The Mill (2023 film)

Last updated

The Mill
The mill.jpeg
Promotional release poster
Directed by Sean King O'Grady
Written byJeffrey David Thomas
Produced by
  • Lil Rel Howery
  • Josh Feldman
  • Sean King O'Grady
  • Jesse Ford
  • Barbara Goldner
  • Brooke Goldner
Starring
CinematographySeamus Tierney
Edited byShane Patrick Ford
Music byDavid Chapdelaine
Production
companies
Distributed by Hulu
Release date
  • October 9, 2023 (2023-10-09)
Running time
106 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Mill is a 2023 American science fiction thriller film directed by Sean King O'Grady and written by Jeffrey David Thomas. It stars Lil Rel Howery, Pat Healy, Karen Obilom, and Patrick Fischler. It began streaming on Hulu on October 9, 2023.

Contents

Plot

Joe, an employee of the Mallard Corporation, wakes up in a strange courtyard with no recollection of his arrival. As Joe seeks help, he hears the voice of another inmate who explains some — but not all — of the circumstances of the prisoners ("employees"). Any attempts to escape or ask for help during food deliveries results in further isolation. Joe and the other employees' primary task is pushing a millstone in order to reach the targeted quota. He faces the daily pressure of meeting the deadline, and failure carries severe consequences.

Over time, Joe's physical and mental strength are continuously tested. Despite exhaustion and distressing hallucinations, he remains determined to reunite with his pregnant wife, Kate. Joe confronts the malevolent AI orchestrating his ordeal, making a plea for freedom and reuniting with his wife. The AI, now threatened, concedes to his request.

It turns out that Joe has been part of an augmented reality as part of Mallard's training. After he secures his position and reassures contact with Kate, Joe then plots to expose Mallard's wrongdoings.

Cast

Production

In February 2023, Deadline Hollywood reported that the film was "recently-wrapped" and was shot in New Jersey. [1]

O'Grady and Howery had previously worked together in the comedy film I Love My Dad (2022), in which the former produced and the latter played a supporting role. In an interview with MovieWeb, O'Grady said that he wanted to collaborate with Howery again but in a drama film rather than a comedy. Upon reading the screenplay of The Mill, O'Grady had Howery in mind as his first choice for the lead. [2] O'Grady said in an interview with Blavity that he "read (the screenplay) in a night", after producer Josh Feldman shared it with him. [3]

According to O'Grady, Howery chose not to know where the filming location was set and was literally blindfolded as he entered the set. [3]

Release

The film was released on Hulu on October 9, 2023. [4] [2]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 42% of 12 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6/10. [5]

Nick Allen of RogerEbert.com gave the film a score of two out of four. [6] Tyler Nichols of JoBlo.com gave the film a positive review and wrote, "Unless they're given a theatrical release, Hulu Horror films often miss the mark, so I went into this with very low expectations. Thankfully this provided a smart and poignant thriller that really takes aim at a lot of issues going on in society today". [7] Brandon Yu of The New York Times gave the film a negative review, writing, "The film lacks any well-executed surprises to help it push past one-dimensional satire, and Howery is not strong enough of a dramatic actor to keep a single-setting, single-character film like this consistently engaging". [8]

Related Research Articles

Shauna Garr is an American producer and entertainment executive in Hollywood. She is best known for producing the film franchise How High and How High 2 with Universal Pictures.

<i>Bird Box</i> (film) 2018 film directed by Susanne Bier

Bird Box is a 2018 American post-apocalyptic horror thriller film directed by Susanne Bier and written by Eric Heisserer, based on the 2014 novel by Josh Malerman. The film follows the character Malorie Hayes, played by Sandra Bullock, as she tries to protect herself and two children from entities which cause people who look at them to kill themselves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Rel Howery</span> American comedian and actor (born 1979)

MiltonHowery Jr., better known as Lil Rel Howery, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. Howery is known for playing Robert Carmichael in NBC's television comedy series The Carmichael Show (2015–2017) and Rod Williams in the horror film Get Out (2017). He starred in the short-lived TV series Rel (2018–2019), which he created and co-produced.

