To the best of my knowledge this film has received fairly unanimous praise, not to mention the ultimate accolade of an Oscar. I would like to expound a different view and not simply out of contrariness.
I am not disputing the film's cinematic merits, if that's the word. The Coen brothers are fine filmmakers (but we knew that already). The film itself is beautifully made and acted. But what on earth is the POINT of the film? Is it to show a disbelieving audience that America is a violent country? Now, that's a likely story. And to that end, is it necessary to depict terror and violence in such loving detail?
What distresses me almost as much as the film itself is the critical acclaim it has received. I wish the critics could explain in what way the film denounces violence rather than, say, wallows in it.
My point? America certainly is a violent country and this film does its little bit to ensure that it stays that way.
Hello there. Ran across your link through Scary's West blog. Thought I'd respond to this post since I've lived along the Rio Grande in Texas the majority of my life. I think the movie might make a little more sense to you if you've spent as much time in these areas as I have.
ReplyDeleteOf course it's a dramatization of reality but, it doesn't miss the mark by too far in a lot of areas. I don't believe that the movie was meant to condemn or praise the violence in these areas. I believe it was meant to expose it.
Most people that don't live near this river feel that it's just a bunch of poor people trying to get across to go to work. In a lot of cases this is true. But, in a lot of cases it's not. MS13, one of the largest and most violent gangs in North America is based out of these areas. Drugs and violence flow over the borders more readily than immigrants since they have financial backing.
I'd suggest reading the book 'Drug Lord' by Terrence E. Poppa to get the real story. It is based out of the same part of Texas that the movie was and is non-fiction.
Hi Cory,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for taking the trouble to reply to my post. Not many people do!
I must admit I didn't know about the drug gangs and that certainly puts a different complexion on the film.
The point which I really wanted to make - but didn't make very well if at all in my post - was that the film seemed to dwell, almost lovingly and at great length, on the violence and the build-up to the violence.
It's difficult to write these words without coming across as impossibly reactionary and square, but I sometimes feel that the popularity of films like this tells us more about America than the events they purport to predict.
Cory, don't put me down as anti-American or anti-America. I love both country and people - and I love in particular the Big Bend country. I've been there twice and would willingly spend the rest of my life there!
Best