“Fame is whack,” reads the tagline of Cypher, a groundbreaking new film about Grammy-nominated rapper Tierra Whack from writer-director Chris Moukarbel. The adjective “whack” here is appropriate for a number of reasons, as you’ll learn upon watching the new Hulu offering in its entirety. If you believe the 1969 moon-landing was fake, that JFK was assassinated by his own family, and that Paul McCartney actually died all those years ago, you might find the outrageous theories woven into Cypher at least a tad intriguing.
Eminem’s throwback classic song gave rise to the term “Stan,” often used in contemporary times to describe obsessed fans of certain musicians. Cypher centers on a couple of different Stans who involve themselves in Tierra Whack’s life as she navigates fame, success, and more in the music biz. Much of the narrative story elements here may be fiction at the end of the day, but this meta-hybrid documentary will certainly stick with you. You’ve been warned!
Cypher writer-director Chris Moukarbel is a perfect man for the job after his hit Netflix documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two. With Cypher, he chronicles the astronomical rise of Tierra Whack, dating back to her epic freestyle-rap video captured in 2011 on the streets of Philadelphia. She ultimately turned Grammy-nominee with her acclaimed music video for “Mumbo Jumbo,” and her debut album is reportedly coming in 2024. But in the meantime, Cypher is out now and described as a “hybrid documentary-fiction film.” It’s certainly a fitting description for a feature that makes you forget not all of the film’s content is actually true. And that’s A-OK because it’s a fitting reflection on society when it comes to crazy music fans.
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But what actually is a “cypher”? Sometimes spelled “cipher,” Whack’s new film points out, via a series of title cards — which feature a strikingly original font style that helps keep the film feeling fresh — that the word has multiple definitions, one of which being “a message written in a secret code.” After a thrilling first act that introduces (or reintroduces, if you’re already well-versed) us to Tierra Whack and her viral rise to fame, Cypher brings in a middle-aged woman named Marigold, who happens to be a big fan of Whack and makes her presence known inside a diner where Whack and her entourage happen to be hanging out.
After what seems like a harmless introduction in the vein of, “Hey, sorry to interrupt, but just wanted to say I love your work,” we learn there’s something sinister and perhaps delusional behind Marigold’s words. Is she correct in theorizing how Whack’s career trajectory mirrors that of the ancient gods? If this all sounds a bit silly to you, you better just check out Cypher for yourself to truly understand the sort of conspiracy theories that help move the narrative along. It’s utterly unique storytelling that cinephiles will simply eat up. Whack’s “are you serious?” reactions are priceless here.
Related: Docufiction: Hybrid Movies That Combine Documentary and Fiction
These sorts of raw, found footage-type sequences are what make Cypher stand out as more than just a documentary-style biopic about a growing icon. The found footage subgenre of cinema is ever alive, especially after the recent release of the acclaimed LOLA earlier this year. In between Whack’s run-ins with Marigold and others, we see additional title cards appear to fill in gaps of time, which more than add to the eeriness of the film — especially since we read them over dead silence. Director Moukarbel heightens the creepiness by switching perspectives, where sometimes we’re no longer watching “his” footage, but rather that of the Stans who are following the seemingly oblivious Whack and her pals.
Gasp, Laugh, and Cringe — Sometimes All At Once
Hulu
Along with the shift in vantage points throughout Cypher, Moukarbel maintains a certain artistry with techniques like jump cuts and suspenseful music during tense scenarios where Whack is out in public, seemingly vulnerable to the dangers of the common man — or the uncommon fan. But Cypher remains fun and entertaining all the way, with Whack’s renowned music videos getting spliced into the narrative sporadically. I was fortunate enough to experience this film at the Los Angeles premiere, where a rowdy crowd was singing along to Whack’s music, in between the frightening Stan sequences, of course. Viewers were often gasping, laughing, and cringing, sometimes all at once.
Documentaries from people like Errol Morris and Nick Broomfield succeed by allowing the actual filmmaker to play a sort of role in the film. In Cypher, this somewhat-fictional tale becomes all the more grounded as we see Whack converse with the off-screen Moukarbel, whose behind-the-scenes voice is heard loud and clear. These moments allow for frequent jolts of humor in an otherwise scary and thought-provoking film. Overall, Cypher is a unique blend of documentary, biopic, thriller and dark comedy, allowing for all sorts of moviegoers to enjoy the end result.
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