Chloe and Theo is about an Inuit tribesman from the Northern Arctic who makes his way to New York City. He is sent to the city by his tribal elders with one mission, tell the leaders of the world that they are in danger. The Inuits have had a vision of destruction due to the polluting, consuming and inhumane nature of people. It is up to Theo to share this vision with the world to save us all from certain doom. Little does he know that a scrappy young homeless girl is the key to achieving his goal.
This movie really wants to sell a message of world harmony achieved through means of anti-consumerism, pollution reduction and eco-friendly living; and in all honesty, there’s really nothing wrong with that. The problem is that the filmmakers and talent on screen are so enthusiastic to deliver this message that they forgot to make an watchable film. It’s not that their hearts weren’t in the right place, it’s just that the movie suffers from poor technical decisions and casting choices that make it lose focus.
Theo comes to New York with a message, but he does not know where to go or who to speak to. While wandering the streets he attracts the attention of a homeless young adult who injects herself into his life. He tells his story to her and her friends and they hatch a plan to get him into the United Nations. When this leads to them being picked up by the police, a woman with a plan to get Theo a public speaking gig steps in. The goal to spread his message of peace ends tragically when Theo is killed in an alley for his sneakers. Chloe then chooses to speak in his memory.
This is a really tough film to watch. Theo Ikummaq has a positive message to tell here, but even when his voice-over narration plays, it is drowned our by a poor sound mix featuring music that is meant to sell the movie. The character of Chloe constantly spouts Bruce Lee references without impact, and the majority of the acting choices made make the whole thing seem directionless and roughly scripted. The editing makes the film’s pace uneven, and save for a few interesting animated sequences, the whole thing is underwhelming. Mira Sorvino showing up in the third act and Larry King making a cameo at the end seem out of place and odd. It’s a shame that the message of the film has so much going against it, otherwise it would be worthwhile.
Hawkins’ Rating:
Out of a Possible 5 Stars