Netflix’s R-Rated, Dystopian Thriller Finds Heart Where Only Dread Exists

By Robert Scucci
| Published 8 seconds ago

I’ve gotta knock it off with the dystopian thrillers because no matter what year they come out, and what kind of future they’re depicting, I’m reminded of how close waking life is to these works of fiction. 2023’s The Kitchen is no exception, but unlike its contemporaries, it’s a story about making the best of the worst situation and keeping your head down while you figure out your next moves. It’s a story about community, perseverance, and looking out for your neighbor, even if it means getting yourself killed in the process.

The Kitchen doesn’t beat around the bush. The future it lays out for its viewers is beyond bleak, but like a small potted plant, those living in this reality hope to one day blossom into a mighty oak that looks down on the environment that once tried to destroy them.

It Starts With a Corpse And A Tree

The Kitchen kicks off in a tranquil environment, in a futuristic funeral home known as Life After Life. Here, those who can’t afford proper cremation or burial services are given the opportunity to have their deceased loved ones turned into a tree, and they’re allowed to come back and visit whenever they want until it’s time to be planted at some undisclosed location. This is where we meet Izi (Kane Robinson) and Benji (Jedaiah Bannerman). Izi works at Life After Life as a consultant and salesperson, and he’s spotted by Benji, who’s grieving the loss of his mother and wondering why Izi is visiting her memorial service.

Izi, when he’s not working, lives in a ghetto community known as “The Kitchen,” where the residents live in constant fear of being evicted by heavily armed police officers, and can’t reliably tell what days they’ll have running water or a sustainable food supply. Everybody is under constant government drone surveillance, but despite the chaotic nature of their community, it’s just that: a community. Everybody looks out for each other in The Kitchen. Morale is low, and everybody walks around in a state of heightened awareness, always anticipating another raid, but they get by one day at a time.

Benji, feeling an inexplicable connection to Izi, shows up at The Kitchen, asking if he can live with him for a few days. Izi is reluctant at first, but you can tell he enjoys Benji’s company. Together, they form an inseparable bond, but Benji doesn’t yet know that Izi has been saving his money to finally move out of the ghetto and upgrade to the luxury apartment he feels he deserves after living simply to survive for so long.

As the social structure continues to break down and the police keep causing collateral damage to the only place he’s ever been able to call home, even though he thinks it’s a “sh*thole,” Izi has to make a game-day decision about what kind of person he wants to be, not only for himself, but for Benji, whose youthful exuberance and optimism are giving him second thoughts about leaving The Kitchen and the only life he knows behind. Their relationship is one of tough love, like the older brother who relentlessly makes fun of his lesser-experienced sibling but always has his back when it matters most. 

A Sprawling, Dilapidated Metropolis 

While The Kitchen is a slow-burn dystopian thriller about found family, community, and all the kind of stuff that could be incredibly boring in a lesser film, there’s never a dull moment. The city skyline is one of the best parts of the movie because it shows just how far gone society has become. The surrounding communities are pristine showcases of disproportionately beautiful architecture, while The Kitchen itself is a condemned, run-down, and borderline brutalist environment. The smog that surrounds the community is incredibly localized, and those who manage to make their way into more affluent areas for work are absolutely dumbfounded by how much better the other side lives.

Everybody is aware of the imbalance in The Kitchen. Some people choose to live with it and make the best of the power structure they’re trapped in. People like Izi and Benji, though, want something better. They know they’re exactly where society thinks they belong, but they refuse to let the powers that be keep them under their thumb. Through their bond, their struggles, and their hope for a brighter future, it’s up to them to carve out the life they truly want for themselves, and they know it’s not going to be easy, not even on their best day.

The Kitchen is a Netflix Original and can be streamed with an active subscription.