Tuesday, July 28, 2009

It's Just A Movie!

On my way into Philly today, to take my daughter to her camp, I heard about an upcoming story on the NPR News Show, Tell Me More. The story focused on the new movie, Orphan, about a couple who lose a second baby (or a third) and decide to adopt. Unfortunately, the adopted child turns out to be Rosemary's Baby re-incarnated or maybe just Rosemary's granddaughter, I don't know. Anyway, the Tell Me More story discussed how the movie has struck a nerve because it sends a bad message about adoptees.

Seriously? It's a flippin' movie! Did women stop having babies after Rosemary's Baby?

I get so tired of people jumping on bandwagons and raging against the evil Hollywood machine without thinking it through first. People who want to adopt aren't going to see the movie and say, "Well, we were thinking of adoption, but then we saw this totally fabricated movie and realized our child would probably be the devil."

And, as for giving adoptees a bad name, do you really think that's going to happen? Are people that shallow? I can't imagine people suddenly looking at my son (who is from Guatemala) and believe that he is evil.

I wonder if stories that focus on this drivel help clear it up? Or do they encourage people to stand up and protest everything and anything without thinking?

Does every little thing need to be a discussion? Can't we just rifle through the facts: movie, made-up, from Hollywood, horror flick, and dismiss it? I am offended that these protesters do not believe that I can think critically for myself. Do they feel that I'm so shallow that I'm easily swayed by a character from a movie? Umm, I may just have answered my own question.

8 comments:

  1. ha. nice rant. i think that movies can influence, but seriously think they are off base on this one. you have to look at why they are sensitive....wonder it the placement rates are down?

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  2. Interesting point Brian, I agree that movies can influence, unfortunately, the influential movies are sometimes lost in the sea of knee-jerk reactionists.

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  3. Hello Girly Girl! I was influenced at a very young age by "The Music Man" and I love to say "girly girl".

    I heard the same concerns a few wks ago and thought it might be a publicity ploy but I guess not.

    I watched "The Bad Seed" the other night, probably 30+ yrs after I first saw it. It still creeps me out. Talk about your rotten kids...but I still had children. And I'm repenting at leisure.

    Anyway, there are movies that truly disgust me and I see no reason for them to be produced, e.g. Saw series, crap like that. But, it's a free country, money talks and blah blah.

    I wish we had more influential movies that make a difference. I don't think this is one of them.

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  4. Can you spell Documentary? Don't you wish people reacted so well to a the real world messages in a documentary vs. the fictional world of drama/horror/comedy? Sometimes I hate people.

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  5. Last time I looked there was a huge shortage of babies put up for adoption here, hence why so many people go offshore to adopt a child. I hardly think a movie is going to slow down applications. Some people just have too much time on their hands. I'm an orphan but I'm not evil.

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  6. Hey Cali girl (but can I call you that?) I agree, I saw the Bad Seed as a play and yet still had children as well.
    Wenderina, as someone who is addicted to Documentaries, I completely agree as well. That's why I like it when a movie like Sicko gets press.
    Baino - I think that people who adopt here in the states want babies so they go privately. If you want to adopt an older child there is a whole foster care thing that happens. Or at least I think that's the way it works, I may be feeding you some misinformation like "all orphans are the devil." : )

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  7. I completely agree. I often work in the film industry, and I laugh at many of the "controversies" that crop up.

    It's like, really?

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