They Cloned Tyrone
2023 Directed by Juel Taylor
Blaxploitation They Live- feeling like a Twilight Zone episode where the characters are slowly becoming aware of the circumstances that permeate their culture and world. The question of what our place is in society and how we fulfill certain societal archetypes is a universal message of collective human consciousness.
The film starts with direct callbacks to 70s film style- with the picture image itself having grain on the screen. The world doesn't seem fully real though- as modern technology makes the audience question what decade this is all happening in. The aesthetic quality of the main character costumes and lighting adds a lot to this atmosphere.
Racial Stereotypes of fried chicken and purple drink are confronted with questions of conspiracy. Are we conditioned to the things that we enjoy? Investigating the reasons why we do the things we do is at the heart of this film.
The main trio of character archetypes playing pimp, prostitute, and drug dealer are celebrated and charismatic- having quippy banter that underscores the 70s exploitation vibe. Even facing a black church that they've been "othered" from as well that demands obedience as a mantra.
Where can we find community when a space that is safe for most people is not safe for you? Do people that are othered in society serve a need for society at large? The interesting thing is that often the greater structure of culture demands a group of individuals to point at for faults in our system, rather than looking at the system itself.
They Cloned Tyrone has a lot of little reminders of conspiracy and theories that distort reality- Real world examples of government studies frame the context around these theories. What trust can there be when the community faces decay from the structures of society? Is there utility from the creation of conspiracy or structural fear itself as a means to control or create division?
The concept is intriguing, but moreover the character banter and zany energy work well here. It propels much of the narrative for these characters to uncover the mystery with badass panache. Unfortunately some of the nonsensical elements of that mystery stall the film during exposition. The compressed thriller or paranoid aspect doesn't fully ratchet up, but this is a film that needs repeat watching.
Whether or not the conspiracies are real- the placement of ourselves as individuals that connect to the world must be realized. Otherwise we're simply repeating the threads of our day to day lives without ever asking those questions and having communal conversations to create effective change.