Upamanyu Biswas
The end of the 2022 movie, ‘The Inspection,’ features a tribute to Inell Carol Jones, the mother of Elegance Bratton, who wrote and directed the film in his feature directorial debut. The narrative is a semi-autobiographical depiction of Bratton’s life through the eyes of his fictional protagonist, Ellis French, who undergoes hazing at his Marine Corps boot camp due to his being gay. Although revolving around Bratton’s military training, the film also highlights Bratton’s relationship with his mother, which becomes the central heartbeat of the story. The ending tribute is the filmmaker’s final parting gift to his mother, Inell Jones, whose part in his life was pivotal and for whom his never diminished.
Inell Carol Jones’ Strained Relationship With Her Son
Elegance Bratton was born to Inell Carol Jones on May 3, 1979, in Jersey City, New Jersey. According to Bratton, his mother had been orphaned when she was 10 and gave birth to him when she was 16. As a result, the director grew up with several early memories of classroom and library settings because she was still completing her education. In a 2016 interview, he recalled, “In Jersey City I was the boy in a family of black women. My aunt Sheila and Mother used to do each other’s hair in the kitchen.” Inell moved to Phillipsburg with her son when he was 7, where they were, according to Bratton, the only black people in town. Her influence on his childhood was immense because of how closely she raised him.
A strain developed between mother and son during Bratton’s adolescence. At age 16, the filmmaker was kicked out of the house by Inell because of his being gay. Henceforth, his relationship with her became conflicted as he lived as a homeless person for around a decade. However, he would drop by the house from time to time with her permission. “Back then I called her and she said, ‘sure you can come home.’ This time I asked and she said, ‘are you still gay?’ And I responded ‘well, yes I am and she said you should join the military, it will straighten you out.'” the director told ABC News. He eventually joined the military, came back, and became a filmmaker, but his bond with his mother remained a complicated knot that continued long into his adulthood.
Inell also had a daughter — Bratton’s younger half-sister — with whom the director revealed he had minimal contact. The last time he saw her was when she was eight years old, following which he alleged their mother kept him away from her because of his sexual orientation. The director elaborated on his relationship with his sister, saying, “It’s hard to describe in an interview like this, but the way my mother set up the relationship, I was not involved in my sister’s life, because my mother did not want her around me.” The director admitted that he had minimal contact with his sister and mother after he left home at 16.
Inell Caroll Jones Was Killed By Her Daughter
Three days after ‘The Inspection’ was greenlit by A24, Inell Carol Jones was killed in February 2020. She was 57 at the time and had not spoken to her son, Elegance Bratton, in almost a decade. According to a report, she was killed after allegedly an argument broke out with Bratton’s younger half-sister at her home in Rahway, New Jersey. His sister was accused of fatally stabbing their mother and was later convicted of aggravated manslaughter in November 2023. The director was heartbroken by the news as he had not resolved his differences with Inell before her passing. He was still mourning her when he began filming for ‘The Inspection.’
In a Los Angeles Times interview, Bratton said, “Unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to resolve anything. This is why I’m so grateful to Gabrielle Union [Inez French], because she helped to bring my mother back to life for me and provide, on a personal level, some closure that my mother couldn’t provide me in her lifetime. My mom was a very complicated woman — she was the first person to ever love me completely. She was also the first person to ever reject me wholly.” He hoped that, in some way, the film would help him connect with his mother despite their differences over the years. That chance was unfortunately extinguished with her passing.
The director also said that he was devastated by the loss of his sister in the process of his mother’s murder. “My mother was far from perfect and I’m not even sure she cared for me the way I did for her,” he said in a social media post. “Not only that but everyday since our relationships deteriorated I worked my ass off so I could be a place to land for my sister. So I lost two people I cared for and I haven’t been the same since. I found out my sister was convicted of aggravated manslaughter for stabbing my mother last week. I want to thank all of you for your prayers/support during these difficult years. I’m saddened by this outcome.” The loss of his mother and her impact on his life is reflected in the core message of ‘The Inspection,’ and the heartfelt tribute at the end is an outpouring of the affection he still holds for her.
Read More: The Inspection: The True Story Behind the Movie, Explained
