Going to the Movies
And now, we're going to make some recent film release connections. Buckle up!
During a lazy Sunday filled with multiple Netflix and HBO offerings, viewed from the comfort of my sofa, I made a point of watching American Son on Netflix. All I have to say in short is, wow.
**spoiler alert**
Kerry Washington deserves all the awards and more for her work on this character. Her ability to portray the desperate, frantic, yet rational fear for her biracial, Black-presenting son is unmatched. Standing in a police station with one of the most inept, unfeeling, subtly racist, club-footed, ignorant, fresh-out-of-academy patrolman who was both unable AND unwilling to be actually helpful in any meaningful way until Washington’s estranged caucasian husband shows up. But even then it only lasts so long... in case you can’t tell, that young policeman in particular irritated my spirit greatly. The fact that he posited his understanding her frustration because he has kids too, only to come under fire again because frankly, having two young, caucasian daughters is not the same as having a teenage, y’all Black son. And he should have realized this. But no. Not only did he belittle and withhold information from her, he kept telling her absolutely nothing about the status of her son or even where he was. Her husband wasn’t much help either. Talking with Kerry while waiting for any sort of indication of their son’s whereabouts, she showed him the ways that their son felt he was the Black poster child in so many different facets of his life, the “face of the race” as he called it. The stress and burden placed on top of you as a result of being a minority within a micro-universe like a private high school can only be imagined for those who have not experienced it.
And in the end, Kerry’s worries were all completely founded in reality. Watching her be the most concerned party, only to have her worst fears come to fruition, pulled tears from my eyes.
And now for a segue to another film that was almost equally as upsetting, albeit for different reasons. I saw a meme about political correctness and how it's actually just being respectful of women and minority groups. This reminded me, not only of Washington's character's treatment in American Son but Joker's treatment in Joker.
Joaquin Phoenix proved once again that he is a force to be reckoned with. Joker's mannerisms, his catch phrases, and real phrases around dealing with mental illness in the public, how much he wanted others to like him, his desire to be understood all while being misconceived in the public's eye. It was incredible to see portrayed in such a relatable way. Each time his maniacal laughing started, quickly followed by tears because he honestly could not help himself, my heart broke a little. The stigma and believability around those who have a mental illness is similar to the believability of Black women. Can they be trusted? Are they lying? Is what they're saying fake? Are they doing this all for attention? Even though I saw this film some weeks ago, the scribbled note in his journal that read, "People expect people who have a mental illness, to act like they don't" resonates with me still. That all he really needed was someone to truly care about him, see his as a person despite his flaws, and love on him a little, only for him to never receive it, was heartbreaking. It was also, incredibly believable and not at all surprising. His treatment in public, on the streets, by his boss, by his social worker, all so disdainful and uncaring. Even his mother and her extreme dependency on her son, although she was mentally ill as well which was the basis of her attentions or lack thereof. There are definitely some unexpected parallels to be drawn between the two minority groups.
And lastly, Harriet.
While the film was not as graphic as I expected concerning slavery and it’s explicit horrors, overall the story was still incredibly compelling, shedding much needed light on a renowned historical figure. The film definitely humanized her in a way I feel is particularly poignant considering today’s social landscape. Slavery happened, it existed, it was allowed, the country and government were complicit. Caucasian owners reneged in promises of freedom because they didn’t feel like it anymore. It was abhorrent and treacherous the ways human nature was allowed to reach such violent extremism. And still Harriet prevailed, saving who she could and who would be saved. A Black woman doing for her own all that she could, risking her life multiple times, all in the name of freedom. Even going so far as walking from Maryland, all the way to Canada, some 1800+ miles, to ensure freedom once the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 passed. Yet another one of the governments appeasements to keep the South happy, keep industry booming, and to avoid Civil War, which happened anyway. The quote that sticks out to me the most is as follows, and it’s what I’ll leave you with: “God didn’t mean people to own people.”
What’s fascinating about all of these films are that they have similar threads throughout. All three include a public unwillingness to intervene on behalf of others when it was feasible and possible, respectability politics that had to be acknowledged and followed in acquiescence with social and societal norms, believability of the victims in each situation and whether or not they could be trusted, and how quickly someone will respond to your inclement, dangerous, potentially life-threatening situation with nothing but blame and shame: “Well what did YOU do to deserve this? You must have done something.”
