Bathroom stalls, showering marines and flashlights under the sheets encompass A24’s “The Inspection.” While the moving drama could catch the attention of progressive Academy members, others may find the honest subject matter too off-putting.
As Ellis French, Jeremy Pope takes the lead of Elegance Bratton’s directorial and writing debut “The Inspection,” which had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Thursday. The A24 film, inspired by true events, is a showcase for Pope and full of “Oscar-clip-worthy” scenes. We’ll see how the circuit treats the film, as Pope will be battling bigger names such as Hugh Jackman and Colin Farrell for recognition.
Standing proud next to Pope is a career-best turn from Gabrielle Union as French’s mother, a homophobic prison guard that can’t accept him for who he is. She channels a bit of Mo’Nique’s Oscar-winning turn in “Precious,” and with the right backing, could be a contender for best supporting actress.
I was particularly impressed by Raul Castillo as one of the drill instructors, who offers an emotional pillar following some brutal takes. After “We the Animals” landed him an Independent Spirit nom, hopefully a performance like this can bring him closer to a win.
“The Inspection” tells the story of French, a young, gay Black man, who after being rejected by his mother, decides to join the Marines.
Lachlan Milne’s cinematography takes cues from other LGBTQ dramas such as “Moonlight” (2016), but may be too subtle to make noise in the category.
We’ll wait to see where it lands in the awards races. With A24 spearheading “The Whale” and Everything Everywhere All at Once,” this could be a lot to juggle.