“Cuck” is the type of grimy, rough-edged indie that would be a thousand times better if it was about 30 minutes shorter, and not quite as overstuffed. As it is, it follows the daily life of a socially withdrawn, barely employable twenty-something Trump supporter as he continually refuses to take responsibility for his own failures, and as his daily life spirals more and more into chaos, he focuses his ire on women, immigrants, gays and other persecuted minorities via a toxic online community. Zachary Ray Sherman is terrific as the dead-eyed rage-aholic, able to communicate his character’s never-ending agitation through stiff body language and barely contained rage bubbling beneath the surface, but the character is little more than a composite of various character traits of MAGA supporters: The movie’s plot functions like a greatest-hits of alt-right talking points, and it works well enough until the narrative enters its second act. A mid-point plot development involving an online sex show is far too improbable (and artlessly on-the-nose) that it takes the viewer out of the experience instead of pushing the narrative forward, and ends up diluting the movie’s impact in the process. Sally Kirkland is on hand as Sherman’s sickly mother, and her performance is remarkable for its chutzpah, even as her on-screen performance mostly consists of brief appearances.
Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)
