“There is no such thing as a larger risk to ladies than males,” Louis C.Okay. mentioned in his 2013 stand-up particular, Oh My God. “We’re the worst factor that ever occurs to them.” In Sorry/Not Sorry, from administrators Caroline Suh and Cara Mones, the stage presence C.Okay. had is described as “I’m fucked up, however I’m making an attempt to do the proper factor.” On the time, this made him endearing and like an unparalleled comedic genius within the eyes of many. A decade later, C.Okay.’s assertion is only one of many bits from his profession that has aged like milk, feeling much more self-aware than he ever meant it to be. Only some years later, C.Okay. can be accused of a number of incidents of sexual harassment—which he would admit have been true. But after lower than a yr away from the general public highlight, C.Okay. would return with a vengeance, having made no penance for his actions, and even joking concerning the admittedly true allegations.
For many who adopted the Louis C.Okay. state of affairs, Sorry/Not Sorry doesn’t precisely present any groundbreaking revelations. As a substitute, Suh and Mones present the influence C.Okay.’s decisions had on these ladies, how dismissively he clearly thought these selections have been, and what the trail of redemption ought to probably seem like for individuals who have made errors and are hoping to atone for his or her wrongful actions. Whereas there have been loads of documentaries about beloved actors and comedians which have been introduced down by their horrific actions—like final yr’s wonderful We Must Speak About Cosby—Sorry/Not Sorry explores a deeper dialog about how normalized surprising conduct has turn out to be and if there can or needs to be a comeback for males like C.Okay.
Sorry/Not Sorry is at its greatest when exhibiting the ladies who’ve been affected by C.Okay.—both straight or not directly. Jen Kirkman—in all probability probably the most vocal individual with reference to her previous with C.Okay.—talks about how her makes an attempt to halt terrible conduct like this have adopted her for years, to a degree the place she felt like she wanted to lie about it even taking place. Abby Schachner, a comic and author, talks about how C.Okay.’s advances altered her profession trajectory, whereas Megan Koester exhibits how even trying to name out C.Okay.’s actions in public had an enduring influence on her. Whereas C.Okay.’s sexual harassment is introduced as flippant by him, they triggered a ripple impact on these ladies that’s heartbreaking.
Suh and Mones well concentrate on the ladies on this story, however additionally they interview males who query how they will use their positions to make a change. For instance, Parks and Recreation co-creator Michael Schur discusses how he ignored the tales about C.Okay. when he employed the in-demand comic for his present, and the way making an attempt to not make this his concern was a part of the issue. Equally, Michael Ian Black delves into his questioning on Twitter of how males like C.Okay. can work their manner again, or if that’s even a factor that ought to occur, and learns the intricacies of what makes this kind of dialogue so tough. By way of that is partly a narrative of how C.Okay. poorly responded to the harassment he admitted was true, we see what folks in his state of affairs ought to and shouldn’t do when it comes to making an attempt to make amends.
Sorry/Not Sorry isn’t trying to reply the questions of what C.Okay. ought to have performed, or what would’ve been the right compensation for his decisions, however moderately, Suh and Mones try to start out the dialog of what needs to be the trail ahead. Sorry/Not Sorry by no means negates that C.Okay. had nice comedic expertise, and whereas many have determined to maneuver on from what he has performed up to now—as seen by him nonetheless promoting out Madison Sq. Backyard in 2023—there’s a black mark on his profession that may by no means go away due to his response. Whereas C.Okay. might need mentioned these incidents have been true, making enjoyable of those ladies, and having comedians like Dave Chappelle and Invoice Maher mock these ladies and moments, solely exhibits how disgusting the highway to standing up for what’s proper might be. Suh and Mones present why it may be onerous for folks to current such allegations, particularly when the long-term repercussions can find yourself affecting the accusers and have little to no influence on the accused.
Suh and Montes are merely presenting the details as we’ve identified them since these allegations first got here out. But by presenting them this fashion, exhibiting the influence on these ladies, and the dearth of a serious influence it has had on C.Okay. and his profession, Sorry/Not Sorry nonetheless appears like an vital a part of the dialogue round “cancelled” celebrities, and even the place viewers ought to draw the road when it comes to their assist. Close to the tip of the movie, an individual going to Louis C.Okay.’s sold-out Madison Sq. Backyard present states, “I feel everyone lives with a specific amount of hypocrisy, and that is the quantity that I’ve allotted myself.” In a wierd manner, this random comedy fan’s admittance is likely one of the movie’s most surprising moments—a reminder that no matter what an individual does, there will likely be those that flip a blind eye just because it’s simpler for them.
As a documentary, Sorry/Not Sorry isn’t groundbreaking when it comes to kind or info, but it surely does really feel vital within the bigger conversations that Suh and Montes are exploring, as C.Okay. isn’t the primary nor will he be the final superstar to have the ache they’ve triggered unveiled to the world. As an increasing number of celebrities get known as out for the terrible conduct that recognition, affect, and significance have allow them to get away with for a lot too lengthy, Sorry/Not Sorry appears like a vital dialogue about how we should always transfer ahead with these we as soon as placed on a pedestal.
Score: B