Aleshea Harris's Is God Is makes a striking transition from stage to screen, delivering a revenge thriller that echoes Kill Bill and Thelma & Louise. The film follows twins Racine and Anaia, played by Kara Young and Mallori Johnson, who bear physical and emotional scars from a house fire that nearly killed them as children. The blaze sent them into foster care, leaving them isolated and bitter.
Their lives are upended when a letter arrives from their mother, Ruby (Vivica A Fox), whom they believed dead. On her deathbed, Ruby reveals that the fire was an act of domestic violence by their father (Sterling K Brown) and demands they avenge her. Anaia, the shy twin, recoils, while Racine embraces the mission, setting them on a bloody road trip through Louisiana.
Harris, making her feature debut after directing the play off-Broadway, explores the paradox of breaking a cycle of violence through violence itself. The twins are not trained killers; they debate methods like poison or stoning. Their telepathic bond is highlighted with ornate typefaces, underscoring their intuitive chemistry.
The director shows a firm grasp of scale, shifting from claustrophobic intimacy to sweeping landscapes. The journey allows moments of girlish play and freedom, a metaphor for Black life. Supporting performances shine: Erika Alexander as a devoted preacher's paramour, Mykelti Williamson as a mute lawyer, and Janelle Monáe as a flustered wife. Harris resists Sterling K Brown's charisma, revealing him in fragments before a full reveal.
