Movies where white people "rescue" black people. Annoy anyone else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are the only person that I know that is annoyed by The Blind Side.

I also thought of it as how Michael Oher overcame so much.

You are probably a glass half empty person.

You should watch hotel Rwanda to sooth your white guilt.

Here's what I found annoying about The Blind Side. Sandra Bullock goes to the projects to look for Oher or Oher's mom (can't remember which) and is confronted by a gang leader type who threatens to come across town and rape her white daughter if she doesn't leave Michael alone (so he can be recruited into the gang). I read the book which was followed fairly closely in the movie except for this scene. It's true that some guy on his football team made a rude comment about the girl but it was obviously a rude comment and Michael made him pay for it. In reality, the gang leader didn't behave this way at all.

Earth to Hollywood: When middle class white women venture into poor black neighborhoods, gang leaders don't walk up to them and threaten to rape them. But you might find that strangers on the street will say "hello," because that's the friggin' neighborly thing to do!

[Anonymous]

Yes. Trite, played out, and patronizing. I avoid all such movies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brad Pitt in "12 years a slave", they were acting out a biography, events that really happened in the 1800s.

Exactly. This is something that really used to happen. Be annoyed that any human being needed to be saved from anyone - not that the saving happened.

OP do movies about someone hiding a Jewish person/family also bother you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brad Pitt in "12 years a slave", they were acting out a biography, events that really happened in the 1800s.

Nope. The sanctimony of Pitt's character was creatively derived. The actors and creative team made choices in how they portrayed the story. His delivery was particularly heavy-handed. It took me out of the moment. Yes, it was annoying.

The Reece Witherspooon vehicle had me gawping at the screen as I viewed the trailer. Ugh. A total reframing of a black experience to fit a single white woman's personal journey. Okaaaay.

[Anonymous]

See also every movie about a classroom of blacks and Latinos saved by a white teacher. Michelle Pfeiffer and Matthew Perry have played this role, and Jim Belushi was a principal, I know there are others but I can't think of them right now.

[Anonymous]

Come on, how could you not like High School High or Class Act??

[Anonymous]

I can appreciate the individual movies, but yes the theme is frustrating and tiresome. Viola Davis is on the cover of More magazine this month and talks about how Holywood only gives her mammy type roles. Such a waste of talent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Couldn't stand The Help for this reason.

Ditto for my and my 80-year-old mom. Both of us are white, and both of us cringed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:See also every movie about a classroom of blacks and Latinos saved by a white teacher. Michelle Pfeiffer and Matthew Perry have played this role, and Jim Belushi was a principal, I know there are others but I can't think of them right now.

This is why I loved "Stand and Deliver." It defies the stereotype. Edward James Olmos was nominated for an Oscar. He should've won.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:See also every movie about a classroom of blacks and Latinos saved by a white teacher. Michelle Pfeiffer and Matthew Perry have played this role, and Jim Belushi was a principal, I know there are others but I can't think of them right now.

Hillary Swank was in one, too (based on a true story).

[Anonymous]

I view it as rich people rescuing poor people. If the story is in America, you tend to see white/black. But read stories about England pre-1930 and you come across a lot of stories of rich white people helping poor white people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about movies with AA leading men who are the heroes?

Eddie Murphy
Samuel Jackson
Jamie Fox
(Whoever else...I haven't been to the movies in a decade)

Name a movie with a hero who is Latino or Asian (aside from Jackie Chan).

Or name a movie with a female hero.

Sigourney Weaver in "Alien."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brad Pitt in "12 years a slave", they were acting out a biography, events that really happened in the 1800s.

Nope. The sanctimony of Pitt's character was creatively derived. The actors and creative team made choices in how they portrayed the story. His delivery was particularly heavy-handed. It took me out of the moment. Yes, it was annoying.

The Reece Witherspooon vehicle had me gawping at the screen as I viewed the trailer. Ugh. A total reframing of a black experience to fit a single white woman's personal journey. Okaaaay.

Oskar Schindler was portrayed very generously in Schindler's List. It's storytelling, not a documentary.

As for the Lost Boys of the Sudan, there have been many memoirs written by many of them. Showing their journey through the lens of an everyday American will make their story more accessible. We'll find out when the movie comes out whether the movie focuses more on Witherspoon's character's growth or on her relationship with the Lost Boys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I view it as rich people rescuing poor people. If the story is in America, you tend to see white/black. But read stories about England pre-1930 and you come across a lot of stories of rich white people helping poor white people.

+1

Also, it's rich people in a position to do so, helping poor people who need help. Typically, rich white people have been in a position of power, recently and historically.

[Anonymous]

Blind Side and many movies in this thread were based on true stories. This website has film v history http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/blindside.php . Maybe critics of Oher and Tuohey could adopt a teen just to be nice. No book needed and no drama etc.