MovieChat Forums > Boomerang (1992) Discussion > i think this movie is racist

i think this movie is racist

posted 20 years ago by jim-764
141 replies | jump to latest

i'm probably the last person to point out that something is racist but this movie makes it obvious.

these are the only white people in the whole movie:

1. waitress in the beginning, (M. Lawrence said she was racist, made her look like a jackass)
2. salesman at clothing store, (again made him a racist and made him look like a complete *beep*
3. 4 brute guys carrying grace jones in her premier. these guys were chained and treated like reindeer.

those were the only white people in the movie. to me, it seemed the makers of the movie went out of their way to send a message.

loved the movie, hilarious. love eddie, love martin, love david alan grier, but i think this movie is racist.

i think it is very unfortunate that many races have been through racism is recent history, but please, it's a 2way street and we need to kill the whole idea of racism. i know, impossible, but it doesn't mean we can't try.

God bless!!!!!

[–] 20 years ago

[deleted]

[–] queen_naandi 20 years ago

Jim,

I kinda agree with you. When the word racism or racist is used it seems as if using them synonymously with African-Americans appears like an oxymoron. And African-Americans get REALLY upset. Everyone, including African-Americans has the tendency to be racist.

I watched the film again and I agree with about how negative whites are portrayed in the film. The only explanation that I can give is that this is ONE film in which most of the characters are black and are generally treated with respect and the whites are treated like crap.

This film doesn't make it right, but again it is one film out of the thousands of films made by whites and the African-Americans are treated like crap or are not seen in a positive light. Again though, it doesn't make it right.

Tonya

[–] pooviedoovie 20 years ago

sometimes when people think about racism, they think about derogatory remarks, prejudice, descrimination, segregation, etc. lets not forget about the violence and atrocities that occurred not too long ago in this country and in other european countries. alot of innocent people were killed or hurt. these people still alive today or relatives, children or grand children are alive. its not easy to forget or forgive the wrong-doings of the recent past. do "minorities" seem to have a chip on their shoulders...sure! i think they have a right to. is it racism? by definition, maybe in some cases. is it the same as the racism experienced by the minorities of this country...i DONT think so! racism is a strong word which describes a race that believes that their race is superior to other races. "racism" against african americans of this country is not the same as the "prejudice" reciprocated by african americans, by no means.
the way the characters were depicted in this movie does not constitute or demonstrate racism. its a funny satire. hundreds of years of undeserved violence against african americans and now you people are quibbling over a few characters in a comedy and calling that racism, thats just rediculous!
If you're upset about the way whites were portrayed in this comedy, maybe you should watch a movie called Mississippi Burning and see how the african americans were portrayed in that one.

p

[–] alldativ 20 years ago

Ever see a Woody Allen movie or "The Birth of the Nation or aka The Clansman"

[–] jim-764 20 years ago

good points, pooviedoovie, but I think you took this to a level above where I was trying to get.

Nothing compares to what the KKK has done in the past or any other group/cult that has killed, maimed or ran someone out of town (like Mississippi Burning). Great movie by the way. I hope we are far from those days and never see those type of crimes again.

I was talking on the level of like someone's father or grandfather who blame someone for something they did b/c of race. i.e. bad driving, poor work, or simply just plain stupidness(if that's a word). I thought that was the level that Boomerang was on. It doesn't make me not watch it, b/c it's probably in my top 20 in comedies. BUT!!!! I just noticed a few things that i wanted to point out.

[–] happyhealey 16 years ago

I disagree with you, Jim-764, I don't think those were good points.

We're not talking about 19th century racial oppression here. We're not talking about 1960's racism. We're talking about racism right now.

Slavery is only relevant to this discussion because it provides a historical context, nothing more. It's an incredibly boring and shallow argument to assert that a film's racism pales in comparison to that of slavery.

Of course Boomerang isn't as racist as slavery (like duh), can we move on now and actually talk about racism IN FILM?

I mean, that is the topic of conversation, not whether or not slavery is bad.

Anyway, I think the old "racist white movies outnumber racist black movies 10,000 to 1" argument is a pretty weak one at best. The number distribution is irrelevant to discussing the morality of a single film.

Is the depiction of race in Boomerang reductionary? Is this reduction justified within the world of the film? If not, then what does this say about the vision of the film?

If we decide that the vision of the film is, indeed, racist, then what we are doing is saying the film fails on a moral level.

This is incredibly murky territory, critically speaking. It would be worth discussing whether or not film even has an impertaive to be inherently moral. However, if our discussion of The Birth of a Nation (a beautiful epic film even for its failings) is any indication, then it seems to be that the general consensus is yes, film does have an imperative to meet the standards of our current system of cultural morality.

