Okay, maybe it should be. But I wanted to take a second to respond to Dan's post on the rape seen in the movie Observe and Report. The summary is that "rape in any form is not okay, and it's not okay the way treat it in this movie".
So before I respond, let me say I haven't seen the movie. I want to see it because I'm a fan of Seth Rogen and that genre of comedy usually.
As for this argument about the rape scene, I generally agree that the subject isn't given the weight that it deserves. But I'm not sure if condemning a movie like this is the right course of action. I'm reminded of a comment by Kevin Smith on his dvd "An Evening with Kevin Smith". He's a college campus talking to the students. And this occurs during a question and answer session.
A lesbian student asks a scathing question about the treatment of lesbians in the Smith movie "Chasing Amy". Essentially the student is upset that one of the characters implies that all a lesbian needs is to have good sex with a man once and that'll "straighten them out". Or something to that effect, but with more expletives. The scene is a derogatory treatment of lesbianism as an abberation that needs to be fixed instead of a personal choice that should be accepted.
Smith didn't shy from the question and his response was illuminating. He says of course no sane intelligent person would subscribe to that view. And that's why the sentiment comes out of the mouth of one of the most asinine, degenerate characters in the film. You're not supposed to think that this is how the filmmaker really feels. You're not even supposed to take it as a comment by society at large. You're supposed to understand that this is the mindset of the ignorant. You're supposed to understand that these are people we can chuckle at and dismiss. Not people who have a real voice in the diatribe of our society. And a director who chooses comedy as his medium for art, can take the license to present these hard societal questions in a way that at least gets a laugh.
I agree with that sentiment. It's the same as a slasher horror film that has stupid, sexed-up teenagers being decapitated. Nobody accuses the director or actors of being murderers or not giving the act of murder it's proper weight (at least not anymore, it was a big deal in the 70s). And everyone realizes that we're not supposed to agree with what the killer's doing. But you can still get a kick out of seeing the heads roll.
The same is true of O&R. From everything I've seen in the trailer, nobody in that movie should be counted on to produce anything resembling deep social commentary. They're not roll models. The guy who commits the crime in the film, played by Seth Rogen, is supposed to be an authority figure. Yet he is taunting a trauma victim about how she's the suspect will definitely come back and murder her. He is abusing his position of authority (as a mall security guard) to obstruct a police investigation, in an attempt to win points with said victim. He is roping in his equally ignorant comrades who are the epitome of negative stereotype. How can we be surrounded by absurdity and be okay with it, but pick out one certain scene and say "no, that's too serious." Give me a break.
So I'm actually kind of irritated by this whole curfuffle around O&R. It's just a movie. And a comedy at that. It shouldn't be responsible for taking the lead in our discourse about real rape and the way it's treated in our society. How about we spend a tick lamenting the fact that everyone on both sides seems to agree that Anna Faris does a "great job" playing a stupid, ignorant, druggie, alcoholic bitch. Why is that acceptable entertainment?
There are many things wrong with our society. But let's not focus on a comedy movie as the perpetrator of all of our woes. If you don't think it's right, don't go see it, and they'll probably stop making movies like it.
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It's just a movie. And a comedy at that. It shouldn't be responsible for taking the lead in our discourse about real rape and the way it's treated in our society.Sure, but it's not about a responsibility to "take the lead" in a discourse. It's about being responsible for the messages--intended or unintended--of one's artistic production. I don't think asking tough questions about the appropriateness of rape in this comedy is out of line--unless it's being done without context, as I argue on Dan's blog. I think real appreciation of art demands such interaction between critics and artists, actually.
ReplyDeleteBut if (as I tend to agree) it is out of line to suggest a film one hasn't seen is inappropriate, surely it's also a mistake to defend said film as "just a movie" and "just a comedy," especially when it's a film you haven't seen.
The central questions here seem to be a) whether it is appropriate to depict rape as a subject for comedy and b) whether O&R's depiction of rape is or is not appropriate. That second question is relevant both culturally and artistically, and I wish it was the focus of this discussion.
The same is true of O&R. From everything I've seen in the trailer, nobody in that movie should be counted on to produce anything resembling deep social commentary. They're not roll models.Except his character goes from being a condemnation of macho culture to a product of it. To spoil the movie, he "wins" at the end. He gets the girl, shames the slut and his successful rival, and captures the villain.
ReplyDeleteHow can we be surrounded by absurdity and be okay with it, but pick out one certain scene and say "no, that's too serious." Give me a break.The movie isn't meant to be entirely comedic, it is written and marketed to be more than simply that. But even in an entirely comedic setting, the problem with portraying date rape as acceptable is that it is viewed as acceptable. If you should a guy stabbing a woman people aren't going to perceive that as ok. If you show the same guy raping an unconscious woman who says "why'd you stop motherfucker", there are people who don't think you even need that pathetic mockery of consent. That's the difference.
How about we spend a tick lamenting the fact that everyone on both sides seems to agree that Anna Faris does a "great job" playing a stupid, ignorant, druggie, alcoholic bitch. Why is that acceptable entertainment?Not so. Her portrayal as a stupid, substance abusing slut is central to the film's casting her as someone who "deserves" the rape.
There are many things wrong with our society. But let's not focus on a comedy movie as the perpetrator of all of our woes.A bit hyperbolic! It isn't the source of all that is wrong with society. However the scene and more importantly critics reaction to it, is reflective of one thing (our attitude towards rape) that is deeply wrong with our society. I thus view the movie as a chance to talk about that.
However the scene and more importantly critics reaction to it, is reflective of one thing (our attitude towards rape) that is deeply wrong with our society. I thus view the movie as a chance to talk about that.An excellent point. The argument that there are bigger problems, so why worry about this one? is a common one, and it can be used to silence discourse on essentially any topic, since there's nearly always something "more important," as defined by whoever is dismissing the current discussion.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't suggesting that we ignore this because there are bigger problems. I'm suggesting we ignore this because I don't buy the fact this is indicative of how society at large feels about rape. Rape is certainly a very touchy subject and I think this discussion is an instance of people latching on to an easy target to talk about rape. I don't think this scene belongs in a serious discussion about rape at all. I didn't make that clear in the post so my apologies.
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