July 21, 2023, is destined to go down in history as “Barbenheimer Day”—the year’s most anticipated cinematic event, featuring a head-to-head clash between two of 2023’s biggest blockbusters as they vie for box-office supremacy. Yet, keen-eyed film fans may have noticed that another major feature also arrived that day—albeit one that bypassed theaters entirely. Titled They Cloned Tyrone, the film—starring John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, and Jamie Foxx—was released globally on Netflix on July 21.
Distinct from the somber, masterful tone of Oppenheimer or the vibrant yet equally impactful Barbie, They Cloned Tyrone adopts an entirely different approach and atmosphere. It is a sci-fi thriller set within an intentionally ambiguous timeline and a neighborhood that most people would go out of their way to avoid. With its grainy, textured visuals, the film evokes a retro-futuristic aesthetic—making They Cloned Tyrone as absurd as it is compelling.
In the film, John Boyega (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker)—appearing almost unrecognizable—plays Fontaine, a low-level drug dealer in The Glen, an impoverished Black neighborhood. Teyonah Parris stars as Yo-Yo, a sex worker, while Jamie Foxx plays Slick Charles, a pimp who buys his supply from Fontaine.
A key element of the film is its fluid, ambiguous timeline; you can never quite pin down when the story takes place. This adds a layer of mystery to the film’s dark plot, which unfolds gradually as the narrative progresses. The presence of both vintage and modern cars, mobile phones from roughly two decades ago (including a prominent appearance of the iconic original Motorola Razr), and references to Bitcoin and cryptocurrency make it impossible to establish a definitive era.
The title itself hints at the existence of clones, a premise that integrates into the film’s setting in an absurdly clever way—further enhanced by the witty, character-driven humor of Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx). The three protagonists realize that something is amiss in their neighborhood and must confront a bizarre yet highly dangerous organization to reclaim control. The journey is full of strange, compelling twists, made all the more addictive by the comical behavior of the townspeople—who appear to be under the influence of a mysterious, mind-controlling substance.
Assuming you’ve already caught the spectacular “Barbenheimer” phenomenon in theaters, you might be in the mood to curl up on the couch and watch a movie this week. Why not give They Cloned Tyrone a try? You certainly won’t be disappointed.
The “Chromecast with Google TV”—which runs on the Android TV operating system—has now been released. When will Google ever learn how to name its products? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. You can listen to Orbital on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or any other podcast platform.