Monday, April 13, 2009

OBSERVE and Report...a confession

I was shocked...outraged...pissed. I hate shock comedy and hate movies in general, but a film that mines date rape and serial flashers for comedy is NOT a film I want to see. Observe and Report is all of these things. Here's the R-rated trailer:



And here's Seth Rogen's explanation of why his rape scene "isn't" rape:

SETH ROGEN: when we’re having sex and she’s unconscious like you can literally feel the audience thinking, like, how the fuck are they going to make this okay? Like, what can possibly be said or done that I’m not going to walk out of the movie theater in the next thirty seconds? . . . And then she says, like, the one thing that makes it all okay:

BRANDI: “Why are you stopping, motherfucker?”

Never mind that she passes out after saying it. And forget about how messed up she is. We won't even mention her vomit-covered pillow.

This is obviously rape. Funny rape. Cue feminist outrage.

Then I remembered: I haven't seen the movie. I've read a bunch of reviews and feminist analysis of the TRAILER, but I haven't actually watched it. I forgot to observe before I reported (ha ha ha).

In short, I have no idea what the hell I'm talking about.

This isn't a movie for everyone. Obviously. Reviews range from rave to pan. I THINK I'll be on the pan side, but I don't know. I forgot to think for myself. I used other people's words, other people's outrage. And that makes me sad.

4 comments:

Andy Swan said...

Really good post.

I, on the other hand, feel no guilt for judging a movie by its trailer (after all, this is them putting their best foot forward)....and I concluded that this movie is stupid.

Hopefully they aren't making light of any "form" of rape. We've all seen enough of that!

Anonymous said...

Wow Amanda I'm surpised, almost dissapointed. I was expecting another fire and brimstone feminist rage. While I give you a ton of credit for being so reasonable I kind of disagree. Whether you see the movie or not is not going to change your mind on that scene, I haven't seen it either but it's not like the scene needs a ton of context. As for my opinion I don't think it's particularly funny but I dont think it's rape-rape but just a terrible joke on taboos. A little "gotcha!" on the audience. What bothered me was a post on
Feministing that said that the scene would make guys think rape was ok. What dumb reasoning, along the same lines as if parents let kids watch Ellen or Will & Grace they'll become homosexual.

Anonymous said...

One more thing. Amanda, as a reader I'd like to suggest a topic for you to write about: Feministing. You introduced me to that blog and I'm at once fascinated, frustrated, amused and enraged when I go there.

Anonymous said...

Nice post you got here. It would be great to read a bit more concerning this theme.
By the way check the design I've made myself Russian escort