November 30, 2022
FILM: THE INSPECTION
STARRING: JEREMY POPE, GABRIELLE UNION, RAUL CASTILLO
DIRECTED BY ELEGANCE BRATTON
RATING: 3 ½ STARS (Out of 4)
By Dan Pal
There have been many takes on the downtrodden character who decides to join the military to straighten themselves out. Some 40 years ago there were even the back to back releases of Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin and Bill Murray in Stripes. These were hugely successful comedies that made military experience seem like a fun adventure. (Were we being stimulated to join the service since the draft had ended by this time?) Both films were excellent and provided great arcs for those characters. What we haven’t seen since though is a film that sheds light on the initial experiences of gay characters trying to change through military service. This is a bit surprising since we dealt with the infamous “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy for many years yet there haven’t been any major films that have addressed it.
Now comes The Inspection, written and directed by Elegance Bratton. Set in 2005, the film, based on real events, stars Jeremy Pope as Ellis French, a young man so downtrodden that even his own religious mother Inez, played by Gabrielle Union, has little faith in his ability to change his ways. One of the few missing details within this narrative is that it doesn’t explore why their relationship has been so strained. She clearly has a major issue with his sexual orientation but we don’t know if French has caused other issues for her or, for that matter, himself.
To show that he can make something of himself, French decides to join the Marines. He soon has fantasies about some of the men which are depicted on screen. However, this isn’t the primary focus here. The film spends a good deal of its first act centering on the drive French has to excel in this new world while being constantly taunted and beaten for his sexual orientation. These scenes can be hard to watch in part because of the extreme yelling and screaming French and the other recruits have to contend with but mostly because so many of the attacks on French are unwarranted. The film seems, in part, to be an indictment of how the military treats not only gay men but also the non-Christian members of its troops. There is clear racism being expressed and not a lot of “fixing” of that problem. One might argue that the stripping away of one’s civilian identity is part of military training. But I think the film is critical of this mentality and says that differences in race, sexual orientation, gender, and ethnicity should have no bearing on one’s ability to serve. The military is missing out on some truly committed personnel.
If the first half of the film feels like a lot of military boot camp stories we’ve seen on screen before, it is the second half that provides the great heart at the center of the story. There is a sense of respect, love, and comradery that develops between various members of French’s camp even if some outside of this cannot accept their individual differences. The film suggests one should have the same chance to grow and serve the country as anyone else, regardless of these differences.
The cast of the film is stellar. Jeremy Pope is very effective as French. His performance is so strong that we barely recognize the character by the end of the film. Yet Pope has instilled so much depth to each of his scenes before this that we understand how and why he transforms.
Gabrielle Union is hard to watch for much of the film because her character is so unlikable. Yet Union has transformed herself so deeply into the role that we can appreciate her brilliant portrayal.
I also really liked Raul Castillo as Rosales, one of the leaders in charge of French’s troop. Every one of his scenes reveals layers to the character that are subtle yet completely humanizing. Castillo has been giving great performances in projects such as the HBO series Looking and earlier this year in Cha Cha Real Smooth. It’s time for him to get his deserved due.
Overall, The Inspection is an inspiring story of perseverance and self-acceptance. We can only hope that more people within our armed forces see the harsh reality that is portrayed in this film and take some steps to correct its unfairness.
The Inspection screened as part of the Chicago International Film Festival and is now playing in limited theatrical release.
FILM: THE INSPECTION
STARRING: JEREMY POPE, GABRIELLE UNION, RAUL CASTILLO
DIRECTED BY ELEGANCE BRATTON
RATING: 3 ½ STARS (Out of 4)
By Dan Pal
There have been many takes on the downtrodden character who decides to join the military to straighten themselves out. Some 40 years ago there were even the back to back releases of Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin and Bill Murray in Stripes. These were hugely successful comedies that made military experience seem like a fun adventure. (Were we being stimulated to join the service since the draft had ended by this time?) Both films were excellent and provided great arcs for those characters. What we haven’t seen since though is a film that sheds light on the initial experiences of gay characters trying to change through military service. This is a bit surprising since we dealt with the infamous “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy for many years yet there haven’t been any major films that have addressed it.
Now comes The Inspection, written and directed by Elegance Bratton. Set in 2005, the film, based on real events, stars Jeremy Pope as Ellis French, a young man so downtrodden that even his own religious mother Inez, played by Gabrielle Union, has little faith in his ability to change his ways. One of the few missing details within this narrative is that it doesn’t explore why their relationship has been so strained. She clearly has a major issue with his sexual orientation but we don’t know if French has caused other issues for her or, for that matter, himself.
To show that he can make something of himself, French decides to join the Marines. He soon has fantasies about some of the men which are depicted on screen. However, this isn’t the primary focus here. The film spends a good deal of its first act centering on the drive French has to excel in this new world while being constantly taunted and beaten for his sexual orientation. These scenes can be hard to watch in part because of the extreme yelling and screaming French and the other recruits have to contend with but mostly because so many of the attacks on French are unwarranted. The film seems, in part, to be an indictment of how the military treats not only gay men but also the non-Christian members of its troops. There is clear racism being expressed and not a lot of “fixing” of that problem. One might argue that the stripping away of one’s civilian identity is part of military training. But I think the film is critical of this mentality and says that differences in race, sexual orientation, gender, and ethnicity should have no bearing on one’s ability to serve. The military is missing out on some truly committed personnel.
If the first half of the film feels like a lot of military boot camp stories we’ve seen on screen before, it is the second half that provides the great heart at the center of the story. There is a sense of respect, love, and comradery that develops between various members of French’s camp even if some outside of this cannot accept their individual differences. The film suggests one should have the same chance to grow and serve the country as anyone else, regardless of these differences.
The cast of the film is stellar. Jeremy Pope is very effective as French. His performance is so strong that we barely recognize the character by the end of the film. Yet Pope has instilled so much depth to each of his scenes before this that we understand how and why he transforms.
Gabrielle Union is hard to watch for much of the film because her character is so unlikable. Yet Union has transformed herself so deeply into the role that we can appreciate her brilliant portrayal.
I also really liked Raul Castillo as Rosales, one of the leaders in charge of French’s troop. Every one of his scenes reveals layers to the character that are subtle yet completely humanizing. Castillo has been giving great performances in projects such as the HBO series Looking and earlier this year in Cha Cha Real Smooth. It’s time for him to get his deserved due.
Overall, The Inspection is an inspiring story of perseverance and self-acceptance. We can only hope that more people within our armed forces see the harsh reality that is portrayed in this film and take some steps to correct its unfairness.
The Inspection screened as part of the Chicago International Film Festival and is now playing in limited theatrical release.