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Cleaner

Cleaner

2025

R

Director

Martin Campbell

Runtime

97 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

When a group of radical activists take over an energy company's annual gala, seizing 300 hostages, an ex-soldier turned window cleaner suspended 50 storeys up on the outside of the building must save those trapped inside, including her older brother.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

4.0/10

Fair


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Limited

The narrative offers no evidence of LGBTQ+ characters or relationships. The story focuses on familial bonds and professional colleagues, lacking any queer subtext or explicit identity markers within the thriller plot.

Gender Representation

Fair

Joey Locke subverts gender roles as an ex-soldier window cleaner, challenging traditional femininity. However, her agency is largely tied to protecting her brother, limiting her to a reactive caregiver role rather than a fully autonomous protagonist.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Fair

The cast includes Black and mixed-heritage actors, suggesting multi-ethnic casting in a British context. However, these characters appear peripheral, with the narrative centering on white protagonists without deep intersectional development for the diverse ensemble.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Limited

Environmental activists are framed as violent antagonists, reinforcing law-and-order tropes over nuanced political critique. While social issues like care home corruption are mentioned, the genre prioritizes action tension over ideological exploration of systemic oppression.

Disability Representation

Good

Michael’s autism is portrayed with agency, as he crusades online against corruption rather than serving as a passive victim. This avoids inspiration porn, though his role as a hostage keeps him somewhat within traditional victim positions within the action plot.

Strengths

  • Joey Locke subverts gender roles as a competent ex-soldier window cleaner.
  • Michael’s autism is portrayed with agency, avoiding passive victim tropes.
  • Cast includes Black and mixed-heritage actors in a British context.

Areas for Improvement

  • Complete absence of LGBTQ+ characters or relationships in the narrative.
  • Environmental activists framed as violent antagonists rather than nuanced figures.
  • Diverse cast members remain peripheral without deep intersectional development.

AI Analysis

Cleaner presents a standard action-thriller framework with moderate diversity attempts. The female lead and autistic brother provide progressive elements, challenging gender norms and offering neurodivergent representation without caricature. However, the narrative remains rooted in traditional genre conventions, with activism framed as violent antagonism. The lack of LGBTQ+ representation and the peripheral nature of the diverse cast limit the film's overall impact. The score reflects a work that includes diversity markers but does not fundamentally disrupt traditional hierarchical or narrative expectations. The director’s pedigree suggests a focus on spectacle over ideological deconstruction. While the setting in Canary Wharf offers potential for diverse representation, the provided details do not confirm if this is realized in character dynamics. The narrative acknowledges social friction but resolves it through conventional action tropes rather than deep cultural critique, resulting in a moderate overall score.

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