<i>Rel</i> (TV series) American television sitcom

Rel is an American television sitcom created by Lil Rel Howery and Kevin Barnett for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series also stars Jordan L. Jones, Jess Hilarious and Sinbad. Loosely based on Howery's own life, it follows a Chicago man trying to rebuild his life after his ex-wife slept with his barber.

<i>The Photograph</i> (2020 film) 2020 film directed by Stella Meghie

The Photograph is a 2020 American romantic drama film written and directed by Stella Meghie. It follows the estranged daughter of a famous photographer who falls in love with the journalist who is investigating her late mother's life. Chelsea Peretti, Lil Rel Howery and Courtney B. Vance also star.

<i>Harold and the Purple Crayon</i> (film) Upcoming American film by Carlos Saldanha

Harold and the Purple Crayon is an upcoming American live-action/animated fantasy film directed by Carlos Saldanha from a screenplay by David Guion and Michael Handelman, based on the 1955 children's book of the same name by Crockett Johnson. It will star Zachary Levi in the titular role, with Lil Rel Howery, Benjamin Bottani, Jemaine Clement, Tanya Reynolds, and Zooey Deschanel in supporting roles. The film serves as a sequel to the original book, where, after the adventurous Harold grows up with his magical purple crayon and draws himself off the book's pages and into the physical world, he finds that he has a lot to learn about real life.

<i>Bad Trip</i> (film) 2021 film directed by Kitao Sakurai

Bad Trip is a 2021 American hidden camera comedy film directed by Kitao Sakurai. The film follows two best friends who take a road trip from Florida to New York City so one of them can declare his love for his high school crush, all the while being chased by the other's criminal sister, whose car they have stolen for the trip.

<i>Fatherhood</i> (film) 2021 film by Paul Weitz

Fatherhood is a 2021 American comedy-drama film directed by Paul Weitz from a screenplay by Weitz and Dana Stevens based on the 2011 memoir Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love by Matthew Logelin. The film stars Kevin Hart, Alfre Woodard, Frankie R. Faison, Lil Rel Howery, DeWanda Wise, Anthony Carrigan, Melody Hurd, and Paul Reiser, and follows a new father who struggles to raise his daughter after the sudden death of his wife.

<i>Deep Water</i> (2022 film) 2022 film by Adrian Lyne

Deep Water is a 2022 erotic psychological thriller film directed by Adrian Lyne, from a screenplay by Zach Helm and Sam Levinson, based on the 1957 novel of the same name by Patricia Highsmith. The film stars Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas, with Tracy Letts, Lil Rel Howery, Dash Mihok, Finn Wittrock, Kristen Connolly, and Jacob Elordi appearing in supporting roles. It marks Lyne's return to filmmaking after a 20-year absence since his last film, Unfaithful (2002).

<i>Clouds</i> (2020 film) 2020 film by Justin Baldoni

Clouds is a 2020 American biographical romantic musical drama teen film directed and produced by Justin Baldoni and written by Kara Holden from a story by Holden, Patrick Kopka, and Casey La Scala. It is based upon the memoir Fly a Little Higher: How God Answered a Mom's Small Prayer in a Big Way by Laura Sobiech. The film stars Fin Argus, Sabrina Carpenter, Madison Iseman, Neve Campbell, Tom Everett Scott, and Lil Rel Howery, and tells the story of Zach Sobiech, a teenager from Minnesota who has osteosarcoma, and decides to follow his dream of becoming a musician after finding out he is dying.

<i>Vacation Friends</i> 2021 American film

Vacation Friends is a 2021 American buddy comedy film directed by Clay Tarver, and co-written by Tom Mullen, Tim Mullen, Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. The film stars John Cena, Lil Rel Howery, Yvonne Orji, Meredith Hagner, Robert Wisdom, Lynn Whitfield, and Andrew Bachelor.

