Photo: Prime

Boots Riley, most famously known for the bizarre film, Sorry To Bother You, is back with another love letter to Oakland, CA.

In this self-described “episodic joy ride” we meet Cootie, a 19-year-old 13-foot man who is entering the world for the first time after literally being sheltered by his parents. He meets a group of friends who introduce him to real life, not the ideal version he’s used to seeing on TV, including parties, women, and junk food. The outside world might not be as welcoming as Cootie thinks; his parents are convinced that people are out hunting this gentle giant.
The title comes from Cootie being a Virgo. He attributes his sign to his personality frequently (ex: I’m a Virgo, and Virgos love adventures).

I’m a Virgo is a trippy sci-fi adventure with a social commentary twist, including themes of capitalism and gentrification mixed into this larger-than-life journey. With the four episodes shown at SXSW giving a taste of the series, it may have been a better fit for a feature film. Each is only roughly 30 minutes but still feels as if it has unnecessary filler at times. However, with strong performances from Jharrel Jerome and Mike Epps, it’s still worth a binge session.

I’m A Virgo premieres on Prime Video later this year.