O'Dessa

by Mike McGranaghan

It’s been a while since we’ve had a cinematic rock opera. They were fairly common in the 1970s, with Tommy and The Rocky Horror Picture Show proving especially popular. The ‘80s brought us Pink Floyd: The Wall and Streets of Fire, and the early 2000s unleashed Hedwig and the Angry Inch. After that, not too much. O’Dessa fills in the void. It may not be remembered decades down the road, but there’s definite entertainment value in its 106 minutes.

The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where the Earth has been poisoned. O’Dessa (Sadie Sink) and her mother are dirt farmers way out in the country. Her prized possession is a guitar left to her by her late father. When her mom passes away, she decides to become a “rambler,” roaming from place to place playing music.

O’Dessa makes her way to Satylite City after her guitar is stolen. There, she meets and falls in love with singer/dancer Euri Dervish (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.). He’s forced into performing by the wicked Neon Dion (Regina Hall), an associate of Plutonovich (Murray Bartlett), the city’s megalomaniacal leader. The young lovers run afoul of Plutonovich, and the only way of getting out of trouble is for O’Dessa to reclaim her guitar and survive a life-or-death game show called “The One.”

As I type that plot synopsis, I realize how silly it sounds. The movie obviously utilizes bits and pieces that are common to post-apocalyptic adventures, putting its own bizarre spin on them. Another borrowed element is the idea of a “chosen one” who is prophesied to unite the people and topple a dictatorship. You probably don’t even need to guess who that turns out to be.

For whatever it lacks in originality, O’Dessa makes up for in energy. Sadie Sink (The Whale) gives a dynamic performance in the title role. She invests the character with a strong sense of drive that brings weight to the climactic clash between O’Dessa and Plutonovich. Her singing is excellent, too. The other standout is Regina Hall, who brings a cold, ruthless quality to Neon Dion that caught me by surprise, given that she often takes comedic roles. Both stars are fun to watch.

Director Geremy Jasper (Patti Cake$) keeps his camera moving to suggest how overwhelming Satylite City is to O’Dessa. He additionally uses color in an ironic way. Bright colors – like the poison that destroyed the world and the in-your-face graphics of Plutonovich’s TV show – frequently represent menace. Between the cinematography and production design, the movie effectively feels like it’s taking place in a world that’s familiar and alien at the same time.

As for the songs, they’re catchy enough to get you tapping your feet. (The climactic tune appropriately rocks.) O’Dessa is just different enough to seem refreshing in today’s IP-driven cinematic landscape. This spunky guitar-playing heroine is someone you can really root for.

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