Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘They Cloned Tyrone’ is a genre-bending movie that follows the story of a drug dealer named Fontaine who discovers that the world is nothing like he’d believed it to be. One night, he is gunned down by a rival drug dealer, but the following day, he wakes up with no bullet wounds or memory of what happened to him. He learns about this from one of his customers, Slick Charles, who witnessed him dying.
They are joined by Yo-yo in their quest to uncover the truth, which is much stranger than they could ever think of. The film toys with several mysteries, but its setting becomes one of the mysteries that feed its narrative. If you are wondering where and what the time period the movie takes place in, we’ve got you covered. SPOILERS AHEAD
The Glen: An Anonymous, Universal Setting
‘They Cloned Tyrone’ takes place in what is known as The Glen. There is nothing in the film that specifies which city or state this place falls in. It is presented as a low-income neighborhood with markers that give it a universal vibe. In reality, “the Glen” refers to neighborhoods in different parts of America, which is perhaps why the creators chose this title. Its generic nature gives anonymity to the place, which elevates the story.
Fontaine, Yo-yo, and Slick discover that their neighborhood is like many other such places, which are used as control groups for a secret government experiment. Keeping the location unspecific adds a relatability factor while showing the audience that this type of thing could happen anywhere. The lack of a specific marker puts more focus on the community that Fontaine lives in, tying it to the struggles faced by communities all over America.
Another thing that the anonymity of the location achieves is creating an unease that accompanies the revelation of a shady government project. The experiments on people regarding mind control and cloning are supposed to disturb the audience, and the generic nature of the Glen means that it could all be happening right around their neighborhood. Moreover, the fact that the neighborhood is created and created specifically for the experiment also shows why its location remains undisclosed.
They Cloned Tyrone Take Place in Modern Times With Retro Elements
Just like the where, the when of ‘The Cloned Tyrone’ also plays into the plot of the film really well. The vibe and aesthetics of the film, especially in the way the characters dress, transports the audience back to the 70s and 80s. The retro vibe is augmented by flip phones and landlines that don’t make it seem very modern. Even the TV sets and cars appear to be rather old. The film also plays on the Blaxploitation genre, which, added to the graininess, gives a distinct look to the movie and its plot.
However, despite all these references, the characters do or talk about more contemporary things, for example, President Obama and the mention of cryptocurrency. This means the story is not set in the past but in current times. It feeds into the narrative by creating Fontaine’s disconnect with his reality. The ending reveals that this clone thing has been going on for quite a while, especially considering how old the real Fontaine is. It makes one wonder how long his clones have been trapped in this life, with every day repeating itself like a loop. This makes sense why the characters still dress as if they are a decade or two behind but are ready to trade in BitCoin if need be.
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