A triumph over a necessary system
THE INSPECTION IS A TOUGH LOOK AT LIFE IN THE U.S. MILITARY
The Inspection
Cast: Jeremy Pope, Bokeem Woodbine, Gabrielle Union
Director: Elegance Bratton
Duration: 1 h 35 m
The Inspection is now in theatres
The character played by Jeremy Pope in The Inspection is named Ellis French, but he is to all intents and purposes Elegance Bratton, the film’s writer and director. Bratton was kicked out of his home at age 16 for being gay, and 10 years later joined the Marines, serving for five years as a combat camera production specialist. The Inspection is “inspired by a true story.” His own.
This makes it difficult to fault the film for what may seem to be easy storytelling shortcuts. Was Bratton’s training instructor (Bokeem Woodbine) straight out of central casting and a graduate of the Full Metal Jacket school of drill sergeantry? (“I’ll be the nightmare that keeps you from closing your eyes at night,” he says by way of introduction.) Was there a fellow recruit (Mccaul Lombardi) whose treatment of him bordered on the psychopathic?
Maybe. In any case, I’m not doubting the tough time that Bratton went through in basic training. It’s a testament to his perseverance that he was able to push through it. And it’s inspiring to watch Ellis do likewise, carving out just enough space and dignity to allow him to make it to the other side. He even manages to make a few friends along the way, and to garner the respect of most of his cadre.
One impediment to his vocation is his mother, Inez, played by Gabrielle Union. When Ellis shows up for the birth certificate he needs to enlist, her response drips sarcasm: “Marine? Sure. OK.” Later, when he calls to see if she’s going to attend his graduation, she suspects he’s on the phone to tell her he’s been expelled. And though Bratton dedicates to film to her memory (she died in 2020), anyone hoping for a tearful reconciliation will be disappointed.
Ultimately, The Inspection is a story of triumph over a troubling and troubled but ultimately necessary system. Woodbine’s character, for all his bluster, sadly states at one point that he has been tasked with creating not soldiers but monsters. He even gets, if not quite the film’s final word, at least a speech that indicates a degree of understanding we may not have attributed to him before.
The military clearly left its mark on Bratton, both as a human being and a filmmaker. I’m not certain he was able to return the favour, but here’s hoping. ★★★