"A Lot of Nothing" proves that McRae shows true promise in his direction and artistic capabilities. Perhaps an earnest, though misguided switch (that bewilders the film entirely) was an attempt at thoughtful devil's advocacy disguised as All Lives Matter condescension. While none of these themes are explored with meaningful depth, they are at least presented with acknowledgment. McRae's film feels patronizing and quick-tongued in its writing, though maybe not intentionally. During this, the film boasts a shallow gotcha-cleverness in tone while the characters plummet emotionally. The thematic integrity dissolves, completely muddling its stance on the intersection of race and social capital. So when the film reaches its big reveal and the discussion of it, it spins any assumption of intention into obscurity. "A Lot of Nothing" takes a fraction of a stance on how Black people are socially caricatured and systemically discriminated against. Especially as the film plunges head first into its twisty third act, it loses its grasp on creative control and shreds any loyalty to its themes. While it's typical for satire to push elements to 11, "A Lot of Nothing" doesn't fully commit to the bit. The spectrum of energy is stuck on high, and it belies the film's intention to draw attention to anything serious. Coleman's overacting is an accessory to the film's satirical nature for many moments but eventually tires out as the runtime trucks along.Īs the characters make their way through a hellish night of hostage-taking, Black emotional fatigue, and their interpersonal beef, the tone remains the same. However, the script is too focused on Noel and Coleman, who have little chemistry. The lead performances are feeble, but Anderson's quips nail comic relief and Davis' emotional moments bear true effect. Instead, they're archetypes, and simple ones at that. The characters are written as transitory soundboards to uplift the film's proposed intelligence but fall short in actually providing them with any motivations or layers. "A Lot of Nothing" presents a script simmering with buzzwords but ultimately no thesis. It also neglects to realize any of the characters as actual people. These differences cause rifts between the characters, but the film's poor writing fails to support any of the depth involved in these subjects. James and Vanessa are clear foils to Jamal and Candy in class, profession, and even down to the "whiteness" of their names. Microaggressions in the workplace, code-switching, colorism, and intracommunity respectability politics play out in one-liners and thrown-away sequences. McRae's direction is bold, with the more actiony sequences lending themselves to comedy, reminiscent of the soapy early aughts detectives on television. Creative cinematography and a thumping jazzy score accentuate the no-holds-barred approach of the film and its characters. To make a debut with such sensitivity at its center certainly requires a confident hand, and the film's stylistic aspects complement this to a tee, even when the film's content does not. McRae's film is nothing if not audacious.
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