First, as a white man let me say: NONE of my white friends are like this. Were some at some point? Yes. As Chick D said "If you can't change the people around you, change the people around you."

I though the racists talk BETWEEN races was way way way over the top.

Do I think a black-man gets a funny look in a white neighborhood? YES.

But there was cross racial talk in ways that make the characters either 1)unstable or 2)unrealistic.

A few examples:

The spic and the chink beefing after the initial car crash (ok, that was just typed to show you how ridiculous it sounds.)

Jennifer Espo vs. the Asian lady. Asian lady says as the first thing "You mexicans can drive bad. . You put on blake too fast. "Then Espo says "Blakes, blakes? Get a high-chair you Asian bitch."

Maybe in a car crash, MAYBE, MAYBE and unstable person STARTS OUT like that. I'm not denying many people may THINK that way, but very few would TALK that way without a prolonger argument unless they were unstable to start with.

Espo is a pig so maybe I can buy it, maybe.

But Matt Dillion talking all that reverse-racism stuff to the woman who can grant his father better medical care?? No Way.

Sandra Bullock being afraid of Luda and Lorenz? I totally buy it, and it doesn't help that Luda and Lorenz ARE jacking people.

The gun guy blowing a sell by calling the dad "Ossama."? No, he' keep that under his breath or told to the security officer until the people left.

The Persian guy shooting the girl? That dude was just insane, not much racism there.

I found I didn't LIKE any of these characters. First they beef about being treated bad, then they treat a person of a different race like shit.

I was honestly hoping a lot of people would die.

Who and why I didn't like them:
Espo: Didn't like her reaction to the first car crash.

Asian Lady: Was just batshit insane. And her Husband was a smuggler.

Fraser: Kinda liked him

Bullock: Liked her because she knew she was acting badly towards others and was conflicted.

Luda was an idiot.

Lorenz was an idiot.

Cowboy from Dead presidents" went a little too insane but in all fairness had to work with Tony Danza. I understand it.

Thandie Newton (whom Paul Barman would crush like a Candy Crouton.): Bitch needed to shut her fucking mouth when the cops gaffled them. Then she emasculates her husband.

Cheadle: Stupid about his brother. I mean he sells out the white cop to save his brother from a case? But his brother will watch a case 10 minutes later. He needed to get his brother locked up.

Dillion: Asshole cop but blew it for his dad with the Affirmative Action shit.

Ryan Philippe: Heard he treats Reese bad, or at lest US weekly thinks so. He was cool and to be fair he did shoot a guy who had jacked three cars in the movie who was acting shiesty.

Tony Danza: Hate him for not playing a character named Tony.

Keith David: I wish he would have said "I'm getting to old for this shit."

Loretta Devine: As Shaniqua was cool until the last car accident then it's automatically some slurs from her.


Also, i did feel like a forced Magnolia. Replace snow with frogs and add Wiseup instead of the song they played

I think the film was too obvious with the racism and if it'd been subtler it would have affected *me* more.


Look, I'm a white man and I don't experince a lot of this stuff. And I happen not to be racist. But I think unless you are in Klan country people don't openly speak like this in this country.

-Tom

Pictures of Aimee Mann at Amoeba last week, but she didn't sing wise up:
http://www.tomsphotos.com/?q=gallery&g2_view=core:ShowItem&g2_itemId=218