Sorry to Bother You is a comedic and satirical film that explores various topics such as capitalism, corporate power, racism, friendship, and ethics. The beginning of the film introduces the protagonist, Cassius “Cash” Green, and his girlfriend, Detroit. Detroit has a job as an artist, and Cash lands a job as a telemarketer at Regal View. Their house needs to be repaired, Cash owes his uncle rent money, and his uncle also owes money. Clearly not financially well-off, Cash works hard to pay off his debts; however, he learns that he must use his “white-voice” to make sales. As Cash perfects his telemarketer spiel and his white-voice, he starts to rise up the ranks and eventually gets promoted to Power Caller, a position of utmost prestige in the company. His attire, interactions with friends, and even his housing, changes. Cash’s clothes transition from bland office wear to polished suits, there is a clear distance between him and his friends, and his new housing is modern, neat, white. Cash’s obviously dubbed white voice, paired with his visual and behavioral changes, suggest that the pursuit of monetary success often requires changing oneself to fit society’s standards and expectations, even at the expense of one’s friendships and morals. This standard of success is embodied by Steve Lift, CEO of the Worry Free, who, in order to make more money, resorts to forcibly turning humans into half horse half human creatures, equisapiens. This bizarre and quite unrealistic turn in the movie clearly shows that people can go to great lengths for money, despite the possible repercussions. Moreover, the strange acceptance of the equisapien and labeling as a scientific achievement by the general public indicates that the powerful and influential can often commit morally corrupt acts in order to satisfy their own personal aims, often at the expense of others. 

The film Sorry to Bother You flashes the Regal View slogan “Stick to the Script” in the background of scenes while simultaneously veering sharply away from a typical movie script. The quirkiness and craziness of Sorry to Bother You draws attention to societal issues while at the same time entertaining the audience with its uniqueness and gradual divergence from a seemingly tame social commentary to disconcerting sci-fi.