MovieChat Forums > Paul (2011) Discussion > Most Offensive Part

Most Offensive Part

posted 11 years ago by kyluvjesus-1
23 replies | jump to latest

The most offensive part was at the end with Christian Stereotype #2 saying "it's a miracle he's been healed" or whatever, then Paul tells his buddy "you can't live with these people."

THAT'S NOT A JOKE! There was no punchline there. No humor. Just an angry writer screaming on the page. The rest of the movie was common stereotyping, the atheist equivalent to black face, but that line was particularly poorly conceived. Anger controlled can be a good tool for comedy, but if it's unrestrained it'll only appeal to other people angry at the same thing. It's like playing Birth of a Nation at a clan rally.

Also, why did Hader's character all of a sudden become so evil? And why was Christian Stereotype #2 hanging out with the gang at the end, even though he'd just murdered someone?

I loved parts of this movie but it could have used a re-write.

[–] Hedvig88 11 years ago

It was funny because Paul had revived Graeme, right in front of everyone. Paul's comment reflected the fact that even having observed him heal Graeme, Moses was still blind to the possibility that there might be a logical or scientific reason for Graeme's recovery (assuming one can accept the existence of Paul or that Paul's alien powers were contextually logical or scientifically explicable).There's none so blind as those who will not see. It gave me a smile, anyway. I truly don't see how it was "an angry writer screaming on the page", or how it can have been interpreted as horribly offensive, not to discount your experience of course, just saying I find it hard to sympathise.

[–] hadmatter 11 years ago

THAT'S NOT A JOKE! There was no punchline there.

You're right. There was no miracle, and even after witnessing exactly what happened, the dude still wants to attribute it to god. What else was he going to say? Some people refuse the truth even when it's right in front of them.

I am the sod-off shotgun.

[–] kyluvjesus 11 years ago

I get the context, I just don't agree with the execution. The setup was dude screaming about it's a miracle. Cut to our heroes AND… punchline? Should have been a punchline there. Instead we get "there's no living with these people." That there was no attempt at humor there reveals the line is just the writers opinion on this culture of people. It comes from a place of anger. The whole movie had been building up to that moment, which is probably why I was offended. To stereotype and mock an entire culture for 90 minutes, then conclude that they are beyond redemption, isn't very funny or rewarding. If Paul was a lasting comedy it would probably be frowned upon many years from now.

Though I bet if you asked the writers, they'd own up to it and say "hell yeah we think they are stupid morons and we hate being around them".

[–] hadmatter 11 years ago

I think that referring to Young Earth Creationists as "an entire culture" is a bit generous. They are a very tiny minority, their beliefs are ridiculous, and the thing that makes their beliefs ridiculous is that they steadfastly deny mountains of evidence against those beliefs. Kristin Wiig's character starts out there, but Paul gives her knowledge and she rises above what she was taught to believe. When faced with knowledge, she changes. She is the contrast to the other characters... even when they see the truth, they refuse to acknowledge it.

I think the problem here is that you seem to think this was meant as a joke. There was not supposed to be a punchline, it was an observation. Some people really do choose to be beyond redemption, and that is sad.

The writers make no secret of their feelings about religious whackadoos, that's why they feature in the movie. The particular stripe of YEC in the film is largely exclusive to rural America; the writers found that weird and fascinating and included the phenomenon in their road movie.

I am the sod-off shotgun.

[–] kyluvjesus 11 years ago

I disagree. Nobody's going to differentiate between YECs and Christians. And also, no one exists in real life like the characters portrayed in the film. Absolutely no one. What the filmmakers did was stereotype a group of people and make a film about how we should hate them.

"I think the problem here is that you seem to think this was meant as a joke. There was not supposed to be a punchline, it was an observation. Some people really do choose to be beyond redemption, and that is sad."

Well, it is a "comedy" so I should have been expecting a joke. The message that some people are beyond redemption is awful. This is a hate film disguised as a comedy, and I'd feel the same if the group of people hated on belonged to any non-violent subculture.

[–] hadmatter 11 years ago

I disagree. Nobody's going to differentiate between YECs and Christians.

I am proof that you are wrong. I've also watched this movie with lots of people, and nobody I know had any difficulty making that distinction. There is a huge difference between YECs and general Christians.

And also, no one exists in real life like the characters portrayed in the film. Absolutely no one.

Wrong. Absolutely, 100% wrong. Are you from America? Have you ever traveled in America? Have you spent time in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Southern Oregon... I have met these people in all of these places. I am related to literally dozens of people who believe exactly this nonsense.

You haven't met folks like that? Bully for you. It doesn't mean they don't exist, and you're making a fool of yourself trying to claim otherwise.

What the filmmakers did was stereotype a group of people and make a film about how we should hate them.

