Writer/director Elegance Bratton's "The Inspection," an extraordinary, must-see drama about Ellis French (Jeremy Pope), a homeless young gay Black man who enlists in the Marines, is as brutal as boot camp. The film, set in 2005, is inspired by Bratton's own experiences. Like Bratton, French has been kicked out of his house by his homophobic mother Inez (Gabrielle Union, who co-produced) and has been living on the streets since he was a teen. (Bratton's previous film was the excellent 2019 documentary feature, "Pier Kids" about three queer homeless youths in New York).
"I am attempting not to be judgmental of the Marine Corps, but to some degree, what is happening in boot camp is brainwashing."
