Elegance Bratton’s “The Inspection”

The Inspection (2022)

A low key but compelling, fresh and sincere take on the boot camp story telling the true life experience of a gay man hoping to turn his life around by joining the US Marines

There’s a pervading sense of conviction and sincerity in The Inspection whose grounded performances and cinematography keep the film from straying into the tropes of the boot camp story we’ve seen so many times before. It wasn’t until the end of the film that it became clear that this was the story of the director himself.

The film focusses on Ellis French(Jeremy Pope) who lost ties with his mother at 16 before going onto a life of homelessness and drug addiction. In an effort to turn his life around, he tries to reconnect with his mother and aspires to become a US Marine, but his homosexuality adds another level of challenge to an already challenging proposition.

What’s great about the film is that nothing is clear cut. There’s no triumph that doesn’t have its dark side. The film also leaves a lot to the audience to consider without being too prescriptive though at times this can be seen as overly vague, the fact that this is based on a real, first-hand experience excuses this to some degree.

Performances across the board range are strong and Jeremy Pope conveys French’s transformation well. Complimented by Lachlan Milne’s inventive though unintrusive cinematography and Animal Collective’s heartfelt soundtrack, the film is a cohesive, thoughtful story that challenges stereotypes and prejudice while telling a universally human story.