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Obey

Name: Obey
Director: Jamie Jones
Released: 2018
Duration: 96 min

Representation Score

8.4/10

Excellent

2018

Director

Jamie Jones

Runtime

96 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Obey is a gritty portrayal of social realism that centers on the lives of underrepresented youth. It effectively uses the characters' experiences to critique systemic issues. The film's strength lies in its thematic depth, especially concerning class warfare and institutional authority. By focusing on the protagonist's struggle against both poverty and state power, it provides a compelling critique of Western social structures. However, the film lacks explicit representation of LGBTQ+ identities and specific disabilities, resulting in a narrower scope of identity exploration.

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Category Breakdown

Does Obey have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The story centers around the relationship between Leon and Twiggy but does not include any explicit references to LGBTQ+ identities or dynamics that challenge the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does Obey portray gender?

Good

Twiggy is portrayed as a proactive and rebellious character who rejects her privileged background through active choices such as squatting. She plays a significant role in driving Leon's personal growth.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Obey?

Good

The urban setting depicts a diverse community affected by civil unrest. The narrative explores systemic inequalities through characters navigating the fringes of mainstream society.

How does Obey represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film critiques the privileges of the wealthy and the instability of traditional social contracts. It highlights the tension between the indifference of the affluent and the hardships faced by the working class.

Does Obey include disability representation?

Fair

Leon’s mother's struggle with alcoholism touches on issues of mental health and dependency. However, the narrative does not address any other specific disabilities.

Present on Screen

Offers a strong critique of class-based hierarchies and the contrast between wealth and poverty.
Gives female characters significant roles in driving ideological change.
Examines systemic inequality through the lens of social realism and urban unrest.

Limited or Absent

Does not include explicit representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight-centered relationships.
Limits exploration of disability to the issue of alcoholism.
Could benefit from expanding the diversity of identities beyond socioeconomic and class-based struggles.

Official Synopsis

Nineteen-year old Leon returns home to take care of his alcoholic mother and adjust to life as an adult after an adolescence spent in and out of foster care. Frustrated by his lack of an education and his bleak financial prospects, Leon finds solace in the boxing ring. He soon meets the rebellious and beautiful Twiggy, who is squatting in abandoned houses to escape her family’s unfeeling affluence. As rumblings of riots begin in the streets and police and protesters engulf his neighborhood, Leon must decide whether to join his friends and fight or seek a new life with Twiggy.

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