In this fractured telling of one horrific night, a young girl, Imani (Anka Ferris), and a wet-behind-the-ears police officer, David (Henry Brinkerhoff), tell the same story–yet what one remembers is far different from the other. Death exists in both tellings of the situation, yet, not in the same capacity. While Imani tells her story, she often struggles to come to terms with the things she saw–but she constantly remembers “It’s Nice in Here.”
We’re back to the same old song and dance–police brutality with a minority at the receiving end. I’m not saying things of this nature don’t occur, but I’m honestly sick of the films that like to paint law enforcement in such a negative light. Law enforcement is in a unique position where when a bad egg comes along (like what happens in every profession), other’s lives are at risk. I get that–but at this point, at the very least, this corner of cinema is saturated. It’s Nice in Here does what a thousand other films have done over the course of the past ten years or so. I know that this is an issue that needs to be addressed–but to drown the world of cinema in the same story over and over again doesn’t do the cause any favors–it only dilutes its meaning. It’s Nice in Here falls victim to this reality, and the harrowing story that Imani and David express to viewers loses meaning as a result.
For viewers that feel the same as I do about the subject matter of It’s Nice in Here, but that don’t make it a point to analyze cinema the way that I do–I think the film ultimately falls on deaf ears. That’s a harsh reality, and that causes It’s Nice in Here to struggle to reach a potential audience. I’m not an expert on the subject, so I can’t say that I know a better way to approach said subject–but there has to be a better way. But I digress.
I recently purchased a pair of AirPods with spatial audio, something that isn’t often accomplished in filmmaking without the help of specific audio equipment present in the viewing room. It’s a wonderful feature because it transports viewers (and listeners) to the world in which their film, show, or song takes place–and it creates an entirely new experience for audiences. It’s Nice in Here manages to capture the same sound quality that resonated with me inside my AirPods. I felt that things were happening all around me, that police sirens and loud bangs weren’t coming from the television that sat just feet away from me, but rather from my right or somewhere behind me. This sound department, one that includes Jeroen Nadorp and Rik Nieuwdorp, does a stellar job of bringing this story to life–and even better, transporting viewers to this animated world where they truly feel like they are part of the story.
Much like the sound, the animation plays a pivotal role in how viewers perceive the film. If you’re on board with the narrative and the message that it’s trying to convey, then the animation does such a wonderful job of making the story come alive. The characters on screen are simple, with fluid edges that help It’s Nice in Here to flow nicely from scene to scene–and it never misfires along the way. Everyone watching knows that this is animation and not live action, but it’s so brilliantly executed that it’s easy to suspend disbelief and feel like you’re watching something real rather than something fabricated using computers.
It’s Nice in Here is divisive–likely to aggressively pull viewers in two opposite directions. It tells the story of police brutality and minorities struggling to deal with this harrowing reality. However, it exists in a world where it’s been done over and over again, desensitizing viewers to the subject matter–and, again, that’s what happens here in It’s Nice in Here. There are so many positives present throughout It’s Nice in Here, including the sound and the animation, and it does a wonderful job of transporting viewers to this world. I know that the story itself will appeal to many, but I’m not the target audience; it’s those aforementioned qualities that allow the film to succeed for me.
Written & Directed by Robert-Jonathan Koeyers.
Starring Anka Ferris, Henry Brinkeroff, Kevin Strickland, Marissa Lenti, John-Henry Kurtz, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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