#TIFF Review: Monsters and Men

Reinaldo Marcus Green’s Monsters and Men explores three different perspectives of a Brooklyn shooting and how this tragic event affect those points of view and the broader community. Bed Stuy local Darius “Big D” Larson is shot and killed by a white cop after the cops break up a sidewalk dice game. This story is too familiar: cop confronts Black person minding their business, Black person and cop are in disagreement, cop “saw a weapon” or “was fearful” and kills Black person, someone records the shooting, and the family and community is reeling. This shooting is explored from the eyes of three different men: Manny (Anthony Ramos) the recorder of the shooting, Dennis (John David Washington) a Black cop who’s in the same precinct at the cop involved with the shooting and Zyric (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) a young Baseball pro prospect who’s affected by the shooting and yearning to get involved in community activism.

Green’s New York roots shine through this film. This is a Bed Stuy that is still thriving, still personal, and still primarily Black and brown. The community mourns together when they lose Darius and fight together when the protest the unjust shooting. The locals look out for Manny’s girlfriend Marisol when he’s (also unjustly) arrested and help babysit Manny’s young daughter. This is a highlight of a film that tackles such a relevant but depressing topic – that in the midst of the pain, this community of color looks out for each other. Especially when the police, who is promised to protect & serve, is not looking out for them.

Unfortunately, the story feels a bit uneven at times due to the changing of points of view between the three men. The most compelling angle comes from Manny, who is trying to find stable employment to provide for his family. Manny was a witness to Darius’ shooting and death and released his recording online. Manny’s hesitant in speaking out due to his fear of cop retaliation is relatable and heartfelt. Eventually, his act of bravery caused him to be thrown in jail on a faulty gun charge.

We then switch to Dennis’ perspective of the story. Dennis feels conflicted about being a Black cop while also upholding his allegiance to the police department. John David Washington brings a humanity to his role that almost makes you sympathize with him. This sympathy runs dry when you see Dennis choosing to not cooperate in the investigation of Darius’ shooter. The Blue Wall of Silence wins out, it seems.

Where the pacing feels off kilter is Zyric’s perspective. Zyric struggles with choosing activism over athletics. And while he’s a kid in the community (and has interacted with the same cop that shot Darius), his story doesn’t feel as strongly connected as Manny’s and Dennis’. Choosing to place his story last feels like a missed opportunity, especially because the story itself lags. Young activism is definitely interesting in itself, but this puzzle piece doesn’t fit as snuggly as it could when showing the whole puzzle.

Regardless, Monsters and Men is a timely story that is grounded in the community it centers and its aftershocks. While some perspectives were more valuable than others, seeing the viewpoints of tragedy from people who are typically undervalued is a gift. And we shouldn’t ignore it.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joi Childs is a brand marketer, sarcasm enthusiast, and film critic. Her work has appeared in The Hollywood Reporter, The Verge, Okayplayer, and many other outlets. You can find her on Twitter (@jumpedforjoi) tweeting about the intersection of marketing, nerd, and tech.