Reviews

Review: American Violet

Racism is bad

By JASON O'BRYAN | April 28, 2009

2.5 Stars

VIDEO: The trailer for American Violet

Arrested for a crime she didn't commit, Dee Roberts (a measured, wonderful debut from Nicole Beharie) is enlisted by an ACLU lawyer (Tim Blake Nelson) to sue the county for racist intent and stop the DA from what is continually referred to as "terrorizing the black community." There are two ways to react to director Tim Disney (Walt's great-nephew) and his tone of righteous indignation.

As a drama based on a true story, American Violet succeeds on the strength of its excellent performances and Disney's acute understanding of the bitter Catch-22 of the poor. As an indictment of racism and injustice, however, the movie falls short: its cops are all tyrants and bigots, its residents are all innocent victims, and Disney's arguments are all black and white. Hey, guess what? Racism is bad.

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A couple months ago, when I wrote about the fact that the Sanford and Wiscasset high schools are the last remaining Maine schools using the mascot nickname “redskins,” Sanford principal Allan Young told me that if “redskin” critics called his students racists, he would support a change.
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“You’ve come a long way, baby.”
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The fall from grace of Ralph R. Papitto was remarkable in its speed and force.
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Racism in real estate
After more than a decade in the business, the real-estate agent knew that many landlords had very narrow ideas about whom they did and didn't want living in their apartments and houses. Most of them were fairly subtle about it. "I want the right people," they might say, being careful to couch their instructions in innocuous-sounding terms.
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In the late 1980s, when the plans for the mosque were first taking shape, it was intended to be developed by and for a primarily black Muslim population in Greater Roxbury.
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Topics: Reviews , Special Interest Groups, African-American Issues, Racial Issues, More

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[ 05/26 ] "A Natural Order," photographs by Lucas Foglia @ David Winton Bell Gallery

[ 05/26 ] George Orwell's 1984, adapted by Nick Lane @ Gamm Theatre

[ 05/26 ] "2012 RISD Graduate Thesis Exhibition" @ Rhode Island Convention Center

ARTICLES BY JASON OBRYAN

DRINK LIKE DON | December 08, 2009
If Mad Men has taught us anything, it's that we shouldn't go to a 1960s advertising executive for health advice.

DON'T DO IT | November 17, 2009
So, I heard that you want to trade in your skis for a snowboard this year. Maybe it'll be fun? Well, maybe, but there are a few things I'd like you to consider before you make that leap.

REVIEW: BRIEF INTERVIEWS WITH HIDEOUS MEN | November 05, 2009
Bleeding admiration for the David Foster Wallace stories on which it’s based, John Krasinski’s directorial debut follows Sara Quinn (Julianne Nicholson) as she interviews men about their sexual proclivities for her master’s thesis.

REVIEW: AMERICAN VIOLET | April 28, 2009
Arrested for a crime she didn't commit, Dee Roberts is enlisted by an ACLU lawyer (Tim Blake Nelson) to sue the county for racist intent and stop the DA from what is continually referred to as "terrorizing the black community."

REVIEW: LYMELIFE | April 21, 2009
Like many of the bastard offspring of American Beauty and Little Miss Sunshine , Derick Martini's quirky, frustrating directorial debut seems to believe that a dystopian view of suburbia will suffice for a film