"IS GOD IS" Is The Black Girl Revenge Film I've Been Waiting For
Redemption. Revenge. RAGE.
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I don’t know if I have ever made this clear but….
I LOVE REVENNNNNNGGGGGGGGEEEE (FILMS)!!!!!!
Especially when it’s served from Black girls and this morning I got such a lovely surprise because the trailer for the film IS GOD IS from the mind of Aleshea Harris was released and I am more excited then I ever was to see it.
Adapted from a play of the same name, IS GOD IS, is about two sisters (played by Mallori Johnson and Kara Young) who are sent on a mission from their estranged mother (Vivica FUCKING A. Fox) on her deathbed to kill their father.
Years ago, he set their mother on fire…IN FRONT OF THEM. Leaving all three of them physically and mentally scarred and then going on his merry ass way to move on with his life—and likely fuck up the lives of others.
I care about this film so much and it is my film of the year already I am calling it.
Not only do i think movies are so back, BLACK FILMS ARE HERE. I refuse to say back because they never left, but many Black films are being made to talk directly to Black audiences and others just so happen to be listening (or ear hustling as my fiance would say) to the conversation.
Just as Sinners was Black to the core, IS GOD IS is as well.
The trailer—every second, every frame—is undeniably speaking directly to Black girls.
If for some reason you watch the entire trailer and think that’s false…1 minute and 3 seconds in….Ya Ya by Beyoncé starts to play.
WHAT DO YOU MEAAANNNNNNNNNNNN?
I love revenge films, especially when it’s women who get to enact it. Carrie, Kill Bill, Hard Candy, Sissy, and Death Proof are my favorite ones. There are a few things I run up against as a lover of revenge films though.
They are mostly white women
They are mostly seeking revenge because of sexual assault
If it’s a Black person, they are mostly seeking revenge due to some historical trauma
So it’s hard to love those type of films but I do anyway.There is a right way to get revenge and IS GOD IS is going to prove that.
I connect with these films because there are some parts of me that wants to get revenge of my own. Revenge that feels justified inside but scary when it comes to the top of my mind.
I have a history of hurt that lives in my bones. Hurt that no matter how hard I work to forgive it, forgive the people, make sense of it, and if not let it go at least move through it—will never go away.
So this film, where at LEAST three Black women are getting the revenge that they deserve, speaks to me. I hear it, I feel it, and I cannot wait to see it.
SO watch the trailer but also, get into my breakdown of it and Tessa Thompson if you’re reading this, get with me so I can do something for the folks in Chicago and Detroit for this film!
Out May 15th!!!
Trailer Breakdown Thots and MY OPINNNIIOONNNSS!
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Peep the photo hanging from the dash
So the girlies have been ride or die since birth, and of course we tend to extra bond with folks who were there during some parts of our trauma. But the sisters have completely different personalities, one is quiet and one is dangerous.
They love each other bad but when setting out to seek revenge—everybody MUST be on the same page or personalities are bound to clash. The photo has a sort of split down the middle so maybe it could mean the sisters—at some point—go their seperate ways.
Forever mama’s little girls
They are estranged from their mother but when it’s time to meet up with her, their style changes. It gets more innocent with the florals and the pigtails. No matter what they’ve been through, they still want to put on their best selves for her. Which could mean accepting her proposal of seeking revenge will be met with an enthusiastic “Yes mama!”
Queen Viv being MUTHA is gold. That’s All. And leave it to a Black woman to always stay fly.
Sister, Sister
Kara and Mallori kill these roles purely based on these stills. Their characters vibes pour out of them and you can tell the story of their sisterhood is a super close one. You can tell who took care of whom, you can understand why one may be more fragile, you can understand who may want to forgive and who will never let anyone forget.
Home Sweet Home
Religion is often woven into Black films, but usually in a way that is just doing the absolute most. I love that this film is going to hit on it in some way and THIS SHOT! THIS SHOT! It reminds me of my grandmas house in Southwest Detroit on Electric.
ROADDDDD TRIIPPP
This also qualifies as a road trip movie which I ALSO LOVE. It seems they have to do a little bit of traveling here and there to get to their father. Of course, revenge doesn’t come easy but I feel like they will not be letting a few miles keep them from getting what they want.
Papa can you hear me?
Here is my thing, I know we love to show Black men in film being great fathers, and really kind, and like whatever “a stand up guy” means….but also sometimes it’s great to show them like not being shit.
It’s so stressful as a Black person to always strive for some form of excellence—in real life and on-screen—we are always held to a different standard. So i know it sounds weird, but it feels nice to know that even for a fictional second, we can show that sometimes NIGGAS ARE NOT SHIT! also Sterling K. Brown PHHHHHEWWWW AN ACTOORRR!
and speaking of….
…who is these niggas?
I got a huge feeling their papa was a rolling stone. Niggas like “The Monster” tend to leave whole families behind to go start new ones where they actually show up in some way. I think these two are their fathers other children who he actually has been SOME SORT of a father to.
The girls ride around in an Oldsmobile…
It’s beat up, it will likely break down at some point in the film, but it’s theirs. The boys above have a brand new car, old school vibes, but immaculate and maybe given to them by the father they all share.
Perhaps the old car is their fathers too, the only thing they have left of his. Or perhaps it’s not at all and I’m reading too much into it and those boys are no kin to them and just some niggas they come across during the trip. BUT IT IS FUN TO READ INTO A TRAILER BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT I DEWWWW!!!
Stacked Cast & Incredible Writer/Director Alert
Let us PLEASE look at this cast and cry tears of gratitude
followed by screams of joy that the original creator of the play ALSO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE FILMMMMM!!!!!
Well class, that’s it. This film has just become my everything and I can’t wait until we all get to see it and discuss it as a class!
Happy watching, reading, and go to the site to keep up with all things IS GOD IS.
Etc.
We have to talk about just how important the use of Ya Ya is! Beyoncé don’t just approve anybody to use her music so phew! SEAL OF APPROVAL!
The day before this trailer drop (last night lol) I had just made a list of the films I was most excited for this year and IS GOD IS was on it. Just feels like kismet that the very next day all the key art and more came in.
I’ve been doing lotsa posts on my IG about film so go follow me there!
My mama looks like
Maxine ShawEricka Alexander and has been told that her whole life.If you liked this post, you might like this one too!
‘kaythxbiiii!
Ohhh I’m definitely watching this!
Oh my GOD!! Thank you for bringing this to my attention!!!!!!