Despite his breakout role in “Get Out” only being released in 2017, Daniel Kaluuya has made a lasting impact on the film industry in just under seven years. With his remarkable continuation of performances in films like “Judas and The Black Messiah,” “Nope” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” he has shown his remarkable skills and impressive range of acting. This time around Kaluuya is stepping out of the limelight and instead going behind the scenes as he takes his first-ever directorial role in Netflix’s new film “The Kitchen,” which is now available for streaming.
The film is set in dystopian London where the gap between rich and poor has been stretched to its limits. All forms of social housing have been eliminated but only one community remains, The Kitchen, whose inhabitants live in harsh conditions as their resources of water and supplies are cut off. This is where we meet Izi (Kano), a person desperate for a way out from The Kitchen, and a 12-year-old boy named Benji (Jedaiah Bannerman), who moved to The Kitchen searching for a family after losing his mother. This unlikely pair decides to help one another as they try to find a footing in a system that is stacked against them.
The premise of “The Kitchen” is sold as a sci-fi dystopian film. But unlike most of those films, Kaluuya brings a different perspective to the genre by transforming the city of London into a futuristic world that feels familiar, yet new. Kaluuya achieved this feeling by subtly incorporating unusual elements like advanced technology and details of a dramatized society to discuss the harsh realities of the cost of living in London. Some might find the lack of sci-fi components to be a flaw of the film, but I found the subtly to be genius as it caused the audience to realize how similar “The Kitchen’s” society is to our current social climate. Izi’s housing application is a perfect example of this. Once Izi finally saved up enough money to move out of his rundown apartment in The Kitchen, he was able to afford an upscale unit in the city. However, for him to live there, he must pay four months’ worth of rent upfront. For some, this small detail might seem outrageous, but in actuality, it is fairly similar to today’s world, as most people must pay three months’ worth of rent for most places across the world.
Although the film touches on the cost-of-living crisis, the primary focus of this film is the strong sense of community, which was Kaluuya’s main goal. “It is a celebration of what they do have — the connection, the joy, the vibrancy, the community,” Kaluuya told NPR. You see this celebration throughout the film as the people of The Kitchen built and created a beautiful community. From everybody hanging around the barbershops and street vendors to them banging pans together to notify citizens that the police were coming, scenes consistently showed viewers how the Kitcheners looked out for one another to maintain the place that they call home. The roller rink scene, above all others, emphasized the powerful culture the citizens had created. With stunning and vibrant camera shots, this scene was a pivotal moment in the film as it showed the audience why The Kitcheners wanted to stay. From everybody roller skating and dancing to their favorite tunes to them sitting and chatting with one another, you begin to realize why The Kitchen is worth fighting for. As The Kitchen radio host Lord Kitchener said, “This is our home, and we ain’t going nowhere.”
Overall, Kaluuya did a stellar job for his directorial debut. He was able to bring The Kitchen world to life with his amazing cinematography and world-building. From the vibrant neon lights to the deteriorating skyscrapers, he was able to immerse viewers in the near-futuristic world of London. This remarkable setup allowed Kaluuya’s story to unfold in such an emotional and thought-provoking way as it tackled the harsh realities of gentrification, cost of living and police brutality. As a result, this film profoundly reminded us of how important our actions and voices are in order to make change.
“The Kitchen” is currently available to stream on Netflix.