Tyrel
2018, 86 minutes, Digital
USA
Language: English
Director: Sebastián Silva
Cast: Jason Mitchell, Christopher Abbott, Michael Cera, Caleb Landry Jones, and Ann Dowd
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Tyler joins his friend on a trip to the Catskills for a weekend birthday party with several people he doesn’t know. As soon as they get there, it’s clear that (1) he’s the only black guy, and (2) it’s going to be a weekend of heavy drinking. Although Tyler is welcomed, he can’t help but feel uneasy around a close-knit group of white guys. The combination of all the testosterone and alcohol starts to get out of hand, and Tyler’s precarious situation starts to feel like a nightmare.
With writer/director Sebastián Silva’s signature handheld style probing subtext and body language, Tyrel conjures an undeniable underlying tension and it marks his most radical character exploration yet — a timely, provocative, and brilliant observation of the idea of otherness in today’s American climate.
“Aided to a large degree by a first-rate Jason Mitchell performance that enriches the movie’s topical themes.”
— Eric Kohn, IndieWire
“Tyrel‘s refusal to leave the bounds of realism lends it a unique intrigue and unpredictability.”
— Ivana Brehas, 4:3
“This is a fast and lean film, an absolute workout for its outstanding cast and a devilish roller coaster ride for audiences.”
— Jordan Hoffman, Vanity Fair
OFFICIAL SELECTION:
Sundance Film Festival