Inner conversations between twin sisters lift “Is God Is” to another level — one where you understand why people do bizarre things.
Kara Young and Mallori Johnson play custodians at a nameless company; both have scars on their bodies from a fire. They lead quiet lives until they get a letter from their mother, who they thought was dead. She, too, was disfigured in the fire but she has a dying wish — kill the man who started the fire.
The man happens to be their father and, because they see their mother (beautifully played by Vivica A. Fox) as “god,” they agree. First, though, they have to figure out where he is. That puts the sisters on a road trip that involves all sorts of people, including a minister named Divine who became pregnant with their half brother. They find an address book that used to belong to their father and use it to continue the search.
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A lawyer tells them there is another set of twins and a swanky home. There, they meet another wife (Janelle Monae) and those male twins. In no time, the battle is on.
Writer/director Aleshea Harris doesn’t gloss over anything. She makes this as bloody as anything Quentin Tarantino did and gets plenty of mileage out of a rock in a sock. She also lets those “mind” conversations fill in the blanks. Words fill the screen so you can understand what the two are saying. But their actions are often enough.
When they finally meet their father, we don’t get to immediately see his face, only his feet. He has no time for these two but tries to change their mission.
Harris doesn’t telegraph anything, but when the film ends it’s easy to see how the pieces fit, bringing the puzzle into focus.
“Is God Is” is wild, but it’s also a huge showcase for its actors. Fox is a revelation; Young and Johnson will have big careers; and Monae could move into a whole new realm.
The film is frequently difficult to watch (the bloodshed is intense) but its motivations are solid.
Let the story play out and you’ll understand why the mission was so important. “Is God Is” has flashbacks, too, and a hint of Jordan Peele horror, but it’s clearly in a class of its own.
When one of the sisters finds closure, it’s obvious Harris has a voice that’s as powerful as any working in films today.
"Is God Is" is in theaters now.
