2023 SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
Three friends, Jon (Jonathan Braylock), James (James III), and Jerah (Jerah Milligan) are away at an airbnb. When they find a woman who has spent the night dead, they begin to panic. Things only get worse when they realize the house is killing white women. They don’t know what to do or where to go–but they know they are in trouble. This is Mahogany Drive.
There’s no doubt that a film with the tagline reading something about a house killing white women will ruffle some feathers. There’s no doubt that there will be a group of individuals who see this and go “fuck that.” I can assure you, this is one of the best things that I’ve seen in a long time; get off your high horse and watch Mahogany Drive. It starts in the opening moments when viewers are first introduced to Jon, James, and Jerah–and from there the film only gets better. These three individuals, who act as a combination of writer, director, actor, and producer, have stellar chemistry. I’m not sure what their situation is outside of Mahogany Drive, but if they aren’t actually friends in real life I’d be shocked. They feed off of one another as if they’ve known each other for years–and all that does is make the film damn near perfect.
I expected some strange combination of horror and comedy as I turned Mahogany Drive on–and to some degree I was right. The comedy, however, is what guides this film. Dark, racist humor transcends the entirety of the film–and I laughed out loud every time one of the film’s three leads (who I’ll refer to as The Big Three) said something potentially horrifying and messed up.
There really are a series of levels present throughout the course of Mahogany Drive, and they reach viewers every step of the way. Race, class, and gender are, in a lot of ways, the center of attention–and the messages that The Big Three are attempting to convey shine brightly; but they don’t divide viewers. I think it’s made pretty clear that the film isn’t trying to force opinions on viewers, but rather present a series of stereotypes (some true and some false) to the world, hoping to see them analyze all that’s being said in the process. Mahogany Drive reaches viewers on a series of levels, including expressing interesting and important social conversations. I can’t express enough how much I love Mahogany Drive. Everything from the casting to the comedy and the cinematography to the political commentary is effective. I can’t fathom how this idea came to be, but The Big Three is nothing short of brilliant, creating a film with a unique perspective and an equally effective approach. The way in which the film was shot allows viewers to feel like they are in the room with the film’s characters, and that intimate presence is captivating–keeping viewers intrigued from beginning to end.
I’m not sure I can really put into words (even though I tried my damnedest) how I feel about Braylock, III, and Milligan–as they are some of the most intriguing individuals that I’ve come across in film in some time. I love the comedy they create, the compelling story, and everything in between. The only way that I’m truly able to express how I feel about Mahogany Drive is to say that The Big Three need to make more films; Hollywood, pay these guys!
Directed by Jerah Millington.
Written by Jonathan Braylock, James Carr, James III, & Jerah Millington.
Starring Jonathan Braylock, James III, Jerah Millington, Tessah Hersh, Addie Weyrich, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
