I am Virgo review: Boots Riley and Jharrel Jerome’s Towering Series Team-Up

In 2018, the writer-director Boot relay His debut feature release Sorry to disturb you It was a bold reintroduction for the artist on the world though it never seemed to compromise. Overflowing with wry humor, this is a film that takes no prisoners and isn’t afraid to confront the brutality of capitalism. It flirts with a more surreal darkness before diving in headfirst, kicking you in the chest with the force of a horse and leaving you reeling in the best way possible. Whether you want to call it magical realism or satirical science fiction, it was a fresh vision that immediately made Riley one to watch. His new project, the series I am Virgo, the price of the wait cannot be high. It’s not just a triumphant return for him, but a showcase for the actor Jarrell Jerome, who step into some huge shoes without ever missing a beat. Big on ambition but precisely focused, it’s one of those works that promises to get people talking just like Riley did five years ago. As shown in the first episode SXSWAlready there is a lot of vibrancy and life on display.

It all starts with young Cutie (Jerome), whose world is small but rather big. Specifically, he is 13 feet tall. Everything from the objects it holds to the ceiling is relatively infinite, with carefully crafted visual gags recalling its cramped offices. Being John Malkovich. However, Riley takes it a step further and doesn’t run out of creative ways to explore how Cootie lives her life. From an entire car bench press to the amount of food he has to eat, it’s all about finding the humor and heart in the details. Significantly, and this is very important, the series is not about turning him into a spectacle.

Image via Prime Video

what makes I am Virgo It works in ways that keep a cut above Sorry to disturb you How it doesn’t hold back, instead coming out of the gate with its bigger swings on display. In particular, there is a televised interview with a man known as Jay Whittle who is hilariously identified as an entrepreneur, philanthropist and, if that’s not self-aggrandizing enough, Kieron’s hero. to play Walton Goggins In rare form, the character suddenly points a gun to his head and starts talking about the need for laws to keep us safe from any kind of complications.

It’s as if he falls into a trance and, as we get to know his character later in the series, we begin to understand that he’s the embodiment of one of the many death cults that Kuti must navigate. It creates a real connection with her as we see her early experiences with loss and love. The journey it takes in these first four episodes still only feels like it’s scratching the surface of its ambitions. Riley never shies away from the absurd, delivering an earned laugh as Cootie gets caught up in the crazy elements of modern life that also prove dangerous. It’s often silly, and all the better for it, because we’re led by the giant hand of a gentle giant discovering the world for the first time.

It’s conveyed through striking visuals, both capturing the size of the cottage and slowing things down as we’re introduced to other unique abilities. Without revealing their influence, it’s a bit of a stealth superhero satire. It may be tempting to compare it to its constituents the boys Especially as we see a character who is terrorizing the community of Oakland from the skies like Judge Dredd, but I am Virgo A show that comes full circle on its own ends up feeling more groundless.

 

A monologue at the end of episode four makes it clear that Riley isn’t interested in holding back for subtlety. As the characters in this story face a crisis that requires taking a sledgehammer to the rules, so do we. While neither show is going to change anything on its own, it’s nice to see Riley use her platform to speak her mind. The more glimpses we get of his vision, all his rich creativity and righteous fury bursting free in unexpected directions, the better.

Rating: A

I am Virgo Available now on Prime Video.