Sorry to Bother You

Sorry to Bother You has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available in the US on MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel and Kanopy. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. LaKeith Stanfield leads a cast with real comic timing. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel.

Sorry to Bother You is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Sorry to Bother You gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. In an alternate present-day version of Oakland, black telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success – which propels him into a macabre universe. The chemistry LaKeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson bring to it does a lot of the heavy lifting. Sorry to Bother You came out in 2018. What keeps Sorry to Bother You from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Sorry to Bother You respects your intelligence. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. LaKeith Stanfield's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.