How was this film "about how we should hate them"? I don't think you watched the same movie I did.

Well, it is a "comedy" so I should have been expecting a joke.

There are lots of things that happen in comedies that are not jokes.

The message that some people are beyond redemption is awful.

So what? It's true, and the truth can be awful. If this is such a problem for you, then you should be trying to change reality, not complaining about the way reality is reflected in a movie.

I am the sod-off shotgun.

[–] king_of_bob 10 years ago

I disagree. Nobody's going to differentiate between YECs and Christians

You can disagree all you like, but the facts disagree with your position. As most people can differentiate between Christians as a whole and biblical literalists. Just because YOU can't doesn't mean "nobody" can or will.

And also, no one exists in real life like the characters portrayed in the film. Absolutely no one. What the filmmakers did was stereotype a group of people and make a film about how we should hate them.

You are absolutely 100% wrong. People like the two characters in this film absolutely do exist. Only they're not nearly as funny to deal with in real life. Good job proving how limited your experience is with the world, though.

Well, it is a "comedy" so I should have been expecting a joke. The message that some people are beyond redemption is awful. This is a hate film disguised as a comedy, and I'd feel the same if the group of people hated on belonged to any non-violent subculture.

It is a joke. Just not a typical "Setup\punchline" type joke. It's a one liner. Maybe you should educate yourself as to the fact that there are more than one type of joke. Most standup comics don't use the format you refer to, in fact.

Also, while the movie overall is a comedy, not every line has to be a joke.

And what the *beep* are you talking about? At no point did the film suggest ANYONE one beyond redemption. Redemption wasn't even a theme in this movie so that comment makes absolutely no sense.

This can ONLY be seen as a hate film if you conform to the views of the two characters you're talking about here. If you aren't a bible literalist, there's literally NOTHING to be offended by in this film.

The new home of Welcome to Planet Bob: http://kingofbob.blogspot.ca/

[–] overfiend1976 10 years ago

I think that referring to Young Earth Creationists as "an entire culture" is a bit generous. They are a very tiny minority, their beliefs are ridiculous, and the thing that makes their beliefs ridiculous is that they steadfastly deny mountains of evidence against those beliefs.

Except, sadly, this isn't the case at all: http://www.gallup.com/poll/155003/hold-creationist-view-human-origins.aspx

It really IS an entire culture.

Violence. If it's not solving all your problems, you're simply not using enough.
-Zaraki Kenpachi

[–] king_of_bob 10 years ago

No. It's a subculture.

The new home of Welcome to Planet Bob: http://kingofbob.blogspot.ca/

[–] MonoEnojado 8 years ago

I think the punchline was that it was Ruth the one who repeated the same line Paul used earlier in the movie to talk about her own stubbornness.

[–] ZAROVE 10 years ago

Actually, he attributed it to God, not to god. No, the word god not not a Title, and yes, the word god can be used as a name. You're identifying a specific entity. the reason God is capitalsied is because its used in place of, and thus as, a name.

I know its a fad with really bitter Militant Atheists but, leaving god in lower case is just stupid.

[–] cjohnsongoffe 11 years ago

Thought it was just me. I was also slightly bothered by how frequent the gay jokes were

[–] lewisworld 11 years ago

You can't even correctly remember the part you are complaining about! It wasn't Paul, it was Ruth. And she didn't say you can't LIVE with these people but you can't WIN with these people. The underlying punch line is it's that she used to believe as her father still does and, ha-ha, she now complains about the absurdity of clinging to belief in the face of contrary evidence.

I thin you are trying really hard to be offended here.

[–] daniel_s-a 11 years ago

Actually, he said "you cant win with these people" Completely changes the meaning, and is a joke.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] rustyd5150 10 years ago

Actually, I'm a Christian and I laughed when he said that. I thought it was funny. Also, the remark afterward about not winning with these people, I thought that was funny also.

I don't get my theology from a movie or a fiction novel (hint, hint, Left Behind) and enjoy other's points of view about religion.

If a movie can, literally, change someone's whole religious belief, then it wasn't very strong in the first place.

Attacking a movie like this for it's supposed intellectual content is futile.

[–] Korios 10 years ago

There was no punchline there. No humor. Just an angry writer screaming on the page

.
When Pegg & Frost wrote that line they were anything but angry, trust me. They were actually having quite a lot of fun. You take your beliefs too seriously. Also I think you deliberately altered the real quote from "You can't WIN with" that Ruth, not Paul said, to "You can't LIVE with..", to strengthen your point and make it appear more offensive. A HUGE difference, right? Intellectually dishonesty is a very frequent trait of christian apologists and you appear to be no exception.

Fanboy : a person who does not think while watching.