DVD Review - Tyrel

Writer-director Sebastián Silva has identified a kind of racism or uneasy race relation that has become more prominent in the past decade than the kind of direct, aggressive or even violent form of racism that's easily spotted and condemned. Plenty of films have tackled racism that comes from white people who hate, are disgusted or just plain look down on black people. From films about slavery to films about the Civil Rights Movement and beyond, we've gotten plenty on the topic. Recently, there have been films and TV shows that have tackled or are tackling racism from white people who support or even love black people. It's an odd concept to grasp. How can white people who love or support black people be racist? It's typically through the embracing of stereotypes, cultural appropriation or ignorance of their own privilege or of their own white dominance.

The best example of what's been loosely referred to as white liberal racism is the Oscar-winning, hit film Get Out (2017). That film by Jordan Peele was a sharp critique of cultural appropriation, white dominance and the subjugation of black people in new forms that are supposed to seem flattering but still is subjugation of black people. Get Out made that sharp critique using a horror metaphor that could be applied to the broader issues or conflicts. This film doesn't have that horror metaphor. It also doesn't have any conversations that speak specifically to those points.

Without that metaphor or conversations, Silva has only concocted a unique and isolated situation. It's racially awkward and does speak to those issues inherent in that so-called white liberal racism, but it's not a sharp critique. I'm not even sure how applicable it is to the broader race conversation. It might not be, but if not, Silva's film still provides an interesting slice-of-life and minor character study of a person who feels like an outsider. An argument could be made here that the division is along racial lines, but an equal argument is that the division is along frat boy lines.

Jason Mitchell (Straight Outta Compton and Mudbound) stars as Tyler, a young African-American who drives his friend up to the Catskill Mountains in New York to attend a birthday party. Tyler doesn't know the birthday boy. The party is for the friend of Tyler's friend whom Tyler has never met before. The party is being held at the house of another guy whom Tyler has never met. The party consists of about a half-dozen or so guys. When Tyler gets to the house, he realizes that all the other guys are white with the exception of one who is possibly Latino but possibly European, but mostly he passes as white.

Aside from the optics, which are never directly commented, the issue of race only arises in conversation once. Tyler is resistant but he eventually participates in a game the white guys are playing in which they act out the voice of some stereotypical or specific character written on a scrap of paper in a hat. One of the voices is simply written as a "black accent." This game happens early and sets the tone for the rest of the film, but it is the only demonstrable moment of racism. There are some off-the-cuff jokes or one-liners that pass rather quickly.

However, what turns Tyler away from these guys aren't racially insensitive or ignorant comments they're making. Despite being confined to a house in the mountains with no cell phone reception and snow surrounding them, Tyler does find ways to avoid them or not engage completely. Yet, I would argue that his reason is more the frat boy culture or mentality at play in this house. The drinking and the juvenile activities are what's the main thrust here. Nothing crosses the line into total debauchery or hazing-type behavior that would lean more into the realm of toxic masculinity, but it does seem that Tyler mostly rejects that loud, party identity that's most associated with frat boys.

It could be that Tyler is more anti-social than anything else, or maybe he's just a tad bit agoraphobic. However, the climax comes after Tyler tries to put on the frat boy persona himself and it doesn't go well. He gets drunk and starts doing things that clearly aren't him. A lot of the acting weight does lie on Mitchell and I think he delivers in what's a tricky performance, but he nails it, fully embodying what it's like to be an outsider.

Silva though assembles a great supporting cast, including Christopher Abbott who plays Johnny, the best friend of Tyler. Caleb Landry Jones who was in Get Out plays Pete, the aforementioned birthday boy. Michael Cera (Juno and Superbad) plays Alan, a rich kid who shakes things up for Tyler. All of them contribute to an atmosphere that seems friendly but also contribute to an atmosphere that's off-putting if you're identity doesn't fully align with theirs.

Not Rated but contains language, drug use and brief nudity.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 28 mins.