Your thoughtful, nuanced review has made me even more conflicted about seeing this movie; I have a feeling this movie deals with the surface, I don't know if I'll learn anything and this story seems like a perfect entry point into exploring race in England in the 18th century. On a purely superficial note, Gugu Mbatha-Raw looks gorgeous in the ads for this movie.
So for all of my reservations, I think it worked really well as a film actually, and I think that it's worth going to see even if only to show the PTB we want more movies w/ POC characters and stuff. (I'm planning on going to see "Lucy" for the same reason--looks like a silly movie but I think if it does well enough Marvel would see that ScarJo can make solo bank and give us that Black Widow film.) It's also the writing that is just awkward; everyone acts the hell out of this and I think the talented cast worked marvels. It is very much a film, too, so I wouldn't go in expecting to learn anything except how contemporary writers handle the past.
I want to give my money to Belle because I want more movies about black women that are written/directed by black women, but I still want to be entertained, so if you say it's wothwhile, I'll trust your judgement. While I would never suggest that people get their history lessons through movies, I do think that film has the power to illuminate, just by existing, Belle has probably opened plenty of minds to the fact that 18th century London was not as monochromatic as they thought it was.
Comments 8
Reply
Reply
Reply
I wish this movie had come out like three years ago so I could have referenced it in my CW class!
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment