Completely atrocious !!!
A friend of mine who was studying film at UCLA,was writing a dissertation about the Historical Representations of Black Women in America Cinema the paper was called " Here and Now", she'd come across this movie that later became part of her 90's perspective, and insisted I watched. She didn't tell me why, just that after seeing it I'd know. I love Rae Dawn Chong, and it was cool to see Sandra Bullock, but as I got into the movie I increasingly became appalled. By the time it was over, I came close to tossing it into my fireplace. Keeping in mind it was rented, I came to my senses and just returned it for a copy of Heathers. This was after i reviewed it a few more times just to make sure i wasn't jumping to any conclusions.
Okay, whats the big deal right? Well, i identified with Rae Dawn Chong because we both come from mixed heritages, both are half black and olive complexion. I also view her as articulate, and smart. In the 90's, light skin and educated meant "sell out" according to the movies. Anyway, her character portrayed as not only attractive but promiscuous, vain, and shallow. Her white roommates tend to have a more free spirited, ultra liberal, lifestyle that was all the rage,especially in So. California. She turns from slut to instant Victim when she's attacked by one of her suitors. The message obviously " with her lifestyle, and attitude, she had it coming" , if this message seems lost on the viewer, we actually have Sandra bullock who states it directly. The only person who comforts her is the roommate considered " the innnocent/ ultra liberal, white girl with the heart of gold" , to convince us further, she spends most of her time volunteering in the rought streets of east LA with at risk hispanic kids. So obviously she's in touch with the minorities. ANywho, what seems like a forced, and random sub-plot, is quickly forgotten, and everyone in the house, including rae dawn chong , goes on as if she'd spent the whole night looking for a missing earring. I didn't understand why the rape was necessary, other than to hand out some same moral lesson. The end summed it up very nicely, the girl with the heart of gold gets attack by the "ruff mexicans" and ends up in the hospital upsets her husband to the point where he drinks himself into a drunken stupor. For half the movie, he's held resentment towards rae dawn chong for being superficial and slutty, now we find out they use to bang before he married the girl with the heart of gold. He's sprawled on the couch , in full whino mode, and who happens to walk in. Slutty, Shallow, Victimized,token hot lightskinned black chick. For no apparent reason at all, she seduces the drunk and restless husband of the only person in the house who cared for her after her "traumatic rape". AHHH it becomes clear now. And they bang. The entire house of liberal, openminded, free spirited, white young adults, turns against Rae dawn chong. The chick who let them stay in her expensive home on the hill, extended help to Sandra when she couldn't pay the rent, has now turned full circle into total villianess mode. They all move out, girl with the heart of gold is heartbroken, drunken husband's lost the love his life, and the movie ends with Rae Dawn Chong alone and lonely. Not before Sandra bullock lays into the horrible person she is. She says this to the woman who let her stay, rent free, and who she gave 2 crap loads about when found bruised and raped in their living room because she of course she deserved it for her lifestyle, and Sandy her pegged all along. Thanks for the free room and board though!..
Sorry, this was soo long but i had to lay it out. The "token black chick" beautiful and successful but immoral and heartless , and her freespirited ,liberal white roommates who've she so horribly mistreated. Especially the culturally tolerant, ultra supportive, and loving girlfriend with a heart of gold is betrayed while laying in a hospital bed..
Jesus Christ, if i ever come across the people who made this , i'm killing their pets.