Truly an interesting, introspective time for American film.
xx
During a lazy Sunday filled with multiple Netflix and HBO offerings, viewed from the comfort of my sofa, I made a point of watching American Son on Netflix. All I have to say in short is, wow.
Kerry Washington deserves all the awards and more for her work on this character. Her ability to portray the desperate, frantic, yet rational fear for her biracial, Black-presenting son is unmatched. Standing in a police station with one of the most inept, unfeeling, subtly racist, club-footed, ignorant, fresh-out-of-academy patrolman who was both unable AND unwilling to be actually helpful in any meaningful way until Washington’s estranged caucasian husband shows up. But even then it only lasts so long... in case you can’t tell, that young policeman in particular irritated my spirit greatly. The fact that he posited his understanding her frustration because he has kids too, only to come under fire again because frankly, having two young, caucasian daughters is not the same as having a teenage, y’all Black son. And he should have realized this. But no. Not only did he belittle and withhold information from her, he kept telling her absolutely nothing about the status of her son or even where he was. Her husband wasn’t much help either. Talking with Kerry while waiting for any sort of indication of their son’s whereabouts, she showed him the ways that their son felt he was the Black poster child in so many different facets of his life, the “face of the race” as he called it. The stress and burden placed on top of you as a result of being a minority within a micro-universe like a private high school can only be imagined for those who have not experienced it.
And in the end, Kerry’s worries were all completely founded in reality. Watching her be the most concerned party, only to have her worst fears come to fruition, pulled tears from my eyes.
And now for a segue to another film that was almost equally as upsetting, albeit for different reasons. I saw a meme about political correctness and how it's actually just being respectful of women and minority groups. This reminded me, not only of Washington's character's treatment in American Son but Joker's treatment in Joker.
Joaquin Phoenix proved once again that he is a force to be reckoned with. Joker's mannerisms, his catch phrases, and real phrases around dealing with mental illness in the public, how much he wanted others to like him, his desire to be understood all while being misconceived in the public's eye. It was incredible to see portrayed in such a relatable way. Each time his maniacal laughing started, quickly followed by tears because he honestly could not help himself, my heart broke a little. The stigma and believability around those who have a mental illness is similar to the believability of Black women. Can they be trusted? Are they lying? Is what they're saying fake? Are they doing this all for attention? Even though I saw this film some weeks ago, the scribbled note in his journal that read, "People expect people who have a mental illness, to act like they don't" resonates with me still. That all he really needed was someone to truly care about him, see his as a person despite his flaws, and love on him a little, only for him to never receive it, was heartbreaking. It was also, incredibly believable and not at all surprising. His treatment in public, on the streets, by his boss, by his social worker, all so disdainful and uncaring. Even his mother and her extreme dependency on her son, although she was mentally ill as well which was the basis of her attentions or lack thereof. There are definitely some unexpected parallels to be drawn between the two minority groups.
And lastly, Harriet.
While the film was not as graphic as I expected concerning slavery and it’s explicit horrors, overall the story was still incredibly compelling, shedding much needed light on a renowned historical figure. The film definitely humanized her in a way I feel is particularly poignant considering today’s social landscape. Slavery happened, it existed, it was allowed, the country and government were complicit. Caucasian owners reneged in promises of freedom because they didn’t feel like it anymore. It was abhorrent and treacherous the ways human nature was allowed to reach such violent extremism. And still Harriet prevailed, saving who she could and who would be saved. A Black woman doing for her own all that she could, risking her life multiple times, all in the name of freedom. Even going so far as walking from Maryland, all the way to Canada, some 1800+ miles, to ensure freedom once the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 passed. Yet another one of the governments appeasements to keep the South happy, keep industry booming, and to avoid Civil War, which happened anyway. The quote that sticks out to me the most is as follows, and it’s what I’ll leave you with: “God didn’t mean people to own people.”
What’s fascinating about all of these films are that they have similar threads throughout. All three include a public unwillingness to intervene on behalf of others when it was feasible and possible, respectability politics that had to be acknowledged and followed in acquiescence with social and societal norms, believability of the victims in each situation and whether or not they could be trusted, and how quickly someone will respond to your inclement, dangerous, potentially life-threatening situation with nothing but blame and shame: “Well what did YOU do to deserve this? You must have done something.”
Truly an interesting, introspective time for American film.
xx
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