Do you know why Groundhog Day in the ‘Hood doesn’t work? Because Phil Connors life didn’t actually suck. The suck part was that it never changed. But every morning he woke up in a warm bed in a warm house (shower wasn’t warm, but whatchagonnado?) He had a respectable job. He always had money and free time. He never worried where his next meal was coming from or that there might be anyone out to kill him. He even had the luxury of exploring his own suicide again and again and again.
Ok, now keeping Phil Connors in mind, picture this: you are a cheesy, lowlife pimp. You live in a crappy motel. Everything you own fits into half the motel closet. Your entire life is about drugs and hos and arranging the rings on your fingers. And every day, an angry dealer with a grill full of gold comes lookin’ for his money … and it doesn’t matter that you gave it to him yesterday, cuz he still wants it.
The pimp in question is the aptly named Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx), who is a tad more human (I imagine) than most pimps. Oh, he’s still a lowlife, surrounded by drugs and hos and dressed constantly like there’s a “Last Day on Earth” celebration happening outside. Charles is redeemed by his ability to go with the mystery that is They Cloned Tyrone.
The lead character is actually tough guy dealer Fontaine (John Boyega), another character we have to explore a little before we give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, in the opening moments, he clips a rival dealer with his car and then stiffs his own snitch. Even in the ‘Hood, even among the pimps and hos, this is not ideal behavior. Eventually, he tracks down Slick Charles to demand payment. Charles has grace enough to be embarrassed in front of his ho, Yo-Yo (Teyonnah Paris).
Collecting payment, Fontaine hits the motel parking lot only to be gunned down by a rival. Well, that’s no fun.
Only, here’s the thing – the next day Fontaine returns, bullet-hole and memory free, to collect his payment once again. Uh oh. What’s going on here?
As Slick Charles and Yo-Yo can attest to the fact that Fontaine should be dead, both team up with Fontaine to get to the bottom of this. Did the real Fontaine die? Is this a clone? And who the Hell is the titular 
Tyrone?
This film immediately reminded me a little of Groundhog Day and a little of Boyega’s breakout film: Attack the Block. And, yet, They Cloned Tyrone is really like neither. I’d say it’s more closely related to The Matrix than either of those two films; but it’s not really Matrix-like, either.
There should be more sci-fi in the ‘Hood. Period. My consistent problem with both sci-fi and horror is how easily the nonsensical is accepted. This is necessary in most films to get the plot moving. But it is not necessarily true of when the outlandish meets the projects. Perhaps it is because black people on screen are less trusting; perhaps it’s because black people on screen have already seen the outlandish. Whatever the reason, not accepting the nonsensical at face value makes for more realistic reactions.
It took a bit to get into They Cloned Tyrone, because who wants to follow the plight of a dealer, a pimp, and a ho? But that turns out to be part of the fun. They Cloned Tyrone probably ain’t gonna win any awards, but I can’t think of a better Friday-night-with-friends film on Netflix at this moment.
There once was a dealer named Fontaine
Who got shot after making it rain
He took six to the chest
And, yet, here’s the best:
The next day, he did it all over again
Rated R, 122 Minutes
Director: Juel Taylor
Writer: Tony Rettenmaier, Juel Taylor
Genre: Sygh-fygh
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Can you dig it? (Where “it” is all things nerd)
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: People who only like it white sci-fi stories
