MovieChat Forums > Sweet Home Alabama (2002) Discussion > Was Anyone From Alabama Offended by this...

Was Anyone From Alabama Offended by this Movie???

posted 22 years ago by kerryandtodd
277 replies | jump to latest

Come on guys.. we have got to stand up for ourselves.. this movie is an insult to the people of Alabama.. Although I don't deny we do have the "redneck,,white trash,beat up truck driving,beer drinking,baby making "billy bob".. but it definately does not represent the MAJORITY of Alabama. We are very classy, & well educated; and we have not JUST recently discovered recliners! If you do not live in or have never visited our beautiful State .. Please do not judge Alabama by this movie. Granted the hospitality & manners were right on!

I have an aunt who is 58 years old and has lived in New York for 40 years ^^^ she recently moved to Alabama because when she visited every Thanksgiving/Christmas she fell in love with the people and State as a whole. Although she does make fun of our southern accent a little.. I tell her as Jake told Melanie . just because we talk slow doesn't mean we're dumb! ;-)

[–] jerseyd1 21 years ago

You are way too sensitive. I thought that by the end of the movie, Alabamans came out looking much more friendly and real than New Yorkers.
BTW, Billy Bob wouldn't have been considered a "baby making" anything; he was supposed to be gay.

[–] Thomasina 21 years ago

I think she may have meant "billy bob" to refer to a general redneck stereotype, not any specific character in the movie (if you mean the Ethan Embry character, it says on this fine website that his name was Bobby Ray). And at the risk of sparking a dispute far beyond the scope of this board, there are plenty of gay men and lesbians who have had children one way or another.

[–] Southern_Chic_345 20 years ago

I know that people from Alabama aren't like that. I'm from GA right by the boarder so I meet a lot of people from AL. However, you shouldn't get upset by it. That is how a lot of people see AL and I do not support that thought (Some of the smartest people I know are from AL and the nicest) You shouldn't take it to bad people in general know that your state is not stupid. How can an entire state be stupid? And a lot of people see it that way.

[–] Kel_USAFwxrwife 20 years ago

No, I don't think anyone from Alabama should be offended by this! I'm from Louisiana, spent my whole life here as far south as Thibodaux to now in Shreveport, and Baton Rouge and Monroe as well. An Alabaman being offended by this movie would be like me saying I was offended by "The Waterboy". HELLO!?!?!?! It's an exaggeration used to make a movie funny!
And, like someone said (way back up in this thread, cause I just got tired of reading!) they portrayed those from Greenville as being the better people! They were the nice, caring, forgiving ones. They didn't make snap judgements of the New Yorkers. They were just decent SMALL TOWN FOLK.

Every city and state get stereotyped once it's in a movie. Let's see... when I go to California I don't expect to see a bunch of Starbuck's Soy Latte drinkers, wearing Berkenstocks and talking about Green Peace. When I go to New York (which I plan to do one day!), I don't expect to be mugged the second I get there and I don't expect to get treated like crap or walked on by the New Yorkers who are too busy for anyone but themselves. These are stereotypes that are portrayed for entertainment value alone.

But, I will say, if ONE MORE PERSON asks me about swamps and bayou's (pronounced like buy-you, not bay-ow as I've heard more than I would want to) I'm gonna lose it. I'm from BATON ROUGE! It's the freakin' state capital. I now live in Shreveport... the bayou's are SOUTH Louisiana! Geez! (Sry, had to thrown in my part! hehe)

Chandler: Yeah, I just don't have alot of Chefing experience...unless it's an all TOAST restaurant!

[–] jkotynek 20 years ago

I live in Illinois, and I'm offended that the HALLOWEEN movies take place in Haddonfield (between Dwight and Pontiac).

They were all filmed in California, and there is NO Haddonfield IL!

** John Kotynek

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[–] Lady_Jeran 20 years ago

Do you really think that people in this country, and in the world for that matter need to be lead by the hand and told explicitly that "The characters in this film are entirely fictitious" and told that real people there aren't like that? Do you really think that most people came away from watching that movie thinking "Gee, those Alabamans sure are screwy?" If you honestly think that, you have a very low opinion of the intelligence of mankind as a whole.

If I was going to be offended by anything, I would be offended that you assume I think like that. I am offended that you think that I am moron enough not to realize that there are stereotypes in this movie.

What if I were to tell you that Southerners aren't the only ones who get stereotyped? I live in one of the worst neighborhoods in Philadelphia, in an area that has been called (by our City Representative no less) full of "White, Irish, trailer-park trash." I have been asked by my *friends* if I've ever done any hard drugs, or been mugged, or been involved in a gang, because I say I live in a bad neighborhood. And no, I haven't done any of those things, yet I get asked them all the time.

I am seriously appalled that you think that people base their views based on movies rather than their own experiences. And of course, I cannot speak for everyone (as that would be a stereotype in itself) but a majority of people would like the movie for the story or the humor or Reese Witherspoon and not assume that Alabamans act that way.

