OOUTRAGED Smythe

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Just watched the story about holiday rom-coms becoming more inclusive of the LGBTQIA community, with White gay male producers and actors expressing the need and enjoyment of films that represent such a large part of the population. Have to say, didn’t feel very inclusive to me as I watched the story…which, like heterosexual programming, seemingly centers on White people. And what’s worse, the reporter covering the story didn’t even delve into this area to see IF upcoming stories would include more people of color - couples of color! True inclusivity means representing ALL - people of color can be gay and lesbian too. Just goes to show you that Hallmark and Lifetime don’t corner the market on exclusivity. So since the number of TV romantic movies featuring people of color as leads remains 1/1000, I will continue to take a peek at all of the “rom coms” to see if I will eventually see myself or some of my friends: Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous, in any of the “progressive programming.” And I don’t mean as the “side-kick best bud” which is what we’re all usually relegated to in movies about White love.

Watched this movie again this morning - it’s been years. I agree that the book is better, which is usually true about those that are adapted to movies. Great books have the luxury of much more layered content and let the reader inside the characters’ heads. That said, I do like this movie very much because if you know anything about living as Black or Brown person, racial issues remain very intense all over the US. The most intriguing part about this movie to me is the relationship between “Jake” (M. McConaughey) and “Carl Lee” (S. Jackson). Jake assumes friendship and is corrected by Carl Lee, who tells him they’re not friends because friends know each other, hang out, etc. It’s not the overt racism, which by today’s standards does play a bit one dimensional. It’s the subtleties of privilege that keep racism alive and kicking. The white people in the middle of the issue, or liberals who claim to not to be racists, but never recognize they’re walking through the world with full access, the assumption of goodness, innocence, intelligence, and the right to go anywhere and do anything they want; which is a vastly different existence than that of the Black and Brown population. I applaud all of the acting in this movie but especially Sam Jackson, whose character had no choice but to avenge his daughter (who was scarred for life), but also had to manipulate the system, within his own community (the NAACP and Rev) and Jake, by getting him to admit and deal with the truth. The most realistic character in the piece is Jake’s secretary, “Ethel” who wanted Jake to drop the case. A lot of people would rather have safe, peaceful lives than go up against a racist system, particularly when they don’t have any skin in the game ;-)

Love Chis Evans, but I’m struck by how cold and how manufactured the characters and story feel. Small town where a kid is murdered, where’s the outpouring of emotion from the other parents in the community? The kids? Evans’ character also feels very stilted. No chemistry between him and his wife, and his son continuously lies, omits facts, hides things. Where’s the frustration and guilt? Why aren’t they talking to their kid, each other and others who know their kid about the facts being revealed? Also, as a prosecutor, a lot of Andy’s actions are surprisingly dumb. What he does with evidence in broad daylight, his flippant attitude in court. His wife is also surprisingly naive about how the system works for someone who is married to a prosecutor! Really surprising that she thought she could return to work....at a school....when her kid has been accused of murdering another kid. Honestly, it’s only Ep 3, but it feels very much like a story about a privileged family living in too big of a bubble to deal with the harsh reality of this kind of accusation. Hoping that we’ve only scratched the surface of the truth about this family and this town....and Andy himself. Needs more colors!