‘The Inspection’ Carries Jeremy Pope and Gabrielle Union Into the Oscar Race

Bathroom stalls, showering marines and flashlights under the sheets encompass A24’s “The Inspection.” While the moving drama could catch the attention of progressive Academy members, others may find the honest subject matter too off-putting. Let’s the hope the former group’s voice is more prominent.

As Ellis French, Jeremy Pope takes the lead in Elegance Bratton’s directorial and writing debut “The Inspection,” which had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Thursday. The A24 film, inspired by true events, is a showcase for Pope and full of “Oscar-clip-worthy” scenes. We’ll see how the circuit treats the film, as Pope will be battling bigger names such as Hugh Jackman and Colin Farrell for recognition.

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Standing proudly next to Pope is a career-best turn from Gabrielle Union as French’s mother, a homophobic prison guard that can’t accept him for who he is. She channels a bit of Mo’Nique’s Oscar-winning turn in “Precious,” and with the right backing, could be a contender for best supporting actress.

I was particularly impressed by Raul Castillo as one of the drill instructors, who offers an emotional pillar following some brutal takes. After “We the Animals” landed him an Independent Spirit nom, hopefully, a performance like this can bring him closer to a win.

“The Inspection” tells the story of French, a young, gay Black man, who after being rejected by his mother, decides to join the Marines.

Lachlan Milne’s cinematography takes cues from other LGBTQ dramas such as “Moonlight” (2016) but may be too subtle to make noise in the category that will include the likes of Roger Deakins (“Empire of Light”) and Janusz Kaminski (“The Fabelmans”).

We’ll wait to see where it lands in the awards races. With A24 spearheading “The Whale” with Brendan Fraser and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” with Michelle Yeoh, this could be a lot for them to juggle.

Read Variety’s Awards Circuit predictions to keep up with the latest Oscar race updates.

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