The Inspection

A favorite at film festivals that has fallen below mainstream radars, The Inspection is a passionate, heart-tugging indie brimming with talent and moving performances. It’s a nuanced story about a man trying to find his place in the world and be accepted for himself, and it shines a light on the role that camaraderie and tough guy toxic masculinity play in the military…and the world at large.

Shot mainly with close-ups, Jeremy Pope is mesmerizing as Ellis French. He lights up the screen and steals every scene, and you’ll see why his performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination. As French’s mother, Gabrielle Union, who has made a career of playing beautiful, sexy female leads, trades it in to play a uniformed prison officer without an ounce of glamour, letting her true acting talent shine. She disappears into the role of a stern, complicated single mother who has love in her heart but can’t find acceptance for her gay son.

From the script:  “Most of my friends are dead or in jail. The streets was going to kill me no matter what. So if I die in this uniform, I’m a hero, somebody.” – Ellis French

From the critics: “It is the type of film — brave, raw and poetic — that will rightly put Bratton on the map as someone to watch, not to mention the standout performances of Jeremy Pope and Gabrielle Union.” – AP’s Lindsey Bahr (full review)