Film Review: The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster
In Theaters
June 9, 2023
On Demand & On Digital
June 23, 2023
Streaming on Allblk & Shudder at a Later Date
Starring:
Laya DeLeon Hayes, Denzel Whitaker, Chad L. Coleman, Reilly Brooke Stith, Keith Holliday
Written & Directed by:
Bomani J. Story
Produced by:
Jack Davis, Darren Brandl, Bomani J. Story
Synopsis:
Vicaria is a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal and sudden murder of her brother, she embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life. Inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER thematically challenges our ideas of life and death. Bomani J. Story, the film’s writer and director, crafts a thrilling tale about a family that, despite the terrors of systemic pressure, will survive and be reborn again.
Review:
Written and directed by Bomani J. Story. The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster premiered at The Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival as one of the feature films. Laya DeLeon Hayes portrays Vicaria. Vicaria is a brilliant girl who wants to find a cure for death. Chad L. Coleman portrays Donald, Denzel Whitaker is Kango. This cast is incredible.
I appreciate when the story, and the small things that Bomani J. Story added from Vicaria taking the trash out to neighbors actually sitting outside, and talking. The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster also brings up the history, and what we tend to leave out. The actual history. Vicaria is stopped by Jerome (Ellis Hobbs IV) on her way into the building she keeps going in to. It’s sort of her secret scientist lair if you will. Vicaria of course knows all the ways people can die, she knows how you die.
I know I say this a lot but, I appreciate horror because it covers so many topics. Vicaria is in class participating and answering the teacher. The teacher some how takes this as bad. Mrs. Kempe (Beth Felice) is snide, and rude to Vicaria. Her father Donald (Chad L. Coleman) comes in. Vicaria’s mother passed away, and her brother was murdered. So, this leaves her wanting to fix everything. You will learn that was not ketchup on her glasses either. Vicaria’s brother Chris is also the Creature portrayed by Edem Atsu-Swanzy.
Vicaria got herself into some awful shit. Bomani humanized Vicaria. You feel compassion and pain for Vicaria. She doesn’t brush off those feelings she has or the feelings of others. Vicaria is so smart and she wants all of this to work out. Her family is brutally harassed and now this monster being is in her life fully. They did such an amazing job with The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster. I sort of hope we hear more about this story, and maybe get a prequel or a sequel.
This film shows what you can do with an amazing cast, a brilliant story, and writer/director that has passion for his work. Despite some of the wild moments and the sadness, you root for Vicaria, you want things to work out for her. She has seen so much, and you just want this happiness to ensue for her. In the beginning when she talks about her mom’s heart stopping, it’s one of the most moving scenes. It shows the pain, and the restriction that death has on us.
The pain in life is never easy. Vicaria tries to fix it but it’s still not enough. When you experience trauma in life, there is never an easy way to make it go away or to simply brush it off. It doesn’t work that way. Vicaria tried using all of her resources as a brilliant person. This movie is excellent. I recommend watching The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster.