One major objection I had with David Franco’s directorial debut, The Rental*: Its treatment of its own racism angle. As a general rule, white people can and should make movies and TV shows and music that confront racism and white supremacy. As an addendum to that rule, they should only do so if they actually have something to say. Anti-racist “anthems” sold by publicists as “a call to arms that we need right now” do me absolutely no good and usually suck. Don’t do that. Don’t half-ass it. Whole-ass it.
Anyways, Franco doesn’t whole ass that detail here, and runs into a couple other issues besides. Mixed bag. But Sheila Vand is always worth watching.
You can read my full review over at Paste Magazine.
*Apart from the ones outlined in the piece, obviously.