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[–] sgcraig 20 years ago

Want to be stereotyped? Live in Canada. I actually get questions like "do you have running water, Do I live in an igloo, Do I have cable TV, Does it ever not snow? Seriously, there are actually hicks in Alabama, but we don't have mounties riding horses down our streets. So try complaining about something real

[–] Fiona90210 20 years ago

I am from Alabama and I am not offended. If you are form ALabama, and you are offended...get over it.

[–] enygma_81 20 years ago

Odd, I thought the New Yorkers ended up looking worse at the end of this movie than the Alabamans. Well, not Patrick Dempsey's character, he came out looking noble, but his mom was a b*tch. If you're really offended by this movie, then you are very very sensitive. But then again, I'm a northerner so I guess I can't really say anything.

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[–] angels11883-1 20 years ago

I guess every state has their unintentional stereotypes. For example, I live in Florida and I can tell you we are not all old or Spring Breakers. But anyways

I saw a lot of my upbringing in this movie. Its really the old South. My grandparents refuse to visit their children in New England, but go on roadtrips all the time. Growing up my best friend's father did the Civil War reenactments. Although, we never fry pickles and I have never seen so many pick up trucks in my life. Just enjoy the movie and don't worry anout the stereotypes.

There are things worth dying for~~Sirius Black

[–] BoRn2ShOp643 20 years ago

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[–] tyguy8982 20 years ago

EDIT

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[–] kayliemhogue38 20 years ago

well im not from the south, but i can still feel your pain. i am from minnesota and people always say, oh yeah sure you betcha. we do not talk like that! i dont think people from california have accents, so why should they think i have one?!

[–] helenbear30 20 years ago

Oh Please, will you all get over yourselves..this movie plays on the stereotypes of the south States, you should be proud to have your heriatge spread accross a movie like this. When I saw this film I immediatly wanted to visit the Southern States, its so homey, warm and friendly looking. Im sure many of you Southern Staters get annoyed by silly people asking silly questions about your home towns but it happens all over the world and you lot (Americans) do it to us ALL THE TIME. Im Irish by the way and no we dont just live in caravans and drink Guinness all day every day!!

Just get over it!!

By asking a question like this (Did this movie offend anyone)..you are simply proving the point of people who think you are all dumb, slow, beer drinking, baby popping idiots.

Sorry to be so blunt but thats just the way of the world!!

[–] holeigh_annie 20 years ago

I think you guys might be taking this a bit too far, unless your feelings are always hurt this easily.

I live in Michigan, in the lower peninsula. When people think of MI, they think of the Upper Peninsula and the Yupers. (IE the characters in Escanaba in Da Moonlight.) I recently saw Escanaba and found it hilarious because I can relate to so much in the film. Obviously no one I know acts as extreme as the characters in the movie, but so much of it was true that it was hilarious to watch and say, "Oh yeah, Uncle Kipp told a story like that last weekend." Personally, I think its more fun to watch movies that portray natives in the extreme when you're from that state and I really find nothing offending about it. Every state, and country for that matter, comes with its own preconceived stereotypes. Just lighten up and laugh!

"Hi, I'm Sean Penn. I have no sense of humour. Also, I am a tool."
OCD!

[–] eminemgurl12290 20 years ago

I love this movie and I don't know think it was mean at all. Their are towns like that in the South and that's one of the reaons I want to move there! (if anyone lives in the south, where do you live and tell me why you like it. that will help me a lot!) I live is Pennsylvania and believe me that whenever I go anywhere people think I'm amish. it's pretty funny. I don't get insulted by it because it's just something we all have to deal with. There are amish people in Pa . and there are hicks in the South. but that doesn't mean that we're all amish or hicks. lol. this movie showed alabama as a beautiful and friendly town and I hope that I can find a small town place like that when I move down there.
Cassie

[–] chickenwanggirl 20 years ago

IM FROM NORTH CAROLINA!! come on and raise up. proud of it, too!

the south will rise again!!

[–] oklahomie00 20 years ago

I don't think this movie was an absolutely accurate portrail of the South, but certain things were dead on and the rest was far from offensive. Melanie crying about her dog is true-- no matter a Southerner or a native New Yorker, everyone remembers thier pet's death. And Bobby Ray's allowing melanie to use his house for the "Interview" is how most Southerners react. Our pacing may be diffrent, but I find the south generally nicer and shown accordingly in this film.

[–] selkn-asrai 20 years ago

Stereotypes do stem from somewhere true (most times).
And Northerners ended up looking worse in the end. Get over it.

"Now, bring me that horizon."

[–] samuelroxie 20 years ago

I was not offended at this movie. I am from Greenville, Alabama. The only thing I found wrong with it was the fact that it WAS NOT filmed in Alabama. I hate stereotypes, but, I have to admit that a lot of the movie did remind me of the people in my hometown. There is only ONE bar in the city, people do tend to name their pets after Bear Bryant, and we talk really slow (taking one syllable words and breaking them into TWO syllables..) I don't live there anymore-Moved even further south to the Gulf Coast.

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