They Cloned Tyrone – Movie Reviews by Ry!

They Cloned Tyrone – Mystery of the Social Kind: I’m a Copy?!?!

Storytelling is a delicate thread of enormous delight.  From setting to characters, telling a tale can bring about many emotions and reactions.   For the big screen, there are many things that can grab the audience … including bending genres.  It is a risk (to step outside the bounds), but if the hook is just right … it will be an unforgettable experience.  In this review, I look at the latest Netflix Original film.  A journey of unexpected detail, this film does things that you least expect.  Through cliches and twists, They Cloned Tyrone is definitely … a unique journey of the social kind.

The film follows Fontaine (John Boyega), Slick (Jamiee Foxx) and Yo-Yo (Teyonah Harris), as they try to uncover the sinister truth happening in their hometown.  Will the trio be able to save everyone or fall victim to those in the shadows.  In the beginning, we come into this film through the drop-in method, first introduced to Fontaine, who is a drug dealer in the Glenns.  After a series of conversational moments, his path leads to an encounter of different characters, including Slick and Yo-Yo.  After a series of scenes of small world-building, Fontaine goes about his ‘routines’ as a drug-dealer.  One such routine (with Slick) leads to a fatal confrontation and an unorthodox recovery.  The confusion of the prior night leads the three (Fontaine, Slick and Yo-Yo) down an unknown path of government conspiracies, satirical moments, and off-handed comedic wit.  The film’s journey begins to move away from its generalized outline, driving certain genre types (to the forefront) through creativity and unpredictable encounters.  This causes our main trio (Fontaine, Slick and Yo-Yo) to discover a truth (of themselves) through the play-on of archetypes through self-referential treatment.  This adds layers to the mystery (of the Glenns), playing against generalization with social commentary, crude humor, and unexpected hijinks.  This leads to a film that builds out context through blends, innovating the cliché of genres for an experience that is indifferent with an interesting hook.   

As Fontaine (and the others) dive deeper into the Glenns ‘experiment’, the discoveries begin to unravel their own lives.  This littering of characterization heightens the unique social commentary, reveling in tropes with a humanistic perspective.  With the threat hitting new heights, this leads to a third act of revelations, over-the-top sequences, and an ingenious confrontation.  We then head into a convenient full circle like climax, and a stinger that will have you wanting more.  They Cloned Tyrone is a unique blend of genres that leads to a genuine original experience.  If you are a fan of creativity, mysteries or like to see something original, this is one for you.  It is available on Netflix, but it would have been worth it to see it on the big screen.

Full Score – 3.5 out of 5 (Matinee)