In a word, I thought this was the most racist piece of crap I've ever seen in a movie theatre. It was insulting to my intelligence (among other things, the very idea that someone could go from being as racist as Thornton's character was to being a perfect inclusive angel overnight is ridiculous and pandering) and it made me very angry. Let me just point out to you that this film portrays a black woman who can't take care of herself or her son (she can't even keep him from walking in the street, which most parents are in fact able to do, no matter how incompetent otherwise). Her husband can't take care of her (in his own words, he is a "bad man"). She is conveniently widowed, childless, destitute, evicted and without a car all in the same week. The ONLY person who can help her out of this horror is the most racist white man you can imagine -- not only is he a horrible person who tells his son to his face that he hates him, not only is he a racist asshole, but he is also the killer of this woman's husband. What are we telling black women if we present them with films in which only white racists can help them?

I think this is a bad film and a very negative message.


Peace.

Interested in meditation? http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OkayDharma

May all beings be free from suffering.

May the merit of my meditation and any good acts I undertake be dedicated to the happiness and liberation of all beings.