What’s It About
An NBA star, a corrupt cop, a female rap duo, teenage punks, neo-Nazis and a debt collector embark on a collision course in 1987 Oakland, Calif.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
Back in ’87, Eric “Sleepy” Floyd went beast mode for the Golden State Warriors, dropping 29 points in the fourth quarter as part of a 51-point masterpiece against the Lakers. Though his squad eventually lost the series, that night became legendary. So legendary that filmmakers Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden built an entire movie around it. But don’t expect some straightforward sports documentary. After their Marvel stint with “Captain Marvel,” the duo decided to give us “Freaky Tales” – a wild grindhouse anthology that has Bay Area underdogs battling literal Nazis. And yes, heads explode Scanners-style. This joint combines four connected stories set in 1980s Oakland, narrated by the city’s own Too $hort (played by DeMario “Symba” Driver). He guides us through these urban legends surrounding that famous playoff run, mixing facts with street tales that showcase Fleck’s childhood memories of Oakland. The movie hits you with familiar Oakland spots – 924 Gilman punk venue, Grand Lake Theater, and Loards ice cream parlor. It’s like “Pulp Fiction” had a baby with “Tales from the Hood” and “Creepshow” was the godparent. Chapter One follows punk kids Tina (Ji-young Yoo) and Lucid (Jack Champion) at the Gilman, where their shared love of counterculture and Nazi-hating sparks romance. Chapter Two gives us Entice (Normani) and Barbie (Dominique Thorne), female rappers dealing with racist cops (including one played by Ben Mendelsohn) while chasing their big break. Chapter Three centers on mob enforcer Clint (Pedro Pascal) working his last job after finally paying off his debt. Chapter Four finally brings us to Sleepy Floyd (Jay Ellis), who’s as skilled with Asian weaponry as he is on the basketball court. Everything connects through this mysterious green energy called “Psytopics.” What exactly is it? The film doesn’t really explain it, and to be honest, it doesn’t really matter: this a sentiment, not a plot point – Oakland itself has an ineffable supernatural energy flowing through it. It doesn’t matter when Entice’s mic glows green when she performs. It’s not tied to some class she took – it is his inner power shining through. Where the story was told is provided in a fantastical form during the climax, which is absolutely wild. The filmmakers go all-out with ’80s-style blood spraying everywhere in an action sequence packed with wild stunts and slick cameraw rk. These underdogs face down white supremacists in ways that’ll have you cheering. Jay Ellis stands out as Sleepy Floyd, carrying the climax with that perfect mix of goofy grin and cold determination. Pe ro Pascal brings his A-game as the straight-man Clint, a hitman who just wants out. Normani impresses in her first film role, and her rap battle with Dominique Thorne is one of the movie’s best moments. Meanwhile, Mendelsohn chews up every scene as the villain, showing all that nasty confidence of unearned privilege – which makes his comeuppance so satisfying. The soundtrack also pounds, with Raphael Saadiq & Yancey Sukoshi’s music pumping energy into every scene, topped off by Metallica’s “For Whom The Bell Tolls” ringing in exactly the right place. Now, is this movie perfect? Nope. The plotlines don’t intersect as much as they could, and it doesn’t necessarily delve deeper into rebellion or cultural expression. The filmmakers put style ahead of content, opting for entertainment over substance. But that’s precisely what “Freaky Tales” set out to do – be a hyperkinetic, style-conscious flashback to ’80s movies without pretending to be something else. The movie keeps you engaged with its energy, style, and overall entertainment quotient. The movie works because it gets you on a roll with the victory of the punk kids and then casually carries that momentum throughout the rest of the grubby side of adulthood. By the time Ellis’s Floyd gets his bloody revenge, you’re prepared to leave the theater with that same smile he’s wearing. “Freaky Tales” is not out to change the world or win awards for its narrative. It’s a love letter to Oakland, the ’80s, and underdogs everywhere who find their strength when they need it most. If you’re in the mood for a wild ride that doesn’t always take itself seriously but still delivers action, performances, and style, this is the ticket. Yes, it’s disorganized and scattered, but occasionally that’s exactly the sort of movie you need – one that sees to it that you remember to love the pure pleasure of seeing something straight crazy happening on screen, like Nazi heads exploding as a special treat.
OUR RATING – A RETRO 8