go insane when he saw the face of his clone.  I don't know why I expected for only him to be the clone.  It was heartbreaking when he found out that his mother wasn't real.

The overlords of the experiment were very insidious.  It was creepy when everyone was in the chicken joint.

I was glad to see everyone come together at the end to take down the lab.  The guy with the mini fan cracked me up.

[DoctorAtomic]

I pinged when they were in the car and first heard the song that made them sleepy, buy it didn't register to me until the chicken shack. We had already seen the commercial with everyone going nuts, so when the three of them went there in person, I knew it had to be a plot point. I got it *just* before Slick Charles did. Then I realized all the commercials were something. Then "oh of course we in the strip club!"

Obviously, I think we all knew there was cloning going on, but to that degree really was horrifying. Not everyone in the town was a clone, so the clones were just there as the instrument of oppression. Both the actors (Slick Charles and Fontaine) finally dawning on them, the way they showed how crushed they were was just superb acting. 

For some reason, the singing in the elevator cracked me up. And Slick Charles' total disappointment not really being 1995 pimp of the year. 

I couldn't figure out his plan; I thought they faked the shooting to jump the guys in the truck who pick up the bodies. 

On 7/30/2023 at 6:05 PM, Joimiaroxeu said:

I guess the story was supposed to be happening in the early-2000s?

Given the mix of styles, I thought they were implying that this has been going on for a long time in some form or another. OG Fontaine looked in his 60s+ to me. 

On 8/12/2023 at 12:08 AM, peridot said:

It was heartbreaking when he found out that his mother wasn't real.

I don't get that he never saw his mother? That seems a bit much. Or he had implanted memories?

This script was tight. They laid everything out until the big clone reveal in the old house.