Ambition is an increasingly rare commodity to find in contemporary cinema – the vast majority of young filmmakers believe themselves to possess it, but very few of them allow it to be shown in a way that actually reflects on screen. However, we do often find those rambunctious directors that seem to be capable of putting their audacity to good use, crafting memorable works that are mainly sustained on the sheer gumption that comes with telling certain stories or looking at specific subjects, which are usually delivered in a way that is fascinating, if not outright compelling. A terrific example of this comes on behalf of Juel Taylor, whose directorial debut is perfectly encapsulated in the title, where we find that They Cloned Tyrone is a thrilling, captivating dark comedy that is simultaneously intriguing and deranged in a way that we don’t often find in quite a bit of modern cinema, especially with subjects that don’t normally lend themselves to smaller-scale filmmaking. Telling the story of a trio of working-class career criminals who find themselves plunged into the heart of a sinister conspiracy theory, the film is an unquestionably strange and off-kilter examination of psychology, race and social normativity that takes the viewer on a wild, unpredictable journey, where every new turn provides us with twice as many problems as it does solutions, each one compounding and creating an even more complex depiction of the world and its population, which we discover is viewed in a very different perspective throughout this film. Peculiar and fascinating in equal measure, but never anything short of energizing, They Cloned Tyrone is the kind of film that is best experienced with as little prior knowledge as possible since the best moments are those that come as a complete surprise – and as we learn throughout this film, there is certainly not a shortage of unexpected developments that the director is willing to infuse into every frame of this film, which proves that there is still a market for original stories, especially from films that are built from such bespoke concepts as this tremendously odd masterwork of carefully-controlled artistic chaos.

The impetus behind They Cloned Tyrone, as indicated by the original script, was to make a film that blends numerous genres in a way they had never previously been seen, which is a strong idea in the developmental stage, but one that has to be reconsidered when putting the story into practice, especially for a young filmmaker who had not previously worked on something on this level. There is a process of taking a raw concept (which can be as eccentric as the original writer intends) and developing it through a process where the concepts are refined and the rough edges are polished. However, a film like this benefits from some of that proverbial cinematic grit, but visually and narratively, since it adds depth and sophistication to a story that makes good use of all available resources. Taylor’s intention here was to blend comedy and science fiction, not a revolutionary concept on its own, looking at it from the perspective of urban warfare, which is not always considered aligned with those genres in particular, but makes for an unexpectedly good pairing, considering it is all put together by a team that genuinely believes in not only the merits of the material but the message that underpins every moment. To execute these ideas, Taylor evokes absurdist comedy (with this being a tremendous spiritual successor to the wildly ambitious conversations sparked half a decade ago by Boots Riley in Sorry to Bother You), combined with psychological thriller and action, tying it all together with a healthy dose of blaxploitation, a genre that has consistently seen revival attempts but has never lingered long enough to be seen as anything more than a novelty. They Cloned Tyrone has proven to be the closest we have gotten to those effortlessly cool action thrillers that combined social commentary with a vibrant, contemporary dynamic that was the foundation for a lot of American cinema in the forthcoming decades. These components all work together brilliantly to create a vividly compelling, multilayered existential odyssey that is equal parts entertaining and thought-provoking, which was perhaps the central motivation behind this hilariously irreverent but deeply curious meditation on society.

In terms of finding the deeper meaning, it doesn’t take too long to realize that They Cloned Tyrone is about something gravely serious, albeit delivered in the form of an absurdist comedy. From the first moment, we can discern that there is something much deeper to this film, and while we are initially misled to think it is far more comedic than it actually is (primarily due to the very strange sense of humour that governs the first act), we become extremely aware of its message as soon as we begin to understand the direction in which it is heading. Race is a subject that is frequently discussed, but yet remains one of the most pressing issues in contemporary American culture, and Taylor is certainly not unaware of the impact of these issues when crafting this film – it may not have been the sole reason to make this film (with the idea of producing a genre-bending dark comedy that samples from many different styles of filmmaking being objectively tempting for any ambitious young filmmaker), but it was one of the factors that did drive the story to the place in which we eventually find ourselves setting up camp to unpack the very dense but still quite enthralling conceptual material that is situated right at the heart of this film. The best kind of film is the one that seems quite conventional on the surface (even if it is quite a zany premise – there are many examples of the most original premise being rendered as entirely traditional through being given to people who don’t quite know how to temper the project to reach its full potential), but offers us something surprising and entirely unexpected, which is where They Cloned Tyrone succeeds so wholeheartedly, since even when we know what it is trying to say, how it approaches these conversations is quite remarkable since there are several unexpected twists that may seem obvious in hindsight, but certainly we not anything close to predictable, at least not in the sense that we could see most of this coming – and for a story that carries such an emotional heft, this is quite an achievement and one of the many reasons we have to celebrate this film.

