This post brought to you by babbling like a looney about 2Fast2Furious.
You have characters A and B, who have not seen each other in years and who parted on bad terms. A needs B's help to pull a job off. When A shows up, B, who is clearly still holding a grudge, stalks away in high dudgeon and ignores A calling him back.
At which point, A whistles, calling B's nickname in a loud, determined voice, rather like the method one would use to call a disobedient dog to heel. B promptly stops in his tracks, furious, but what he protests is A's use of his nickname. The implicit *right* to call B to heel -- that B *does not get* to walk away from A -- is not questioned by either A or B.
Any problems here? Nah, not really, the movie is pretty clearly setting up the 'hero and his grudging-but-loyal second' dynamic. I will totally go to the kink place, especially since not one minute later A has to actually and quite literally nod his permission before B will let himself deck A, but no problems. We're solid.
Now. Let me add in two facts: A is white. B is black.
Anyone still in the 'no problems here' camp?
ETA: A bit I forgot. The guy watching this is a black federal agent, probably in his late middle ages. You know who else doesn't say word *one* about white character A whistling up black character B and having it *work*? Him.
At which point, A whistles, calling B's nickname in a loud, determined voice, rather like the method one would use to call a disobedient dog to heel. B promptly stops in his tracks, furious, but what he protests is A's use of his nickname. The implicit *right* to call B to heel -- that B *does not get* to walk away from A -- is not questioned by either A or B.
Any problems here? Nah, not really, the movie is pretty clearly setting up the 'hero and his grudging-but-loyal second' dynamic. I will totally go to the kink place, especially since not one minute later A has to actually and quite literally nod his permission before B will let himself deck A, but no problems. We're solid.
Now. Let me add in two facts: A is white. B is black.
Anyone still in the 'no problems here' camp?
ETA: A bit I forgot. The guy watching this is a black federal agent, probably in his late middle ages. You know who else doesn't say word *one* about white character A whistling up black character B and having it *work*? Him.