<i>National Champions</i> (film) 2021 American film by Ric Roman Waugh

National Champions is a 2021 American sports drama film directed by Ric Roman Waugh, based on the play of the same name by Adam Mervis. The film stars Stephan James, J. K. Simmons, Alexander Ludwig, Lil Rel Howery, Tim Blake Nelson, Andrew Bachelor, Jeffrey Donovan, David Koechner, Kristin Chenoweth, Timothy Olyphant, and Uzo Aduba.

<i>Spin Me Round</i> 2022 film by Jeff Baena

Spin Me Round is a 2022 American dark comedy film co-written by Jeff Baena and Alison Brie and directed by Baena. It premiered at the 2022 South by Southwest festival on March 12, 2022. It was released on August 19, 2022, by IFC Films in theaters and by AMC+ on video on demand.

<i>The Out-Laws</i> (film) 2023 film by Tyler Spindel

The Out-Laws is a 2023 American action comedy film directed by Tyler Spindel, written by Evan Turner and Ben Zazove, produced by Adam Sandler, Adam DeVine, and Allen Covert. It stars Adam DeVine, Nina Dobrev, Ellen Barkin, and Pierce Brosnan. The plot follows a bank manager on his wedding week whose bank is robbed by criminals that he very strongly suspects might be his future in-laws which gets proven right as he works with them when a crime boss that the criminals made enemies abducts his fiancé.

Bromates is a 2022 American buddy comedy film directed by Court Crandall and starring Josh Brener and Lil Rel Howery. Snoop Dogg serves as an executive producer of the film.

<i>We Grown Now</i> 2023 American film

We Grown Now is a 2023 American drama film, written and directed by Minhal Baig, and produced by Joe Pirro and Baig. It stars Blake Cameron James, Gian Knight Ramirez, S. Epatha Merkerson, Avery Holliday, Ora Jones, Lil Rel Howery and Jurnee Smollett.

<i>Vacation Friends 2</i> 2023 film by Clay Tarver

Vacation Friends 2 is a 2023 American buddy comedy film written and directed by Clay Tarver. It is a sequel to Vacation Friends and stars Lil Rel Howery, John Cena, Yvonne Orji, Meredith Hagner, Steve Buscemi, Ronny Chieng, and Jamie Hector.

Sean King O'Grady is an American film director and producer based in Michigan. He made his feature directorial debut with We Need to Do Something (2021). He then made his second feature directorial effort with The Mill (2023). O'Grady also served as a producer of the 2022 film I Love My Dad.

<i>PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie</i> (soundtrack) 2023 film score by Pinar Toprak

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie is the soundtrack to the 2023 film PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie directed by Cal Brunker, a sequel to the 2021 film PAW Patrol: The Movie. The soundtrack featured original score composed by Pinar Toprak, which released on September 29, 2023, the same day as the film's theatrical release.

Karen Obilom is an American actress. She is known for portraying Nia Bullock in the BET television series Games People Play (2019-2021). She also appeared opposite Lil Rel Howery in the 2023 film The Mill (2023).

References

  1. ↑ Grobar, Matt (February 1, 2023). "Lil Rel Howery To Topline Hulu Sci-Fi Thriller 'The Mill'; Scoot McNairy, Pat Healy Among Others Set – First Look". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Mahler, Matthew (October 6, 2023). "Exclusive: The Mill Director Wants to Change Your Life and Break the System". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on October 18, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Yates, Shanique (October 9, 2023). "'THE MILL' DIRECTOR RECALLS LIL REL HOWERY'S DECISION TO REMAIN BLINDFOLDED UNTIL PRODUCTION BEGAN FOR THE SCI-FI THRILLER". Blavity. Archived from the original on October 14, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  4. ↑ Collis, Clark (September 27, 2023). "Get Out star Lil Rel Howery faces a different kind of horror in The Mill trailer". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  5. ↑ "The Mill". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  6. ↑ Allen, Nick (October 9, 2023). "The Mill". RogerEbert.com . Archived from the original on October 10, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  7. ↑ Nichols, Tyler (October 8, 2023). "The Mill Review". JoBlo.com . Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  8. ↑ Yu, Brandon (October 9, 2023). "The Mill Review: A Cog in the Machine". The New York Times . Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.