To not judge all films, whether they be aimed at a black audiences or white audiences, by the same standard is the textbook definition of prejudice.

As film analysts, we should avoid prejudice whenever possible.

Therefore, yes, The Birth of a Nation is racist. Slavery was racist. Boomerang is, in all probability, racist. It should be our goal to always condemn racism.

It should not be the goal of black filmmakers to turn the tables of racism back on "the white man". The goal of black filmmakers should be the same as that of any other filmmaker: to address social issues and cultural phenonmenon in an interesting, entertaining way that reveals a certain truth.

By the way, have you watched Eddie Murphy's stand-up routines? They're hilarious, especially if you like thinking about how greedy and worthless women are and calling homosexuals "f*ggots".

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] EXPLICITSOUL5 20 years ago

I AGREE WITH YOU 100 PERCENT!! IT'S WRONG FOR ANYONE TO BE RACIST BLACK, WHITE, OR "OTHER". BUT AT THE SAME TIME HISTORICALLY, YOU CAN'T COMPARE THE VIOLENCE DONE TO NATIVE AMERICANS, BLACK AMERICANS, AND OTHER "MINORITIES OF COLOR". IT'S A MOVIE, LET'S NOT READ TOO MUCH INTO IT.

[–] great_one_32789 18 years ago

enough said ..lol

[–] chefkiller2002 15 years ago

I have a thought. Who cares? It's a movie, not an everyday issue. Oh no!! Someone made a movie that almost only included black people, with the white people acting afraid, etc. Well, so what. Isn't that what happens in real life? No, I'm not saying this for any particular reason other than I think it's ridiculous to think it's racist. I'm white, by the way.

[–] markos-9 13 years ago

Really? Were there any whites in the movie? That's comforting, because in the first 5 minutes that I watched before I hit the eject button, I saw none!

This movie is racist and it is so quite subtly. Let's take the epitome of racism against blacks, the movie "Birth of a nation". At least this was openly racist and in fact it was even worth watching, since it used breakthrough filming techniques for its era. On the other hand, Boomerang is just racism without the art.

I like Eddie Murphy, but this was an unforgivable foul. Thumbs down, Eddie.

[–] MariMcCabe 13 years ago

So because a film has no white people in it, its racist? Do you know what racism means?

The world doesn't revolve around white people, believe it or not.

[–] activista 11 years ago

@markos-9

White people are in literally 99% of films that come out of Hollywood! Yes, there are films that aren't about white people---that does NOT make them racist, and your post is so stupid, it's beyond belief. It's focusing on black people for a change---I'm sorry, but white people can see themselves in practically EVERYTHING in the media, so what the hell are you whining about? Get the hell over yourself, please, and quick! Something black people just want to see somebody that looks like US onscreen for a change! Just a reminder that there are OTHER people on the planet besides white folks!

And you only watched it for FIVE minutes? Okay, then you aren't even qualified to say a damn thing about it because you didn't even WATCH IT. You already showed YOUR racism right there, so just shut the hell up with your silly,immature self.

[–] token_cu 20 years ago

Ok, I'm agree with you. ut now the game is still 100000000000 - 1, the whites winning

Tomas

[–] dejuanp 20 years ago

Nice comeback token_cu.

See you in New Orleans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[–] 20 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Mandingo609 13 years ago

...And, how excatly are whites ”winning”? (I can't wait to read your response)

[–] primechoiceladee 20 years ago

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU SEEN MOVIES WITH ALL WHITE CASTS AND SAID THAT THEY WERE RACISTS? GET REAL MAN!!!

[–] Memp-10 20 years ago

That's so totaly true most movies are all white and you don't hear people going out claming that it's racist like these people. Maybe i should go to the Titanic Board and claim that they are racist.

[–] jim-764 20 years ago

i think that's a different point than what was intially pointed out. there isn't any problems w/ an all white/black/hispanic/jewish film. it's just that in this movie all the white parts were made into a racial issue like i explained above.

[–] jara0779 18 years ago

EXAAAACTLY! How many movies with all white casts where there don't even bother to have a black waitress, let alone a black with status, in them?? According to Woody Allen, for example, there are no black people in Manhattan (for the past 30 years!). :/

[–] hdoggrafix 20 years ago

Whereas I agree that there was probably a concious effort to "invert" the casting effort... it really didn't dawn on me until it was pointed out. I remember watching this movie first run. Not a great movie, but very entertaining. I remember enjoying it. I also remember being caught up into the story. --I suppose my point is that it didn't matter to me. As it shouldn't with any film. A good movie is a good movie. I should note that there were some black street peddlers (negative characters) and a black ticket salesman at the theater (negative and rude). And there are plenty of white extras bopping around here and there... So it wasn't totally "one-sided." For me, I didn't make the observation, I simply enjoyed the movie.

