Race Discussion~The Blindside Movie

[Radarma]

Has anyone seen this movie?

If so, does anyone have any concerns about a "stereotypical" portrayal of a single black mother?

And what about the role Sandra Bullock played? Would you agree, or disagree with the idea that she (the role) was indicative of how MOST white people feel?

Why do I ask?

I wonder howcome our culture is so damn quick to illuminate racist actions/behavior/examples, yet so timid to discuss and acknowledge (applaud even) examples of how we actually DO take care of one another and rise above the stereotypes set for us all.

That's why.

Anyone?

 

[Mommy_of_Riley]

Ummm..  you do know that this movie is based on a TRUE story.  That is how those people acted and still act.  It wasn't being stereotypical it was portraying REAL people.

I LOVED that movie!  It was amazing and hearwrenching.  And the families involved gave the actors credit for doing such a good job.  I watched a special and Sandra Bullock played her character to a T.  I thought it was an amazing story and movie...

[Joqui]

it is based of a true story but the whole thing is not entirely true... the football player's life it's based off of was disappointed in the movie with how he was depicted.. he thought they made him look like he struggled with school when it was the exact opposite..

the thing is.. exaggerating the truth or making things appear a certain way is marketable... the movie had to sell tickets.. if his mom was a bad mother the movie is going to make her look like a HORRIBLE mother.. if the lady helped him they movie is going to make her look like Jesus... we don't go to the movies to see everything real we go to see it played up and made larger than life.. that's what hollywood is about... I do get tired of the stereotypes at times that's why I refuse to watch Tyler Perry movies... but evidently... stereotypes are what sell big bucks

Quoting Mommy_of_Riley:

Ummm..  you do know that this movie is based on a TRUE story.  That is how those people acted and still act.  It wasn't being stereotypical it was portraying REAL people.

I LOVED that movie!  It was amazing and hearwrenching.  And the families involved gave the actors credit for doing such a good job.  I watched a special and Sandra Bullock played her character to a T.  I thought it was an amazing story and movie...

[lovinmykiddo07]

 

Quoting Mommy_of_Riley:

Ummm..  you do know that this movie is based on a TRUE story.  That is how those people acted and still act.  It wasn't being stereotypical it was portraying REAL people.

I LOVED that movie!  It was amazing and hearwrenching.  And the families involved gave the actors credit for doing such a good job.  I watched a special and Sandra Bullock played her character to a T.  I thought it was an amazing story and movie...

 I agree with you 100%. I think this is probably one of my most favorite movies of all time. I loved it!!

[Radarma]

"Ummmm", yeah I do realize the screenplay and the origin.

Is that indicative of real life? I think so. There are MILLIONS more people JUST LIKE the woman portrayed in this flick.

I honestly believe with MORE media play, the type of sentiment/experience CAN change the course of our collective experiences, and how we view one another.

This film showcased the innate care and goodness that IS within ALL of us; irrespective of color/past experiences.

The impact, the positive impact we can have on one another is immeasurable.

Why is this a race discussion? Well, I think it is because we are far too quick to latch onto our own history/experiences when viewing others. This film illuminates what there is with respect to "risk" when we hold the courage needed to transcend this type of interaction.

 

 

[Radarma]

"Ummmm", is this too heavy for this group? Might be, might be.

[Joqui]

Coming from a home of a single mother (though she's not black) I think a woman struggles.. I think she struggles to be a disciplinarian and to be there as a nurture for her child.. my mom became abusive, selfish, and controlling towards me and my brother... I remember a friend of her stepping in and calling her out for how she treated me... I think if I hadn't have been sent away to live with my grandmother my world would have been ruined... I don't hold a grudge against her because she was in a bad time .. having to deal with believing (or denying) the fact that the man she loved molested her dd, that she had to work to provide for us and only made 8/ hr... having to accept failure when a friend filled our fridge with food... trying to drink her problems away and deal with a dd that would run away at night... so much factored in that I understand how a woman can be "horrible" ... a single mother wants to have their children.. some of them just don;t know how to go about it.. I had it easy compared to my brother;s aunt.. now her story is horrendous...

well I don't know how "most" white people feel since I am not white but I know as a mother and a woman, if I saw a child in need I would want to be there for him/her regardless of their race or color.. I like the speech that Sandra gave when she won her oscar saying that it was for all the mothers that take care of babies that they didn't give birth to...

