Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Summer of Movies #91: Imitation of Life

This is the movie I wasn't able to review. I said I'd go back to it, and I'm glad I did.Today's film is one that deals with racial issues, and is a remake of a film that also dealt with those same issues. If you think it's the same old race issues, you've got another thing coming. This movie is...



PLOT
Lora Meredith is an aspiring but struggling actress with Susie. her 5 year old daughter. Lora than meets a homeless black woman named Annie and her light-skinned daughter Sara Jane. Lora decides to take in Annie and Sarah Jane to live with her and Susie in their small apartment. But tensions rise with Sarah Jane hating her black heritage, and Lora suddenly gaining stardom on Broadway keeps her away from her daughter, and keeps either of them from growing up.


PROS
One thing that really surprised me was that Annie wasn't a walking stereotype. A lot of films back in day couldn't have a black character without them being racist, in fact most movies today can't get over that simple hurdle. But Annie is just a normal person who happens to be black. While she does have her moments, she never goes over the top.

The movie deals with race issues very maturely. Sarah Jane hates her black heritage and keeps changing her identity every time she goes somewhere new. She does that because she thinks people will look down on her because her mom is black, but only one person ever does, and that was a stupid teenager.

Another thing that surprised me was the fact that Lora never becomes the "White hero of all blacks". While she does help in some ways, Annie can take care of herself just fine and never needs Lora to help her.

Lora and Susie's story is just as interesting as Annie and Sarah Jane's story. When I thought one story line was getting old, they'd throw a twist to make it interesting again.


CONS
The acting and script can get very over the top at points and can pull you out of the movie.



CONCLUSION
Overall this is a Soap Opera, but it's the best kind. It's the kind that you know is bad, you know it's badly acted, and you know it's a bit far fetched, but you're still entertained enough for it to hold your attention for the 2 hours it's on. I really enjoyed this and how it dealt with important issues, even though I knew I probably shouldn't. All I know is that I cried at the end of this movie, I wasn't bawling, but still, I rarely cry in movies. 


RATING
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