New Showbiz

You are here:
Under His Influence

Under His Influence

2023

Director

DeShon Hardy

Runtime

88 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

A social media influencer falls for an inmate and starts a crusade to prove his innocence, but after they win his appeal, she uncovers a dark secret that changes her life.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.7/10

Fair

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The narrative centers on a romantic connection between an influencer and an inmate. There is no explicit evidence of queer identities or non-heteronormative subtext within the story.

Gender Representation

Fair

A female protagonist drives the plot through an investigative crusade. This positioning grants her significant agency, subverting tropes that often relegate women to secondary roles in legal thrillers.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Good

The ensemble cast features a multi-ethnic lineup including Iman Shumpert and Cynthia Bailey. This diverse casting suggests a departure from homogeneous norms in genre storytelling.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The film explores systemic skepticism by challenging established legal institutions. It moves toward moral complexity through a narrative that critiques the reliability of traditional judicial systems.

Disability Representation

Minimal

The provided information contains no evidence regarding the inclusion of characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Strengths

  • The female protagonist serves as the primary intellectual and investigative force.
  • A diverse, multi-ethnic ensemble cast enhances the film's social depth.
  • The narrative explores complex themes of systemic skepticism and institutional critique.

Areas for Improvement

  • There is a lack of visible LGBTQ+ agency or identity-driven narratives.
  • No evidence exists regarding the representation of characters with disabilities.
  • The narrative focus remains narrow, lacking broader intersectional depth.

AI Analysis

Under His Influence functions as a character-driven thriller that prioritizes female agency. By centering the story on a woman's crusade for justice, the film avoids the common pitfall of making female characters passive observers in legal dramas. The production utilizes a diverse, multi-ethnic cast to navigate themes of systemic skepticism and institutional opacity. This approach allows for a more nuanced exploration of social dynamics than a standard procedural might offer. However, the film lacks visible LGBTQ+ representation or disability inclusion in its current description. While the racial and gender dynamics are present, the narrative remains focused on a specific romantic and legal arc.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.