Film Review: The Oath Questions How We Pledge To Our Country
In the history of this world, absolutely no political ideology has been systemized absolutely, and that includes democracy. Why is this so? Because it is not that power corrupts as much as the corrupt get power, and in no point of this world’s geography or history did that ever change. It is in this truth that The Oath arises as a political affront mixed in with funny hijinks.
When you hear the names of Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz, you, automatically, think of comedy. While the The Oath, coming out October 12, is hilarious, it is also horrifying. It allures you with the promise of laughter; only to twist into a serious and scary look at authority, and why we allow, as a society, the spiritually weak to materially dominate this world. Enter the notion of The Oath, or rather a loyalty pledge The President of the U.S. “encourages” Americans to sign for a tax break. Writer and Director Ike Barinholtz intelligently alludes to a very Trumpian world; pledge your loyalty to America/him, and you get a tax cut! “No repercussions if you don’t!”….. Yeah right!
If there is one thing dictators/egos will command from others its virtue; the problem is that they NEVER give it back. ike Barinholtz plays a Chris: a family man whom is hyper-aware there is no benevolence behind or after The Oath. True courage does not command loyalty; it earns it. Thus, he sees “The Oath” as politics riddled with malice, and he is not wrong. Like the news of today, he is mournfully, but avidly watching how people and protesters are disappeared, degraded, and killed for not signing the this pledge with “American Pride”. Ike Barinholtz and Tiffany Haddish are perfectly casual and approachable as the leading couple trying to find a semblance of normal life as the world goes to hell. They are grounded in their performance, which makes The Oath one of their best, dramatic displays of talent. They bring a “ying and yang” dynamic to the couple’s chemistry that turns Kai into her family’s strength as Chris spirals from not understanding how all this chaos is happening unstopped. This spiral amplifies when his family visit during Thanksgiving.
Part of the magic and hilarity of The Oath, comes from its real depiction of what it is to be related to your political adversary. After all, you can love your family but not like them. This notion is prevalent when Chris’ brother, Patrick (Jon Barinholtz), comes for Thanksgiving along with his parents. He and his girlfriend, Meredith Agner’s piercingly annoying Abbie, are benevolently ignorant. They exemplify the idea that cruelty and non-compassion can dress in fine polos and speak like Harvard Grad. Their dinner scenes left me shredded with laughter due to the intensity and awkwardness of having a political debate over turkey and mash potatoes. Yet, when your family does not agree with you politically, it means they do not agree with you morally, and that is disappointing. Still, life has a way of bringing people together by putting them in a really bad situation.
The last half of the film is where the plot really revs up, and you see this is a film that is as much about political differences as much as political dangers. When Billy Magnussen’s Mason and John Cho’s Peter enter the frame, for all the strange chuckles the may provide, the film turns very dark with their presence. Magnussen’s Mason may appear briefly in the film, but he enthralls as a representation of a major problem with governments. Power can attract violent, volatile people that do not grow thick skin because they can throw fists. He enters with one motive: to literally hurt this family, and The Oath becomes terrifying because of him. You see the helplessness of Chris’ situation and, of many people’s, who decide to pledge their loyalty to humanity over country. Such bravery against injustice will be attacked into silence….. so what do you do to defend yourself?
The Oath is an exceptional work to Ike Barinholtz continuing career as a writer and director. It made me laugh, cry, become intense, and politically ponder over my life and this world. Not every film can achieve this result with ease and unpretentiousness. Though his intentions were to warn and even educate on what happens when the weak or foolish get power, he does it in a very funny, wise fashion. The Oath Comes Out On October 12.
