Critics are already raging about "Bringing Down the House," a racially charged flick staring Queen Latifah and Steve Martin due out Friday.
Saying their worst about the movie, they claim that it promotes negative racial stereotypes and liken it to Minstrel Shows. These alarmists, so accustomed to analyzing anything resembling a confrontational conversation on race as racist, are missing the big picture.
Call it rough, call it uncomfortable, call it controversial, this movie does a lot to effectively discuss racism in America without becoming preachy or unrealistic and it effectively kicks ass.
The racist characters in this movie don't become friends with the black characters at the end, nor do they say only vaguely racist things. This movie pulls no punches when addressing the direct bigotry prevalent in our society today, nor should it. For far too long, popular media has blanched at identifying the hatred people in our society are fully capable of.
Furthermore, "Bringing Down the House" makes absolutely no claims to represent all blacks or all whites.
Martin plays a lawyer who is constantly struggling within the confines of office politic of his firm. Latifah plays an escaped convict trying to prove her innocence. Escapades ensue. Yes folks, it's the politically incorrect odd couple.
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Here's the thing -- in what could have been a stereotypical role, Latifah plays her character, Charlene Morton, with intelligence, strength and a vitality rarely seen on screen. Her portrayal single-handedly circumvents the many available opportunities created in the film that would sell the sharp social commentary short.
It was also nice to see Latifah, a strong, beautiful woman, depicted in a sexy fashion despite that her body type is not what's typically seen in a leading woman's role.
Martin's performance is excellent and sometimes downright embarrassing. When he dons gangsta-like clothing enters a downtown hip-hop club and proceeds to break dance, one could almost blush for him.
Here, once again the movie avoids clichÇ and the other patrons are not impressed by the dorky white guy's attempt at dancing. Martin's character is left drowning in a pool of social disgrace.
Along similar lines, Charlene doesn't take her intelligence and prove to the white world that she can cap with them by becoming a lawyer or some other stifled profession. Homogenization, complete with a quirky last line, is not the easy answer given in this comedy.
Instead, when asked why she doesn't act smart and "speak plain English," she responds by saying that it isn't because she's not capable of it, she just doesn't want to. Also, we get to see Charlene in two all out fist fights, neither of which are of the scratching, hair- pulling variety -- these brutal brawls can only be compared to the Ultimate Fighting Championships.
So yes, there are some very culturally charged moments in this movie, ones that might make all audience members, regardless of demographic, squirm. But this is not because the flick is bigoted, rather, some of these moments might be all too familiar and way too possible.
