anybody finds it a bit of a problem too... - Storytelling (2001) Discussion

[–] ineffable27 18 years ago

I didn't think it was a "problem," but yeah I noticed that significance of that and I also "gulped." By that point in the movie we don't think much of the family, or the way they've treated the maid, so we're put in an 'awkward' position, morally speaking. Typical Solondz!

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[–] ft-5 18 years ago

yes, that's about what i felt as well. but i don't know whether this "awkward position" serves for anything... because i saw it in the movie more as an even more absurd, surreal ending to this story. but yes, i didn't want to say this is a bad movie.

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[–] jeebusenroute 18 years ago

Knowing Solondz, he probably did it purposely to exploit our feelings about the situation. Since I found this film to be a lot about blowing up the PC stereotype/mentality, it probably wasn't a concept lost on Mr. Solondz to use our own feelings of political correctness for added effect.

I loved this film. Hence, the quote:

"I don't know about what happened. . . because once you start writing, it all becomes fiction."

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[–] sciencegeniusguy 18 years ago

Heh, I didn't notice that. They did talk about the Holocaust and how they owe their lives to Hitler. Brilliant.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] ft-5 18 years ago

alright, i know you probably can't ask such a question without raising the pc matter, but for me it was just a detail i noticed and i wasn't too sure what to think about. that's good. so: raising the question wasn't to condemn the movie, but out of interest in the discussion whether other people felt strange too about that. obviously some did.

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[–] superzero-1 18 years ago

frankly, i think the mere fact that he's got you thinking about it is why he put it in. i'm not sure, but from the little i know of solondz from interviews, he's all about making people think about things. is it wrong for a movie to have jewish family gassed, just because of the holocaust? why? why not? does it make them anymore sympathetic to know that they were gassed? why? why not? should it?

that's what i like about this movie. even though it really makes you cringe, and it's not one i could watch again and again, it's definitely one that makes you think about it.

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[–] Crazy_Cuff_Links 18 years ago

His movies have layers . . . like an onion.

It's like watching a bunch of retards trying to hump a doorknob out there!
Dodgeball

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Crazy_Cuff_Links 18 years ago

I think outwardly, it had nothing to do with them being Jewish at all. And I too, think it was the relationship between her and the youngest boy. However, I did think that it was intentional that Todd Solondz used our own personal feelings toward these events to elicit a visceral response from the audience, particularly since the other story was quite blatantly about racial tensions, and it (perhaps) seemed to continue on the theme.

It's like watching a bunch of retards trying to hump a doorknob out there!
Dodgeball

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[–] jjd3 18 years ago

They didn't love her back, so, like her grandson, she "did something about it."

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[–] mariasrt 8 years ago

Great comment superzero-1, I have the same feeling :)

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[–] grabtherope 18 years ago

I didn't even think of it until I read this, to be honest...I think it was, as others have said, put in simply to make us notice it and think about it, but it also could tie in to the whole "f--- me n-----" thing. What's great about this movie is you can't say the racial/cultural issues are stereotypes, or even reversed stereotypes...they're just perversions of stereotypes.

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[–] kittykittylamb 16 years ago

I had noticed the pc-topic gassing the family of jewish background, but doesn't it also reference to the excecution of Consuela her grandson? He was on death row and when Mikey asks how they executed him she replied: poisoned gas. Just a thought I had while watching the scene, it popped in mind.

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[–] hooper-xxx 16 years ago

This never even occurred to me. It's not like they were put to sleep with gas. Then again, I'm not white and I have no holocaust-guilt, so perhaps that is more foregrounded in the consciousness of white film goers.

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] 8 years ago

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[–] pure-conscience 8 years ago

I think that was the whole point (or a good part of it)

Todd Solondz is an absolute genius at making us feel uncomfortable using stark techniques few others have the courage to. Whether because of political correctness or simply fear of being criticized or panned, few other go where he is willing to...and with such precision. He is an amazingly honest and brilliant filmmaker.

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