The Mosley Review: Death to 2020
Congratulations everyone! We've made it to 2021 and not a day has gone by where I haven't wished for the new year to begin. There were many terrible things that have happened socially, politically and the whole world was shaken to its core. That doesn't mean we can't look back and poke fun at how ridiculous some moments were. There are already countless interviews, news reports and documentaries about 2020, but none of them truly have been able to look at it and find the funny in it all. This mockumentary was the best middle finger to last year and a welcomed dissection of what society was like for an entire year. It does deliver some great commentary and truth, but it also take some well placed and hilarious jabs at the political and societal climate.
The cast all play fictional characters, but they are definitely based on real people. Samuel L. Jackson was fantastic as Dash Bracket of the New Yorkerly News. He sets the tone of the film and doesn't let up with his witty and upscale commentary on how things were for news outlets. Hugh Grant was perfection as a British historian Tennyson Foss. He may come across as intelligent and worldly, but he makes some great and hilarious points on how so many factions can never agree or agree to disagree and so forth. Lisa Kudrow was excellent as a non-official conservative spokesperson Jeanette Susan. The amount of conviction the character has behind her beliefs was great and the moment they're challenged, she denies everything she just said. She was just bonkers all throughout. Leslie Jones steals the film as Dr. Maggie Gravel, a behavioral psychologist. Her comedic timing and truth behind her declarations were so relatable and great. Kumail Nanjiani nails it as a version of an elitist owner of a tech company Bark Multiverse. He was the perfect representation of how disconnected a person can be from the public while sitting upon a throne of riches. Joe Keery was great as Duke Goolies. He was the definition of every millennial and youtuber that would find some form of profit or success due to the pandemic. I really liked Diane Morgan as the average citizen Gemma Nerrick. She represented the darker side of what the pandemic has done to social interactions. Tracey Ulman was outstanding as Queen Elizabeth II and I loved her fourth wall breaking and comments on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quitting the Royal Family. Cristin Milioti was excellent as Kathy Flowers. She is a self-described soccer mom, but she is the very embodiment of what a "Karen" is. It was sometimes frightening how accurately she captures that mindset. Laurence Fishburne is the narrator of the mockumentary and he was brilliantly chosen. He guides us through the narrative of the doc, but at same time bringing some humor to the dreadful nature of the stories.
Like I said, we made it through 2020 and there is no reason to not rejoice and poke fun at the past. This was definitely a welcomed and much needed hilarious look back at the past year and I can't wait to see what 2021 will shake out. The Netflix Original is now streaming. Let me know what you thought of the film or of my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
