A Lot of Nothing
| A Lot of Nothing | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Mo McRae |
| Written by | Sarah Kelly Kaplan, Mo McRae |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | John Rosario |
| Edited by | Annie Eifrig |
| Music by | David Sardy |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | RLJE Films |
Release dates |
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Running time | 104 minutes |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
A Lot of Nothing is a satirical thriller focusing on the topics of racism and Police brutality in the United States. The movie was panned by critics and was not successful.[1][2] The film premiered at South by Southwest in 2022.[3]
Plot
After seeing their neighbor, police officer Brian (Justin Hartley), fatally shoot what they assume is an unarmed Black teenager on the news, affluent Black couple Vanessa (Cleopatra Coleman) and James (Y’lan Noel) are thrown into crisis—Vanessa angrily demands action, while James urges caution. Fuelled by frustration, Vanessa forcibly takes control: she grabs a gun, drags a reluctant James to confront Brian at his home, and when he refuses accountability, insists they abduct him. Back home, they bind him in their garage—Vanessa leading, James reluctantly following. The plan unravels when James’s brother Jamal (Shamier Anderson) and his pregnant fiancée Candy (Lex Scott Davis) arrive for dinner, unknowingly stepping into a hostage situation. As the tension mounts, ideologies clash—Vanessa presses Brian for remorse, James struggles between morality and fear, Jamal pushes for harsh justice, and Candy advocates empathy. Emotions boil over: Brian attempts escape, a shot rings out (nonfatal), and Candy unexpectedly goes into labor, highlighting the chaos they've created. A final spin arises when it's revealed the victim wasn't Black but white—shattering Vanessa’s assumptions and intensifying guilt. In the end, James shoots and kills Brian in a moment of unbearable moral collapse. No one is arrested. The film closes with the couple, broken and burdened, looking at their newborn nephew's photo—marking a harsh reckoning with justice, privilege, and the wreckage of their desperate choices.
Cast
- Y'lan Noel as James
- Cleopatra Coleman as Vanessa
- Justin Hartley as Brian
Reception
The film has 48% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 25 reviews.[4] It has a metascore of 55 on Metacritic, representing Mixed or Average reviews, based on 9 reviews.[5]
References
- ^ Kiang, Jessica (March 14, 2022). "'A Lot of Nothing' Review: A Daringly Satirical Race Drama That Delivers a Whole Lot – Eventually Too Much – of Everything". Variety. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ Gyarkye, Lovia (March 13, 2022). "'A Lot of Nothing': Film Review | SXSW 2022". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ McCarthy, Todd (March 13, 2022). "SXSW Film Review: Mo McRae's 'A Lot Of Nothing'". Deadline. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ "A Lot of Nothing | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
- ^ "A Lot of Nothing Reviews". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
External links
- Triangle of Sadness at Festival de Cannes
- Triangle of Sadness at TIFF
- Triangle of Sadness at NYFF
- A Lot of Nothing at IMDb
- A Lot of Nothing at the Swedish Film Institute Database
- Press kit Archived November 22, 2024, at the Wayback Machine
- Official screenplay