They Cloned Tyrone, 2023.
Directed by Juel Taylor.
Starring John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx, Jason Burkey, Joshua Mikel, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Robert Tinsley, Tamberla Perry, Jason Louder, Megan Sousa, Michael A. Dean, Trayce Malachi, Al-Teron, Adam Cronan, Shariff Earp, James Moses Black, Charity Jordan, David Alan Grier, Myrom Kingery, Swift Rice, and Eric Robinson Jr.
SYNOPSIS:
A series of eerie events thrusts an unlikely trio onto the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy in this pulpy mystery caper.
A pimp, ho, and a drug dealer join forces to solve a mystery. The title They Cloned Tyrone might seem like a spoiler, but the reality is that there is plenty of startling discoveries to go around in the directorial debut from Juel Taylor (co-writing alongside his regular collaborator Tony Rettenmaier). And while cloning is at the center of the story, there is no character named Tyrone (well, there is, but that would be getting into spoiler territory). The question is more so why various Black residents of the Glen are being cloned, as the filmmakers wink and nod to telling an urban version of a Nancy Drew or Scooby-Doo mystery that happens to have a race relations social commentary bent.
The spoilerific nature of They Cloned Tyrone also makes it slightly challenging to talk about, but what can be said is that the central characters of drug dealer Fontaine (John Boyega), sex worker Yo-Yo (Teyonah Parris), and pimp Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx) stumble across unexplainable oddities related to Black culture. Fontaine also happens to be still grieving that his younger brother was murdered by a cop, whereas Yo-Yo dreams of moving to Memphis and becoming a journalist. As for Slick Charles, he is rowdy, loud, and often hilarious, putting some of these absurdities into perspective. Although once some truly sinister motives are revealed, he finally goes silent, making for a compelling dramatic touch.
With its grainy visual aesthetic to drive home some of the more pulpy, blaxploitation elements, They Cloned Tyrone is a bizarre pleasure that briskly moves with intrigue due to the infectious chemistry between the three leads and an ominous, jazzy score from Pierre Charles and Desmond Murray. While these three main characters don’t get along, once one experiences something unexplainable, it forces them to band together, further going down a rabbit hole of strange behavior alterations while questioning their own identity and memories considering the newfound existence of clones.
The filmmakers take viewers into another pocket of Black culture for these effects every few minutes, demonstrating clever creativity, dark humor, and socially relevant thrills. Much of this is comedic, but watching Blackness devilishly weaponized against themselves is terrifying. Some of these instances are telegraphed and fairly easy to catch on to, while others are sneakily kept in the background until coming into play.
However, once the story gives away some major reveals as to what is going on and to, why it’s being done, and who is pulling the strings, the filmmakers also write themselves into a corner where the story is no longer something thriving on vibes and uncovering mysteries, but rather something much more plot focused. And the one glaring issue with They Cloned Tyrone is that once one starts thinking about it too much, some of the execution and logic begins to fall apart. One or two reveals here are somewhat impossible to buy into. Then there are some character introductions in the final act, paving the way for grand explanations that primarily fall flat and don’t expand the depth of this narrative.
Such shortcomings are easily forgiving thanks to the strong ensemble infectiously having a blast on screen, with most of the revelations tapping into something frightening and truthful regarding race relations. Get Out comparisons are inevitable, but They Cloned Tyrone functions and succeeds through a different approach to scares and suspense.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
