Movies are often stories adapted from a stage drama, a novel, or a memoir but this is probably the first time we have come across based on a string of Twitter posts. This was the story of a very unusual road trip in 2015 by A’Ziah-Monae “Zola” King that was subsequently detailed in a Rolling Stone article. Now, filmmaker, Janicza Brava has adapted it as her sophomore feature film as an intriguing black comedy.
It is a rather lurid tale, that Brava doesn’t hesitate in showing all the sordid parts in close-up detail which will definitely put more than a few viewers off.
Zola (superbly played by Taylour Paige) is a frustrated waitress in a Denver diner when she gets hit on by Stefani (Riley Keough) one of her customers, There is an instant physical attraction between the two and within minutes they are exchanging phone numbers. Their date later that night is at a seedy strip club where both women show off their skills pole dancing. There is sexual chemistry between the two but it is never that clear where it will lead between black Zola and white Stefani who insists on speaking her odd version of black slang in a patronizing accent.
The very next day Stefani invites Zola to join her on a road trip to Tampa where she says they can make so much more money. She takes little persuasion and later that day they are in the car with X (Colman Domingo ) her “roommate” who we eventually discover is Stefani’s pimp., and Derrek (Nicholas Braun) who is her nerdy needy boyfriend.
After checking into a really seedy Motel, the girls go off to work in the strip club which is even seedier, and where they quickly realize that the promise of big money is never going to happen. Turns out the ‘X’ had other plans all the time and so installs the girls into a nice hotel room where he expects them both to hook up with men who will reach them through ‘Backpage’ app.
Zola is angry and is not having any of it, but as she is trapped in the room she is forced to watch Stafani with her first client. After the brief encounter, she rebukes Stefani for having sex for as little as $150 which is the rate ‘X” has set for her. So she creates a new ‘Backpage’ entry for her friend and ups the price to $500 and soon the phone is ringing off-hook with eager punters who Brava insists on showing them in action.
It makes a point about the exploitation aspect of Stefani turning tricks for money she will not even be allowed to keep, but this section of the film is too long and comes over as unbridled porn.
Next morning when ‘X’ discovers all the money Stefani has made he is both annoyed but also impressed that Zola’s interference has paid off so handsomely. He is really a small-time pimp who makes up for his lack of intelligence with threats of violence especially towards Zola who he is determined to start turning tricks.
It’s his feeble machismo and boyfriend Derrek’s refusal to accept reality, that add the only real moments of humor to this disturbing tale. Zola herself, the brightest one, in this odd group, finds nothing to laugh about. And as we rout for her remaining safe and sane, so do we .
Credit to Brava and her team for her fast-paced cinematography and design which are inspired by some of the best current music videos. It lets us know who this movie is really aimed at which may be the reason, in the end, we failed to see its charm. We are however very keen to see what Taylour Paige does next: she is a star in the making
Labels: 2021, black comedy, explicit nudity, review
