This Film Would Like You To Know That It Is Important – A Review of Chicken
By April Klein
Have you ever heard of the term “Social Problem Film”? It’s not a particularly well-phrased term, but it describes a type of film designed from its inception to tackle a larger societal issue through the lens of a traditional narrative structure. During the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term was more apt, as studios would literally commission films to cover issues they believed would draw audiences. These films would address topics such as racism, drug abuse, or immigration, just as much as they would fit into the horror or drama genres. Politics replaced genre.
The same ideals exist today but on a more individualized scale. Take The Hate U Give, Hillbilly Elegy, or Beautiful Boy—all issue-based films, but now more often based on memoirs or popular books inspired by real events. While the origins of these projects have shifted (from mass-produced studio flicks to studios adapting best-sellers with a topical hook), the appeal remains the same.
Directed by Josh Leong, Chicken is a prime example of what makes a social problem film both admirable and somewhat drab. Beautifully shot and well-acted, Leong’s script ultimately lets down the otherwise talented work by feeling flat. These characters are hardly people—more like vessels for themes to flow through—but the film isn’t stylized enough for that choice to resonate. Shallow focus and dim lighting tell us this story is meant to be taken seriously, but in making that choice, the humanity the film wants to evoke feels distant. It’s posturing—in support of a good cause, certainly—but the result is mostly forgettable.
I would give this film a 3 out of 5.
April Klein is a rising junior at DePaul University, working towards a BFA in Film & Television Production. She also writes and edits for her university’s newspaper The DePaulia and works as an independent filmmaker. She can usually be found watching whatever peaks her interest on the Criterion Channel this month.
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