The movie intrigued me, but I almost turned it off during the shooting of the infant in the first few minutes of the movie. From there I saw it was all in his mind and decided to give the film another chance. I began to identify with the frustrations Frank felt about the dumbing down of America. How he said we're no better than watching the Romans watch people duel to the death in their coliseum. Our tabloid TV shows encourage more and more moronic people to do stupid things for ratings. We laugh at the weak and put bright, shiny, entitled people on pedestals. We listen to disc jockeys who have bully pulphets to spew their misogynistic, racist and jingoistic diatribe all the day long. People say if you don't want to hear their stuff, then don't listen or watch, but it seems you can't escape any of it entirely. We're surrounded by people no longer have real conversations with each other. Everything we talk about is about something we've seen on a screen somewhere, or heard on the radio. We've completely lost the ability to have meaningful conversations.
I agreed with Frank up to that point.
But then, because of a medical report, he becomes exactly what he rails against. He becomes tabloid fodder for faux news shows after he begins a - no kidding - killing spree, taking a 19 year old woman along for the ride.
There's an old saying, "You become what you detest." This movie is the ultimate proof of it. In the end Frank became everything he detested - someone who thought he had the power to pass judgment on anyone he did not like or agree with. He who wished for civility ended up doing the most uncivilized things one could imagine. He became the demon he feared was overtaking civilization.
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sheepdog07
11 years ago
I realize that the film is more of a statement piece than it is to be taken literal, but the pretentious nature of the statement renders it invalid. I agree with you on not being able to avoid it. Their are a whole crop of celebs that I can ID by name, yet I have never seen a movie, heard a song or watched them on TV. Famous for being famous, as if that makes sense, but it the best way I can describe it. Also, I think everyone thinks that their generation is the one that is where it is all going to crap and is killing our culture. In truth, all generations have those moments where it seems like we have crossed the line with no hope of turning it around. Just because one person likes something different than what you like, doesn't necessarily make it bad and them wrong for watching it. I don't watch MTV, but I know what those kids from the Jersey Shore look like and I think they look like idiots. That doesn't mean that they should be she should go away or that the people that do watch them are wrong. One man't trash...
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