The process of bringing this audacious story to life entailed casting actors that were at least partially on the same wavelength in terms of the peculiarities that drive this film since there needed to be some level of authenticity in how they approached these roles, especially since They Cloned Tyrone does factor in certain moments that are almost contradictory to its more eccentric tone. The performances are terrific, particularly from the central trio consisting of John Boyega, Teyonah Parris and Jamie Foxx. All three are exceptional actors that are not only very different (and therefore the perfect candidates to play these roles, since the film is built on the premise of an unexpected trio teaming up after encountering a very mysterious crisis), but are turning in incredibly layered performances that make for profoundly captivating viewing, which we find often makes this film far more engaging and intriguing. There is something to be said about this being amongst their best work as a whole – Boyega proves himself to be one of the most engaging leading men of his generation, capable of not only brooding intensity but profound complexity, especially in the latter portions of the film where he is given much more to do than we initially expected. Parris is not far behind, her steadfast performance as arguably the toughest and most savvy member of the crew, and the one who undergoes possibly the biggest internal development as we see her well-maintained facade gradually erode until there is a profound vulnerability that the film uses exceptionally well in terms of its emotional impact. Finally, Foxx is able to take on a more off-beat character than he usually is known to play, which is always a terrific opportunity for established actors, since it not only allows them to showcase their versatility, but also gives them the chance to have fun with a role, and as the outrageously funny Slick Charlie, Foxx is in his element. The chemistry between the cast is palpable and adds a lot of depth to this film, which would have been far too jagged without the right amount of work done to make these wildly different characters feel cohesive and united under a common cause, which is precisely why it is not at all difficult to find a lot of value in what this film is doing, even when it is at its most abstract.

There is a very inspiring lesson at the heart of They Cloned Tyrone, which is namely that in an industry driven by formula and convention, we should aspire to be as creative as Taylor, who foregoes chasing a profit or immediate popularity in favour of pursuing a more authentic form of artistic expression, which is not only admirable, it is a genuinely encouraging statement about the future of this business, which has been going through many changes, not all of which are seen as entirely positive. Originality is a quality that has been even more elusive than usual, and while it would be foolish to say that a film like this is entirely free of pre-existing inspiration (after all, the director has been open about the intention for this film to be a celebratory tribute to the genres that influenced his artistic vision), it carries itself with a commitment to doing everything it can to be different, which makes a profound impact on not only our experience as viewers, since we are being challenged to think more deeply about some of the issues at the heart of this story than we may have anticipated, but also on the future of independent film, which has become the place for these wacky, off-the-wall films that are driven by a high concept and accelerated by a genuine sense of humanity, a soulfulness that has disappeared from the mainstream. There are many moments in They Cloned Tyrone that are both shocking and awe-inspiring, and we are nothing if not thoroughly provoked to change our way of thinking, expanding on existing knowledge that has been supplemented by a truly strange but oddly prescient story that speaks to the state of our world. To make a film that is this layered and meaningful, but still having it end with the viewer feeling nothing but exhilarated and energized after experiencing something extremely captivating is a surefire sign of success, and one of the clearest pieces of evidence of the fact that there is always a place for socially-conscious storytelling in contemporary cinema, especially when it becomes as wildly inventive and deeply compelling as we see throughout this film, which dares to be different and succeeds in being one of the year’s most remarkable surprises.