MovieChat Forums > Falling Down (1993) Discussion > Racism?

Racism?

posted 10 years ago by e_k_cinephile
74 replies | jump to latest

It can't be a coincidence that most of the characters that "madden" our man are non-white people. Initially, we see him getting disturbed by the laughter of black girls, then many times he looks at other black people in hatred. The guy at the grocery is a Korean man, who insists on not giving 50 cents. The two guys who try to rob him are Mexicans. And we see Michael Douglad yelling at them like "Learn our language well. Write yur message in our language. You come to my country and blah blah." And the same man, when confronted by the sick ideeas of the bald Nazi guy, says that he does not agree with the Nazi guy's ideas and that he thinks people should have freedom in America. Moreover, in the end, the same guy is showed as an "ordinary man" gradually sickened and destroyed by a sick society. I can't really understand that.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] MovieForumReaderGuy 9 years ago

Troll or moron - you shouldn't be allowed to use the Internet.

[–] tcbdeo 9 years ago

Unfortunately, the number of people like the original poster has grown to the point that they may, or will, be the majority. Movies like "Falling Down" may never be produced again. Anti-culturalism is firmly rooted in the new generations of America who do not bear any culture of their own. 'Anti-culturalism' isn't the word they use, though. They refer to the process of discrediting identity as 'democratization'.

[–] MrBook_ 9 years ago

It's definitely not an accident. He clearly has some issues about race. The bit with the neo-Nazi is actually really insightful, because a lot of racists these days are in denial about being racists. They have all the attitudes, but they balk at having the term applied to them, because it's so maligned now.

By the way, I'm pretty sure this character is at least somewhat inspired by Bernard Goetz, a "vigilante" (or mass shooter, depending on who you ask) who shot some some people on the subway in New York City in the 80s. There were similar questions with that guy, whether he was just a citizen who was fed up with crime, or whether he was a racist who took his opportunity to shoot some people.

For a dollar, name three white people. . .

[–] dixiedragon 9 years ago

He wasn't annoyed by black girls – he was annoyed that he was stuck in traffic by a ploy to spend government millions fixing something that didn't need fixing – remember, he went back with a shoulder launched weapon to address that issue – that he was stuck in traffic along with hundreds of others, screaming kids, crying babies, honking horns, smog, heat just set the back drop for government waste causing the problem.

It wasn’t the Korean he was upset with – it was the Korean's over pricing items and forcing him to buy something to get change – the "learn the language" remark was a substory to his frustration. In the driveby – it wasn't the ethnicity of the boys – it was their "gang" mentality and ignorance – there was no "private property" - he didn't have to "pay" to sit on a rock that was what he took issue with - not their race … and notice when the "Nazi" retailer was jumping on the gay couple Foster appeared to dislike the "Nazi's" treatment of them – it was his smearing of our civil liberties - freedom of speech, the right to disagree - that Foster took issue with – what Foster worked DEFENDING (in his mind) this guy was intent on destroying - and notice Foster's reference to gravity and falling down here - I think THAT was the basis of the film - the essence of it.

There is a LOT at work in this film that can be missed or overlooked - minimized with a one time watch – and easily discarded as race but this film is more about losing balance - falling down. Foster is a typical "four legged" – four pronged man (balancing his life on what many balance their lives on - family, work, society and patriotism) and when any one of those legs (or whatever the legs are in your own life that keep you balanced) is kicked from beneath us we become unbalanced – take way two and we fall – he had lost his work and family – and now he comes face to face with the eating away of the Constitution and the decay of society itself –

The guy carrying the sign "not economically viable" summed up a lot of Foster's feelings and can even be said to be at the heart of the decay surrounding him – it would be easy to watch this movie and superficially assume that racism was at its heart but this movie is MUCH MUCH MUCH deeper than what we see on the surface --- but racist? Definitely without question, this is NOT a movie founded on racism.

[–] intelligentsupermodel 8 years ago

I swear, some people could find racism in a bowl of cheerios.

This.

[–] dixiedragon 8 years ago

LOL - no, it would have to be those chocos things that kids like - Cheerios are kind of whitish LOLOL - have you read the Oscar debacle??? some black actors are boycotting them because no black actors were nominated and GET THIS they are calling for QUOTAS -- can you BELIEVE IT???? Once we say --- well his performance wasn't as good as John Doe's - but hey he's our only black candidate so we really do have to vote for him, IN MY OPINION, THEN we become racist - voting for someone based on color rather than performance. Does a black (or Asian or Hispanic ....) actor even WANT to win because there is a quota in place, because someone HAS to vote for them? Is that HONESTLY the criteria an actor wants to win on?? I would feel belittled if it were me - i KNOW we still have those with bigoted views but really? QUOTAS in the OSCARS? - this is just going TOO far - it's the writers, producers and studios not creating good roles for minorities - a few years back it was roles for aging actors -- I'd LOVE to see some roles worthy of someone like Cuba Gooding - he is a WONDERFUL actor but he gets these vanilla crap roles that don't let him shine - meanwhile we have freaking Brad Pitt fighting ZOMBIES really?????? - the world has just gone crazy.

[–] aquarianbrass 8 years ago

I'm pretty sure that excluding POC from roles is the height of racism. Calling for quotas is just a reaction to the racism. It's calling the racist to the rug and calling on them to stop being biased and prejudice.

[–] Drooch (5333) 2 years ago

There wasn’t any racism, but now there is thanks to the wokies who have infiltrated… everything.

Fortunately ‘go woke go broke’ is true and the Oscars are dying. Who the hell wants to see an awards show where you don’t win for being good, you win for being non-white?

[–] burteriksson 8 years ago

Yes, racism towards white people — especially us aryans. Another zionistic bs movie not worth watching.

[–] SpaceMountainMike 8 years ago

It can't be a coincidence that most of the characters that "madden" our man are non-white people. Initially, we see him getting disturbed by the laughter of black girls, then many times he looks at other black people in hatred. The guy at the grocery is a Korean man, who insists on not giving 50 cents. The two guys who try to rob him are Mexicans.

You're right. It isn't coincidence, it's art imitating life.

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My iMDB profile http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4297325/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

[–] vmelkon 8 years ago

D-FENS has a right to speak the truth. He just needs change for a dollar The korean guy is being a bleeeeep.
Also, D-FENS is right. The USA probably helped South Korea in some way. The USA also let him immigrate and open a business.

When one guy is rude to another, then that encourages the next guy to do the same and before you know it, society breaks down.

[–] aquarianbrass 8 years ago

You're right, whites have an irrational anger and hate towards POC even though its other whites who are doing them harm.

[–] snevetsinpi 8 years ago

What would have been the proper approach in your mind?

There were Korean *beep* Spanish *beep* gangtype *beep* etc...and as luck would have it they were all of a different race.

The question is, if they were all white, would the situation be different? Would he have treated them different? Probably not since the world is also full of white *beep*

Its not race the matters...its *beep*

[–] matt72582 8 years ago

You could look at it from another perspective... When someone is angry at his own life, he will LOOK for things to hate.

[–] Captain_Wesker 8 years ago

Too true .

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It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .