Given the surrounding controversy and vitriol, it was only a matter of time before films directly addressing the 2016 Presidential Election and its spawns began hitting the screen. The Oath attempts to tackle it through the story of a politically divided family’s Thanksgiving gathering in the aftermath of a U.S. government request for citizens to sign a legally binding document pledging their loyalty to the country. Is The Oath worthy of your vote or should you sit this one out until the movie of your choice gets on the ballot? It’s not an ideal candidate, but this film is definitely worth supporting.
The acting in The Oath was surprisingly good, with Ike Barinholtz leading the way. Barinholtz displays a good amount of range in his role as Chris, the most vocal and steadfast member of the liberal side of the family. He nails every opportunity to use the quirkiness and comedic timing we expect from him. However, Barinholtz also has a real niche for comfortably bringing gravity to scenes that reveal the harmful aspects of his character’s political overzealousness.
Tiffany Haddish is also a standout as Chris’s wife, Kai. She has good chemistry with Barinholtz, but her portrayal is a departure from her usual comedic exploits. While Haddish is usually over the top in her other work, this performance is far more subdued as she acts as a voice of reason for the family. She does not have many, if any, jokes, but Haddish shows how good she is when the focus is on telling the story without soliciting for an immediate reaction from viewers. Honestly, this was her most enjoyable role since Girls Trip.
While Barinholtz and Haddish do the heavy lifting, the supporting cast works well with the remaining load. Jon Barinholtz (Ike’s real-life brother) and Meredith Hagner impress as the conservative antithesis of the Chris-Kai pairing. Billy Magnussen’s performance as government agent Mason is another high note as it is equal parts sinister and thought provoking.
Behind the camera, Barinholtz also leads the way as both a first-time feature film writer and director. Barinholtz’s script simultaneously shows he has a lot promise as a storyteller and a long way to go if he is going to fulfill it. At its best, Barinholtz’s writing is slick and polished. It cleverly needles smart dialogue and just the right amount of comedy to weave a thread of themes that illustrates what living solely as a political ideology instead of a person looks like. That’s not an easy undertaking given Barinholtz’s comedic background and the threat of bias for one side, but he executes it effectively. At its worst, the script is too deep for its own good. Barinholtz’s effort to show the impact of the nation’s division take a sharp and completely unnecessary turn down a rabbit hole of consequences that undermine The Oath’s ability to realistically convey its message. Granted, that portion of the film does have some interesting moments, but they were not worth derailing what was previously a rock-solid narrative.
As a director, Barinholtz mirrors his acting performance – surprisingly good for someone entering uncharted territory in their career. There’s a sense of comfort that permeates through out The Oath as none of the scenes feel forced and the overall pacing is smooth until the aforementioned turn…and Barinholtz still manages to squeeze some entertaining pieces out of that flawed plot point.
The Oath is a film that appears to be a run of the mill holiday comedy. However, with a surprising amount of depth and a much-needed message, it offers so much more. Barinholtz is far better than expected both in front of and behind the camera and Haddish proves she has the chops to take on more serious roles. The Oath isn’t without its warts thanks an unnecessary twist, but it does an excellent job of pulling no punches in addressing both sides of the country’s divide and brings a necessary discomfort that should inspire the conversations that have long needed to be had.
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