Elegance Bratton, a former Marine from New York City, wrote and directed the new film The Inspection.
The film was inspired by Bratton’s own journey through life. The Inspection is about “a young, gay Black man rejected by his mother, and with a few options for his future, decides to join the Marines…,” Bratton shares.
The story found in The Inspection obviously hits close to home for the New Jersey native so when he cast the role for his mother and himself, he was intentional. Bratton said he chose Jeremy Pope for the role of Ellis French — the main character — because he is an accomplished queer actor.
“I don’t really want to bring in people that aren’t completely obsessed with the craft,” Bratton said. “And then also I wanted it to be a … queer Black actor. I didn’t want a conversation on my film where … a straight person is being congratulated for stomaching being gay. … I didn’t want that to be my film. … And Jeremy’s accomplishments spoke for themselves.”
Bratton said that Pope was a significant addition because he wanted folks to look at the film with authenticity and be able to look at themselves as Black queer men who have a purpose and have just as much value in society as other people.
“And Jeremy … was a choice to lift up, and to inspire the next generation,” Bratton said.
The main purpose of The Inspection, from Bratton’s perspective, is to make sure that folks like him aren’t forgotten in society. He remembers a time when he made the transition from being stationed in Hawaii as a marine filmmaker to traveling back to New York. His mother invited him to his little sister’s graduation to film the occasion, but Bratton noticed that nobody knew that he was his little sister’s brother.
This initiated a burning desire to pursue filmmaking and to cast well-known actors such as Gabrielle Union in his latest project to get his family’s, as well as even more folks’, attention.
Bratton also noted that Union was the perfect actress to play his mother because the Bad Boys’ star accurately reflected the same characteristics — determination, ferocity — that he often recognized while growing up. Bokeem Woodbine is also in the movie.
Having the qualified actors was therapeutic for Bratton because he said they did a good job in taking in instruction that was derived from direct conversations with his mother, which often made the director cry or rageful. Bratton said he needed to control his emotions and direct in a way that will make the film into a true story. Once this type of instruction was mastered, the film was produced.
Bratton said there is a clear message in the film.
“I want parents to understand what happens to kids when they kick them out,” Bratton said. “And understand that kicking a kid out for being gay unleashes a world of consequences. And I want them to ask themselves, is this worth it? … I think sometimes people think that they’re tough loving their kids to being better versions of themselves. And they’re not really contemplating or aware of how treacherous it is out in the world for vulnerable people who are untethered.”
Another message from the film Bratton said needs to be communicated is that everybody in the Marines needs to work together no matter the differences a person may have, especially living in a polarizing world we live in today.
The full interview can be heard below.
The Inspection was released on Nov. 18 and is in your local theaters.
