The Inspection – Movie Review
Director: Elegance Bratton
Writer: Elegance Bratton (Screenplay)
Cast
- Jeremy Pope (One Night in Miami)
- Gabrielle Union (Bad Boys 2)
- Bokeem Woodbine (Queen & Slim)
- Raúl Castillo (Cha Cha Real Smooth)
- McCaul Lombardi (American Honey)
Plot: A young, gay Black man, rejected by his mother and with few options for his future, decides to join the Marines, doing whatever it takes to succeed in a system that would cast him aside.
Runtime: 1 Hour 35 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: The Inspection starts when a young gay black man Ellis (Pope) looks to turn his life around. He has been rejected by his mother Inez (Union) and has fought to stay alive. Ellis decides to become a marine and joins his fellow recruits. However, Ellis must keep his homosexuality secret to enlist.
When the soldiers learn that Ellis is gay, they start to shun him and his drill sergeant Laws (Woodbine) decides to push him to an extreme level. Ellis puts up with the intense training and hazing until he learns he can help his fellow recruits. He wants to prove he can succeed no matter what is in his way.
Verdict on The Inspection
The Inspection is a drama following the struggles a young gay man had joining the military. It follows the man who wants to simply turn his life around but finds just as much hate in the military. This shows him trying to tackle the prejudices he faces to prove he should be a marine.
The movie is based on the true story of director Elegance Bratton trying to find himself in 2005. It poses the bigger question about how the military operates in training and how it doesn’t treat people equally. However, it has started to change its ways in recent years. The routines we see Ellis go through, do feel like most training routines for someone considered an outsider. Even if this is normally just a troublemaker, rather than somebody’s sexual preference.
Deep down, this is a story about never giving up and never letting anyone keep you down. It proves that you can find a way to understand people and teach them to understand you. Jeremy Pope is brilliant in the leading role, standing head and shoulders above the rest of the cast. The rest of the cast is strong throughout the movie, with Raúl Castillo being the best of the rest.
Where to Watch: Signature Entertainment presents The Inspection in UK Cinemas on 17th February.
Final Thoughts – The Inspection is an inspiring story about defying the odds.
