… in the movie Observe and Report.
Go HERE to see the rest of the commentary as well as the R-rated trailer which shows part of the scene in question.
I’ve got no opinion on this one scene because there is not enough context or detail (having not seen the movie) but the FFFU seems reasonable. The movie as a whole seems to be stupid. And it seems to be just one more of the parade of stupid that serves so well to maintain our stupid culture. I don’t think I’m being stupid when I say this. Am I?
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or Paperback
*Please note:
Links to books and other items on this page and elsewhere on Greg Ladens' blog may send you to Amazon, where I am a registered affiliate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps to fund this site.
First off, this FFFU is misguided; the blame should be directed toward the director and not to Rogen himself who is merely following the director in how to play the scene.
I would also like to know if she actually saw the movie in question instead of just going by what she saw in the trailer.
Rogen plays a character with Bipolar Disorder and has a highly skewed view of the world, so his actions are meant to be horrifying and as a form of shock comedy. The director would not have put the scene in question in the movie if he did not realize the seriousness of date rape.
the blame should be directed toward the director and not to Rogen himself who is merely following the director in how to play the scene.
Maybe. This can play many different ways. Actors do have choices at some point.
Could be a good point about the director’s intention. But, what you are suggesting here (that this movie has some social relevance or something) is utterly at odds with all of the marketing. So I’m not quite buying it until I see the movie myself. (Which may be a long time, not so much because of the nature of the movie, but because I don’t get out to the movies much.)
There’s a discussion at the Huffington Post that summarizes some of the issues: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/10/observe-and-report-date-r_n_185827.html Rogen’s quoted response does not make him come off well. (I’m unable to look at the youtube video on this computer so can’t comment directly on what the individual here has to say)
Indeed, the marketing does not reflect the actual movie which is actually very dark and uncomfortable. It is actually shocking that a movie this misanthropic can get a major studio release.
Let me summarise: a movie character portrayed as a stupid, despicable sociopath, takes advantage of a passed-out woman.
Oh dear. Imagine what the outcry would be if, instead, he had killed someone!
Oh wait. There wouldn’t be any.
So does anyone understand the difference between a movie and real life? Come on. People got uptight when Dakota Fanning did her scene in the movie where supposedly was raped. If you read to the comments you can read Dakota’s response. Basically what I wrote above… it’s just a movie.
“It’s just a movie” is often a rather idiotic observation. Perceptions and attitudes are shaped by entertainment. Exposure to violence in movies and television tends to desensitize people to violence, etc. It is thus not unreasonable to express concern that a scene in which date rape is portrayed as something humorous, or something that a woman enjoys, might increase the likelihood of people taking it less seriously. Personally, I might overlook such facts if I found the scene funny enough, but that’s just me. Regardless, “it’s just a movie” is an insipid truism.
Anyone who is NOT concerned with how things such as date rape are portrayed in films needs to spend a bit of time with teenage boys.
Isn’t rape and bullying the manifestation of the same problem? How confusing is it to a teenage boy to be told that bullying is good except when the victim is a female and it is ok for a female to bully? It isn’t exactly the same but it is similar, the body usually heals but the mind can be traumatized for a long time.
I saw the movie, I was already hating the movie by that point, so I need to think about it- but do I feel that Seth Rogan needs to apologize? Do I think it’s wrong? Yes. Do I think we’re giving it more importance than it deserves? I’m not sure, I have tendency to think that Hollywood reflects culture rather than creates it. It’s not as simple as that, of course, but I might need to sleep on it.
Doyle:
So I suppose then you would agree with the Catholic League on their outrage with Dakota’s movie in the link I provided above? I guess you would also have a problem with pretty much any movie, music, or art that portrays life contrary to how you see it or that has anything controversial in it. Last I saw this movie was rated “R” so that adults 18 and older would be seeing if. If an 18 doesn’t know why rape is bad before seeing this movie, I think there is little this movie is going to do to change their thoughts or heighten them.
I would agree that long term exposure to movies and TV can desensitize. But blaming forms of entertainment for such real-life violence doesn’t explain the violent nature of Japanese cartoons and their low violent crime rates/murder rates. Something Moore tackled in his movie Bowling for Columbine. Also check out this link for a look into the “Blame it on the Tube” idea.
But I appreciate your willingness to have a decent discussion with me. Calling me names rather than attacking my ideas is pretty lame.