|
This highly touted movie is based upon an engaging book by Terry McMillan. While the book may have been all dat, the movie on the other hand is comical at best. I know a lot of women have been flocking to the theater in droves and heaping lots of praise on this movie...however my opinion still stands..The movie is wack The main problem is the Terry McMillan is considered by many to be a cultural representative for Black folks and unfortunately this movie reinforces the negative stereotypes of Black men. Because of McMillan's status, many folks will take what she says or is associated with very seriously. They'll began to wonder if Terry is indeed hitting upon some sort of cultural truth. Her work takes on a cultural significance and will have folks outside the community thinking what she wrote is more pervasive then it is.. and it will have many within the community internalizing her dangerous message. Perhaps if the movie dropped at an other time... say before the Million Man March it would've been more digestible. But brothers have made a statement that basically says the jive, lowlife shufflin' images that have long been associated with them no longer apply. It's a new day dawning and brothers are trying to step to the plate and be real toward Black women... This movie does nothing to further the cause...In fact it allows us to take 15 steps back. Every brother portrayed in the movie with the exception of Gregory Hines is dishonest, an adulterer, a smooth talking hustler and a minute man in the sack. The sisters are desperate and despite their economic success and education, are depicted as nothing without men. Yes these stereotypes do exist in America... and I'm sure we know a few people who fit the mode. But enough is enough.. The days of brothers dogging women and sisters feeling that all men ain't no good have to be put behind us. Oh and by the way.. I ain't picking on Terry as an author. She's an excellent writer. I'm just concerned about the machinery that has gone to work to make this movie become highly publicized. The same people who dissed flicks like Higher Learning or Clockers are applauding Waiting To Exhale. I have to wonder if it's because of the rampant stereotypes that have come to life. This movie has been very successful in eclipsing the images fostered at the Million Man March.. In fact there are some prominent folks within our Black community who have gone on to say that Waiting To Exhale is the Sister's Million Man March.. What a shame. It says to me that these individuals didn't really understand the purpose of the march... But let's not digress. Here's the bottom line.
The movie is wrought with negative stereotypes which unfortunately comes at a time that brothers are trying to rid themselves of such disparaging images. The women are stereotypical.. They can't live without men, white girls are snatching up their men and they will sleep with married men and do all sorts of stupid things despite their high level of education. Finally Whitney can't act. Wesley and Angela are great.. Oh the by the way the movie has very little to do with the Book.
|