Is God Is Movie Review

“Is God Is” a tragic family drama, but only on the surface. In much deeper is a revenge-fueled nightmare of pain, anguish and abuse. When it comes time to collect the dues for their destroyed childhoods, these Twin sisters go on a righteous rampage to fulfill the request of their dying mother. “Make your Daddy dead. Real dead”…

 

The Twin sisters are both now grown, having been raised in a series of foster homes. They find it nearly impossible to hold down a job, because they are so sensitive about their appearance.

 

You see — both had been severely burned when they where young. It was the Man who was married to their mother. His rage and anger drove him to burn the one to whom he was married.

 

Racine, the Rough One (played by Kara Young), has a volatile temper. She was severely burned on her arms. Her sister is Anaia, the Quiet One (played by Mallori Johnson). Her face is covered with burn scars, and she endured non-stop abuse about her looks. Racine was always there to deliver swift justice to any bully that mocked her sister Anaia.

 

These Twins operate with a symbiotic nature, both knowing what the other is feeling and thinking. They — as they might say — finish each other’s sentences. One day, there is a letter from a person they thought was long dead.

 

It is a message from Mother Ruby, the ‘God’ (played by Vivica A. Fox). She had not died from the fire many years ago, but is now closer to death than ever. Anaia and Racine drive down South, to visit with the ‘God’. As Racine says, “After all, She the One that made us “.

 

Ruby has not seen her daughters for ages. She is under care of some home nurses. She was never able to help the Twins as they were growing up, so she stayed silent. But now, because she is near death — the ‘One who gave them life’ has a final command.

 

She tells of the day that put her into this invalid sick bed. The same day that forever scarred her two girls. The Man that she had married had come back home. He did not like the restraining order. He did not like the fact that Ruby has pushed him out of his daughter’s lives. He did not anything about anybody. So this solution is to burn the place to the ground.

 

Racine and Anaia are shocked that Ruby, their ‘God’ has this unusual request. She does not want to have that Man, the Monster (played by Sterling K. Brown) alive on this Earth. She wants to see the ‘sisters act’ — to make that Daddy dead. Real dead. It is up to them about any collateral damage. They have just one goal.

 

Anaia is shocked and she knows she would be unable to anything like that. Racine, on the other hand — she is ‘the Rough One’. She is ready to find that Monster, that Man who disfigured her family. They both go to the most recent place where the Man was known to be located. It is a small home-based full-gospel church.

 

They both go this church and find it is run by Miss Divine, The Healer (played by Erika Alexander). She was the second wife to that Man, the Monster. She has a son with that decrepit lover from years ago. Miss Divine was not even married to that Man. He left years ago, and she still has a shrine set up for him. She is waiting for his Second Coming…

 

Racine and Anaia split out of that cult-like church. But not before Racine grabs the old wallet from the shrine. There is a business card inside. It is for the legal representative who worked for that Man, the Monster. After the fire, the Man was charged — but this fellow got him off scot-free. They decide to go pay a visit to Chuck Hall, the Lawyer (played by Mykelti Williamson).

 

Chuck Hall is waiting for the Man to come back, too. He thinks that his former client is coming to kill him. Years ago, after he was released, the Man came to Hall with anger and hatred.

 

He caused an accident that caused Chuck Hall to lose this tongue. Now, all he can do is write on white-boards and advise non-verbally. He tells the Twins that they would be best to give up their quest.

 

They finally get an address out of Chuck Hall. Maybe it was the sister’s solid logic that won him over. Or maybe it was the ‘rock in the sock’. After he gets boinked with that few times, Hall was ready to tell all. The sisters leave and go off to find the person who is now doomed, according to the word of ‘God’.

 

The Man, the Monster, has moved on with his life. He now lives in a very secluded spot. It is far away from anyone. This fancy new home is especially far from the Police, and even from the Fire Department. He has taken a New Wife (played by Janelle Monáe).

 

She lives in constant fear from the Man’s potential rage. She is planning on getting away from the Man, the Monster. This New Wife seems very confused with the two sisters who are there and who will not let her pass. The New Wife does not stay confused for a long time.

 

That is because Racine has become very skilled in using ‘rock in the sock’. There are a few other obstacles that are in the way of sisters. But that is not going to stop them. The Man, the Monster, has two other boys. Twins, on top of that — and they also seem to reflect Racine and Anaia.

 

Scotch (played by Xavier Mills) is the Rough One, and Riley (played by Justen Ross) is the Quiet One. These are offspring of the Man, the Monster. It seems that these two have so much in common with the Twins.

 

Of course, they still do not know of the horrors that their father has brought down on the Twins. These other boys are not the final goal. But they are like a vault door that surrounds the Man, the Monster.

 

If Racine and Anaia need to break though these other two like a vault door — they will do it. They are on a ‘mission’, from ‘God’. Nobody will stand in the way of these Twins who are out for revenge. They are now free to take out the Man, the Monster. They are here to take out the garbage.

 

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“Is God Is” a story of unhinged vengeance and brittle domestic relationships. The Twins are sent out on a ‘mission’. But they also are in agreement that the Man who has destroyed at least three lives must also be destroyed.

 

Aleshea Harris had written this first a play. Then she adapted her own work into this screenplay. The movie is fast-paced and quick with dialog and edits that very few first-time Directors would be able handle. She has borrowed some visual techniques, perhaps, from Quentin Tarantino. But in this movie, these are done very well.

 

Both Kara Young and Mallori Johnson (Racine and Anaia) are quite a dynamic duo of rage-fueled revenge. They handle the tender ‘Twin Sisters’ moments with ease, and can dive into some abrupt violence when called upon. These two make for a wonderfully paired set of ‘Twins’.

 

Sterling K. Brown is also a standout. But his time in the movie is fairly short. The presence of his character (the Man, the Monster) is deeply layered into the movie. Even when you don’t see him, you can feel the havoc that he has wrought on these characters.

 

“Is God Is” is a story of how two sisters are making someone pay for all the evil that person has brought into the world. Sometimes, only a righteous rampage will do.