What is the price truly paid for greatness? To be the GOAT? It’s said that to truly master any skill, one must put in nearly ten thousand hours of work. Few among us would actually know what it takes – Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods. All masters of their crafts. Thus is the bare bones premise of Him, written by Justin Tipping and Skip Bronkie & Zack Akers, with Tipping directing. Jordan Peele (Hunters, Lovecraft Country, Candyman, Wendell & Wild) serves as a producer through his Monkeypaw Productions. While the film is not utterly terrible, Him gets too caught up in its style to truly become meaningful. Its climax can be caught between a brief conversation of the two leads in the middle of the film, which feels purposefully lazy.
Him is truly saved by both Marlon Wayans (Requiem for a Dream, Scary Movie) and Tyriq Withers’ (Atlanta Season 3, I Know What You Did Last Summer) worthwhile performances, with Withers, at times, playing the material better than Wayans. Moreover, Julia Fox (Uncut Gems, Presence, Fior Di Latte), as Wayans’ character’s wife, seems to be playing the material as campy as possible, giving a break in the brevity of Him and its wacky world of football.
What Are You Willing to Sacrifice?
Are sports always doomed by sacrifice? What is the true price that athletes at the top pay? On the surface, it’s mostly common things, like divorce or dissociation from family and the like. However, does the soul come with that as well? Him would have us believe so. Unfortunately, that’s where the film falters. Him wants to be a commentary on sacrifice and brain injuries, but the film lingers too much on what it could be. It distracts the audience from its potential, trading in slick cinematography and editing, while Tipping, Akers, and Bronkie’s screenplay remains shallow.
It would seem the film wants to be almost too stylistic just to prove its point. Yet, it really only works due to the cast. Him could have easily been one of the best films of the year. Maybe, upon more viewings, it can be appreciated better. Still, there are too many elements hanging by a thread to truly reveal the price for sacrifice. Simply making a deal with the Devil is too easy. There are elements of the writing that do work in Him’s favor, but leaving too much on the field always falters your team, rather than making it worthwhile. Often, you make it to the top and realize, “that’s it?”
Technical Elements
While the film does hinder itself with a script that seems so simple, yet needing final touches from Tipping, Him does have aspects that can keep audiences watching. Similar to when diehard fans simply can’t stop watching their team get absolutely destroyed, Him features some of the coolest cinematography within a horror picture this year. Bouncing back and forth between inferred and thermal lensing, there is a sense that maybe it’s better to be a spectator than to play football.
Kira Kelly’s photography is sometimes breathtaking, but Taylor Joy Mason’s editing brings the two elements together, completing the strange film. Additionally, Bobby Krlic’s (Midsommar, Calls, Returnal, Beau Is Afraid, Eddington) score is quite fun, with the film’s music choices rounding out nicely as well.
Wayans and Withers have a great back and forth on screen, and at least physically, their presence is really felt. Wayans plays his menacing role fairly well. It can’t really be felt whether he wants to actually harm or help Withers. Their chemistry is one of the film’s best elements. Meanwhile, Jim Jefferies gives a terrifyingly shameful performance (complimentary) as their athletic trainer. The fear of his character is truly felt through Jefferies, and he seems to be the only one not truly bought into the tomfoolery of Isaiah White’s (Wayans) manifest destiny within the United States Football Federation, Him’s stand-in for the National Football League.
Final Thoughts on Him
While certainly not horrible, Him does too much for its own good. Simply attaching Peele’s name won’t always be enough. While hints of greatness can abound, too much style over substance typically makes any film fall flat. Similar to this year’s ongoing college football season, changes should have been made to the final product to truly result in the greatness Him wants to seek out. Is sacrificing everything, your soul included, enough? Not this time.
2.5/5 stars
Justin Tipping’s Him is now playing in theatres everywhere!
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