Last night when we were watching Hustle & Flow in class, I had that feeling several times.
There are some truths about that movie that I want to address:
It is filled with vulgar and rough language &
It depicts what some would consider immoral acts.
However, I think it's easy to get distracted by these very real truths and miss the underlying message of the movie.
I saw people who were on the edge, hanging on with everything they had, and willing to do whatever it took to create more stable footing.
Memphis is filled with that type of person. Most of the people we encounter that we judge - addicts, hookers, alcoholics, gang members - those are people who are on the edge, fighting for stable footing. They're people who are in survival mode, just fighting to make it from one day to the next, and many of them never do find that stable footing. (Or don't know how to be comfortable with it when they do.)
I haven't read the reviews yet because I wanted to just write down some initial observations first, but I will write more once I've read them.
I've been thinking about the movie a lot since credits rolled, and there were some places that are cracking me up and/or playing on my mind.
- When Shelby (played by D.J. Qualls) saw DJay's bling, he said 'Oh man, I gotta get me one of those!' Funny to me because I'm convinced that was adlibbed.
- When Nola told DJay the trick must be working hard as he was, cause the trick had air conditioning and DJay didn't. The air was electric at that moment.
- When Key went to see DJay in jail, and said he and Nola would like to discuss some things with him, if he had time. DJay said 'for you, I got 11 months'. Earlier in the movie, Kay had told DJay that their music venture had to work because he was losing hope in life. I think DJay was telling Key that Key's future played a large part in him beating Skinny up. I think DJay would have retaliated for the slight that Skinny dealt him, regardless, but I think also that the weight of so many futures was on DJay's shoulders, or at least that he felt that weight. I think he felt somewhat responsible for Shelby and Key and Yevette, and wholly responsible for Nola and Shug and Keysha.
Oh, and Kathryn, that *was* Josey Scott.
2 comments:
Thanks for the info. I think it's awesome he got Josey to do a cameo, especially since the music was entirely rap and a little country. Having a rock artist from Memphis in the movie showed the other side of the Memphis music scene which is awesome.
I'm really looking forward to more of your comments on the film, Jeni. And you know what? If you wanted to work that line "For me, one sure sign that I'm learning and growing is (that I'm more aware of how life's experiences) sometimes make me very uncomfortable," into your graduation speech, well, that would be a great thing to say in a speech, I think. It's the essence of education, as far as I'm concerned, especially an education in the liberal arts. Movies and books should make us squirm from time to time. This movie makes me squirm a lot, frankly.
Post a Comment