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To Be Someone

Name: To Be Someone
Director: Ray Burdis
Released: 2021
Duration: 84 min

Representation Score

3.6/10

Limited

2021

Director

Ray Burdis

Runtime

84 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

To Be Someone is a genre-driven crime comedy that prioritizes individual survival and tension over sociological commentary. The narrative structure relies on traditional masculine archetypes, particularly through the clash between an entrepreneur and an underworld mobster. The film adheres to conventional structures, focusing on the tension between legality and criminality. While the British Mod setting offers a distinct aesthetic, the work does not aim to disrupt social hierarchies or offer complex characters who reflect more than one aspect of diversity. Ultimately, the film serves as a localized, character-driven story. It lacks the breadth of representation needed to go beyond standard genre clichés and traditional social frameworks.

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Category Breakdown

Does To Be Someone have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not explicitly show non-binary or transgender identities. The relationship portrayed follows typical heterosexual genre conventions.

How does To Be Someone portray gender?

Fair

The story emphasizes a male-dominated power struggle between an entrepreneur and a mobster. There are no female characters in positions of authority or subversions of traditional masculinity.

How racially and ethnically diverse is To Be Someone?

Fair

The British Mod setting adds cultural specificity, but there is no confirmed evidence of diverse ethnic representation. The focus remains on a particular subcultural identity.

How does To Be Someone represent religion and culture?

Fair

The plot uses underworld coercion and illegal drug runs as standard genre elements. These serve as individual conflicts rather than a critique of systemic issues or Western institutions.

Does To Be Someone include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no mention of characters dealing with physical, neurodivergent, or mental health conditions. The narrative does not address disability or related ability to act.

Present on Screen

The British Mod setting provides a specific and recognizable cultural backdrop for the narrative.
The film employs a clear, character-driven framework centered on individual survival and ability to act.

Limited or Absent

The narrative heavily depends on masculine-coded power dynamics and traditional archetypes.
There is a lack of visible diversity regarding gender, LGBTQ+ identities, and racial integration.
The story fails to engage with systemic critiques or broader sociological themes.

Official Synopsis

Life couldn’t be better for entrepreneur and British Mod, Danny. That is until he’s introduced to Mad Mike, an unhinged underworld mobster who is determined to coerce Danny into pulling off an illegal drugs run.

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