A Lot of Nothing (2023)

Mo McRae’s directorial debut “A Lot of Nothing” tackles a sensitive and relevant topic – police killings of unarmed victims in the Black community. The film follows James and Vanessa, a wealthy Black couple, who perform their own twisted citizen’s arrest after learning that their white neighbor and cop killed a kid. The film is audacious and creative in its cinematography and musical score. However, it falls short in its writing, as the characters are poorly developed and serve as mere soundboards for the film’s proposed intelligence. The film’s themes are not explored with meaningful depth, and the big reveal leaves the film’s stance on race and social capital muddled. Despite its weaknesses, McRae shows promise in his direction and artistic capabilities.