 

[rileygirl]

 It's a movie. It's called entertainment, And people will pay to watch it. However its portrayed.

[anxiousschk]

I think I'm going to ramble in this reply (this should serve as a warning). 

Okay...so here goes: 

Perhaps it's a stereotypical single black mother...but it was HIS mother...so it was a fair portrayal and I don't have concerns about that.  Honestly, that's not the stereotype in my head, so I'm not understanding that one.....

That woman was much more messed up than any stereotype that I challenge myself to get over.  Man....she was so much worse.  So, no..no concerns there.

As for the role that Sandra Bullock played...I'd think that the roles of her FRIENDS would be how the majority of wealthy white people feel..but again, I'm going on a stereotype..and I should challenge that.  It's not fair for me to put those people in a cateorgy. 

Now....as to the last part...why are we so timid to discuss how we take care of each other?  I think the vast success of the movie shows how we embrace it when we see it (if that makes sense).  I think that we just need the examples of that to be publicized more.  Our culture embraces bad over good..and I don't have an answer as to why. 

I watched interviews with the family and with Michael....YES he struggled in school (the school wouldn't admit him until he worked with a tutor to get his grades up).  No, he didn't struggle with football.  No, the school wasn't hard for him to "get along" in as far as peers went..he said that was difficult to watch (as was the part where he didn't know football). 

[Radarma]

Quoting rileygirl:

 It's a movie. It's called entertainment, And people will pay to watch it. However its portrayed.

There is a crown, somewhere...waiting for you.

In glitter, it reads; "queen of the obvious".

Oh how it shines.

 

[Radarma]

Quoting anxiousschk:

I think I'm going to ramble in this reply (this should serve as a warning). 

Okay...so here goes: 

Perhaps it's a stereotypical single black mother...but it was HIS mother...so it was a fair portrayal and I don't have concerns about that.  Honestly, that's not the stereotype in my head, so I'm not understanding that one.....

That woman was much more messed up than any stereotype that I challenge myself to get over.  Man....she was so much worse.  So, no..no concerns there.

As for the role that Sandra Bullock played...I'd think that the roles of her FRIENDS would be how the majority of wealthy white people feel..but again, I'm going on a stereotype..and I should challenge that.  It's not fair for me to put those people in a cateorgy. 

Now....as to the last part...why are we so timid to discuss how we take care of each other?  I think the vast success of the movie shows how we embrace it when we see it (if that makes sense).  I think that we just need the examples of that to be publicized more.  Our culture embraces bad over good..and I don't have an answer as to why. 

 

I watched interviews with the family and with Michael....YES he struggled in school (the school wouldn't admit him until he worked with a tutor to get his grades up).  No, he didn't struggle with football.  No, the school wasn't hard for him to "get along" in as far as peers went..he said that was difficult to watch (as was the part where he didn't know football). 

 

 

Good Gawd on a popsicle stick I miss you.

With respect to our culture embracing "bad over good"...not quite, IMO. We do not "embrace it". What we DO is allow it to shape our worldviews, and that is where we run headlong into the ditch.

(that is one of the points I am trying to make; we are ALL making a conscious choice on what we decide to embrace.)

Your idea of her friends being an accurate portrayal of the right now mentality...damn good counterpoint.

BUT....what did we see in the flick? We saw them (her friends) nonverbally check their own preconceived notions. No, this particular movie did not play into that aspect any further, but it did manage to show us all a glimpse into how "rote" those archaic sterotypical world views ARE.