‘The Kitchen’ Netflix Movie Review - Only Dismissive Shrugs and Ennui

Izi (Kane Robinson) is tired of living in The Kitchen. Well, I should first explain what the Kitchen exactly means in, um, The Kitchen. It's basically an estate whose residents bang their plates to warn the neighbors about police raids. The police officers make announcements that the residents have illegally occupied a private place. They then proceed to arrest them with force and violence. But the community is strongly united and has no plans of vacating the premises. The government, after all, is not providing them with any alternative accommodation. And so we return to Izi, who is exhausted by the chaotic atmosphere, and the raids. He has found himself a posh, single-occupancy residence, and to afford this new place, he deceives his customers for cash. For instance, he talks about his father's funeral and uses a kid, Benji (Jedaiah Bannerman), to sell a funeral plan.

One question that keeps popping up in your mind while watching The Kitchen is, "Do I care?" The on-screen events become a blur within a few seconds. It has just been ten minutes since the movie ended, and I don't remember much of what happened. The thing is, the scenes go past you like a ghost. They fail to leave an impression. Directors Kibwe Tavares and Daniel Kaluuya film everything with an impersonal lens. Nothing feels urgent. Benji asks Izi if he is his father, but doesn't get a clear answer. The viewer doesn't care if Izi is, in fact, Benji's father. Benji's relationship with Staples (Hope Ikpoku Jnr) is also not sufficiently developed. He is a friend, a "bad influence" who could motivate Benji to walk on the path of violence. However, nothing interesting ever comes out of this equation. It's merely filled with winks and suggestions.

We also have Ian Wright as The Kitchener, who dispenses Instagram-level quotes/motivational thoughts through his mic. One of his lines goes like this, "They can't stop we. They can only stop we if we see we as I." With words like these, who needs police for brutality? His death is meant to be disastrous. It pushes people like Staples to attack the rich. But we merely see The Kitchener as an empty voice. His death never feels very hard-hitting. The movie tries to throw all these heavy emotions at us, which all appear unconvincing.

Movies like The Kitchen make you wonder if filmmakers have forgotten how to make engaging films. The substance is full of noise. Every frame desperately screams for your attention, though nothing on the screen feels worth watching. Reviewing something like The Kitchen is also challenging because the movie constantly puts you to sleep. The good intentions are clearly visible. The story, on the other hand, generates dismissive shrugs and ennui. If Izi dreams of escaping a "shithole," we dream of running away from this film.

Final Score- [3.5/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times