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Government Cheese sees Hampton Chambers (David Oyelowo – The Book Of Clarence) getting out of jail, the crime for which either we weren’t told, or I was beaten into a state of ennui during the opening 42 minutes.
What was definitely a memorable moment, however, was that Mykelti Williamson, as fellow inmate Gus, hasn’t aged a day since he was in Forrest Gump in 1994!
Before Hampton’s out, though, we get to see the daily comings and goings, with their arguments, for those locked up 23 hours a day, only getting to ‘socialise’ in the canteen hall during dinner times, usually with Willie B (Tommy Rice) knocking seven shades of shinola out of the others.
Upon release – and with the vision of God, or Yahweh as he calls him – Hampton has become an inventor… his creation being a drill that self-sharpens, which he calls The Bit Magician.
However, due to the circumstances relating to an incident just before his release, which would’ve kept him inside for longer, he’s now in debt to the Prevost Brothers.
But like I said, I was struggling to stay awake in this and I’m surprised the cast did, too. I can’t remember when I last saw a production which felt like it had such random, disconnected scenes that also generated such little interest.
I tried to get into a second episode, but really couldn’t. It included the topic of Hampton’s son wanting to train as a pole vaulter… So?
Government Cheese is on Apple TV+ from tomorrow, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD. Initially, four episodes are available, and additional episodes will stream weekly.
Thanks to our friends at Apple TV+ for the screener prior to release.
Check out the trailer below:
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 25-45 mins per episode
Release date: Wednesday April 16th (first 4 episodes, then weekly)
Studio: Apple TV+
Format: 2.00:1
Director: Paul Hunter
Producer: Sheila Phillips
Writers: Aeysha Carr, Paul Hunter, Wes Brown, Katherine Kearns, Hugh Moore, Migizi Pensoneau, Cece Burke
Creators: Aeysha Carr, Paul Hunter
Music: Alan Demoss, Siddhartha Khosla
Cast:
Hampton Chambers: David Oyelowo
Astoria Chambers: Simone Missick
Claude Prevost: Djilali Rez-Kallah
Felix Prevost: Jean-Michel Richaud
Frida: London Garcia
Rabbi Marty: Bob Glouberman
Young Einstein: Zane Moyer
Harrison Chambers: Jahi Di’Allo Winston
Einstein Chambers: Evan Ellison
Bootsy: Bokeem Woodbine
Gus: Mykelti Williamson
Willie B: Tommy Rice
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.