By the way, I'm not saying your racist for noticing the black-to-white ratio, but why make an issue of it?

[–] jim-764 20 years ago

my intent was not to make an issue, but i guess i did so i am very sorry. i guess i'm just as guilty as the next person for highlighting something that makes too many people uncomfortable.

how about we just say, "there's no black or white; there's just grey"?

Bottom Line.....not the greatest of movies but many parts are hilarious and worth watching over and over

issue over

God Bless!!!

[–] Entropy382 20 years ago

I never noticed that, all the times I've seen this movie (I'm watching it right now Lol ). But I will regard it as "Turning the Tables" in one way or another.

In regards to the Salesman in the Clothing Store, he WAS racist ("Sorry, we don't have a Layaway Plan."). You can't be serious and say that guy wasn't racist.

[–] crysjumar 20 years ago

Man, you are trippin' hard.

Waitress - a joke on how snooty even waitresses can be in upscale restaurants.
Salesman - true, albeit over the top, depiction of what sometimes happens when a black man goes into an upscale retail store. It's 2005 and it still happens to me!
4 brute guys - give me a break. No one says a word if it were 4 muscular, oiled up, scantily clad black men getting a whip cracked over their heads.

Not a racist movie. Just a little role reversal and a poke at the truth

Peace

[–] jonbodhi 20 years ago

Well, you're right that there are very few whites in this movie. It's a deliberate role-reversal. How many movies have you seen where there were almost no blacks?

However, I have to disagree about the movie being racist. The waitress in the early scene was a bit corny and enthusiastic, but I thought the movie made it quite clear that the 'racism' she expressed was all in the Martin Lawrence character's head, was was a poke at his paranoia.

As for the salesman, sorry, but the above poster is right. It still happens, and the scene was pointing out the absurdity of his concern over what was clearly three middle-class black men being thugs.

The movie was not anti-white, but pro-black, which might throw you off if you haven't seen such things before. The truth is, the white people were not the point of the movie at all.

[–] lolalola118 20 years ago

"The truth is, the white people were not the point of the movie at all. "

So true. Enough said.

[–] HowYaLikeDemApplesWill 20 years ago

OK, so I'm a white guy who grew up in the "so-called" inner city, and I think jonbodhi nailed it - it is deliberate role-reversal and white people were just not the point of the movie. They were sprinkled in for comic relief in the two main scenes that were cited above (the waitress and the clothing store)...not unlike what commonly happens in prodominately white movies. Insensitive at best, subtle racism at worst, but as also mentioned this movie also played on black paranoia about racism (Martin Lawrence - whose lines about the asparagus spears as well as the white cue ball are the movie's most memorable btw...well, other than "you ain't hittin' the twizzah"). You have to remember this is Reginald Hudlin, who also gave us The Great White Hype, and isn't above poking fun at racial stereotypes.

[–] winstonlite 16 years ago

I agree. Most of the race issues were brought up by Martin Lawrence's character, and mostly dismissed by Eddie and David.

However, you could tell that there was an effort to have all of the roles played by blacks. This was probably at a time when Eddie had enough clout to try to make sure that black actors were given a chance to not be the sidekicks for a change.

[–] Jazzie3789 20 years ago

It was a BLACK movie. I'm sorry you didn't get to see all your usual WHITE people who are in almost every movie under the sun. But if you really can't stand to not look at white people for a period of time don't watch black films. By the way there are plenty of WHITE films and shows where you NEVER see a black person.

[–] jim-764 20 years ago

I didn't say i didn't want to see black people, read the first comment again, and then we can talk.

[–] bonitachica 20 years ago

The movie isnt racist. Think how many movies out there, esp back at that time, were predominently black and showed blacks in an impressive light, as actually being successful, having good jobs and have pretty luxurious lifestyles?? NOT MANY. The absence of whites in this movie wasnt too put them down at all. But this movie was made to have blacks in screen in more positive roles and also having such a predominently black cast paved the way for a lot of the successful black actors today. This was one of Halle Berry's first major films and look where she is now. In this predominently white society, especially in the entertainment business, blacks have to compete to gain recognition and to fall out of the same stereotypical roles. So this movie was not to downgrade whites at all, but to uplift us.