Has A Film Ever Offended You?

[Cena's Little Helper]

I've been pondering this question ever since I finished Brüno last night. Before this film, I had never in the slightest been offended by a film (I have been disturbed and scared, but not offended). But, with this film, I hardly laughed at any of Sacha Baron Cohen's jokes, and I couldn't help but think how most of them were done in extremely poor taste; it's almost as if he meant most of what he said (I know this isn't true, and you could counter that this shows how convincing Cohen is as an actor, but, come on, this is a comedy, not a drama on the ignorance of fashionistas).

So, have any of you ever been offended by a film? If so, which one(s)?

 

[jmt225]

Well, Sasha's films do offend me, but not because of what he says or does, but because they're so fucking shitty and stupid. Nothing is more worthless than a Sacha Cohen film. Nothing. However, I do like the guy in actual films like Talladega Nights and Sweeney Todd.

Anyway, to answer the question, not to my recollection. I mean, there are some instances where I look at a movie and it just boggles my mind how anyone could make this the premises of their film. Take the Beyonce movie, Obsessed, for example. I think that was only made to make white women look bad, but it wasn't affected because they picked such a beautiful woman to chase after the black guy, which then made the film completely unrealistic. I remember seeing that commercial and just thinking to myself how ridiculous it was to make a movie like that. The creators are just lucky that the majority of white people don't bitch about that thing (really, even if any of us were offended, if we were to express it, then we would get called racist for it).

But yeah... stupid shit like that doesn't necessarily offend me, but there are plenty of ******ed films out there like that one that I do wish were never created.

 

[INDYjon22]

I don't really get offended by many things but I have to agree with you on Bruno. That movie was so over the top and in such bad taste that I wanted to leave and get my money back 30 minutes in. I actually enjoyed the over the top, ridiculous comedy in Borat but Bruno just left a bad taste in my mouth. I mean seriously how can one man run down gay people so bad and not think anything wrong of it? If I were gay I would be condemning this movie to hell for the message that it sends. That movie alone made me no longer a fan of Sasha and I will never watch that piece of garbage film known as Bruno ever again. If there was ever a time that I wish I had the Dolorian so that I could go back in time and stop myself from doing something it would have to be from seeing that shitty movie.

 

[gd]

Not really, very few things offend me, and definetly not in movies or TV shows. The bottomline is that they're fiction. Sure Cohen's stuff is sort of in the real world, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't mean any of it. Even if people do crazy stuff in real life it doesn't really offend me, I just kind of go with the flow, that's all you can do. If the film sucks and you're offended by that then it's a whole different issue, but if you're offended by the content, you really shouldn't be.

 

[Loveless]

Bruno just left a bad taste in my mouth. I mean seriously how can one man run down gay people so bad and not think anything wrong of it?

That's not the point of it at all. All his characters are designed to be stereotypes so as to draw out the prejudices of the people he's talking to. Having said that, it was a crap film.
I'm rarely offended, normally because I'm aware of what I'm watching. The ending to I Am Legend pissed me off like you wouldn't believe and I was somewhat offended by how dumbed down it was. Oh another one was Talk To Her, the Almodovar film. Any film that tries to draw sympathy for a rapist is never going to go down well with me.
There are probably others but that's it for me.

 

[NSL]

I've never been offended by a film, but I can see where you're coming from, tdigs. Cohen delves too deep into his characters, and anything he says or does in that role, seems like he's being deliberate, and means all of his jokes. It changes what he's saying from comedic to a commentary, and that just screws up the whole point.

I'll agree with jmt as well...I liked him in Sweeney Todd. It was a good film, and his character wasn't so over the top that it stole from the scenes. If he realized that himself, he'd be much better off.

 

[X]

I really can't think of a single film that's ever offended me. The only type of film I could imagine that would offend me would be something that rapes a book or film or person that I have high respect for. Actually in that case, a film comes to mind immediately, and that's the absolutely fucking atrocious and insulting film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' great novel Less Than Zero. They took a book that was dark and haunting and nihilistic and turned it into a cheap piece of shit Hollywood movie of the week about Robert Downey Jr. being a drug addict and his friends crying a lot because of it. That movie offended me as a fan of Ellis'.

But as for subject matter that's perceived as offensive...there's really nothing that offends me. After Men Behind the Sun and Salo, there was pretty much nothing left for me to be offended by I think. In fact some of the movies that are known as being the most offensive I find laughable. I'll never understand why so many people think Kids is such a disturbing film. It's certainly not pleasant, but alot of the film is actually quite upbeat and enjoyable. I absoolutely love that film, and it's never "offended" me, because it's true. Kids do drugs, hey have sex, they get into fights. The truth doesn't offend me.

Birth of a Nation was a bit distasteful as well, but nothing that really offended me deeply.

 

[Mr. TM]

JMT said it in one of his favourite war movies, but after looking into it more, there is one film that I find pretty offensive. The Patriot has a scene, and for those of you who have not watched it, GTFO, for those of you who have, you might remember the scene in which the entire town is rounded up into a church and burnt to the ground.

Didn't actually happen in any records that I could find on the American Revolution, but it has happened before. Little place known as Oradour-sur-Glane, in France, where the Nazi Germans rounded up the village into the barn, and burn it to the ground, shooting anyone who tried to escape. A horrible event, especially since there are some people who believe that the Germans actually wanted to do it to a different village, but made a mistake.

The question I pose to Robert Rodat, who also made an incredible accurate story of the D-Day invasion in the film Saving Private Ryan would make a movie with such a flaw. Also question why a German in Emmerich would direct a movie that had this scene.

So did they try to make a movie in which the British in the American Civil War are comparable to the Nazis of the Third Reich? Everything I know of the American Revolution paints a picture of a gentlemen's war, if a war can be considered that. That leaves me a little offended I guess.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

That's not the point of it at all. All his characters are designed to be stereotypes so as to draw out the prejudices of the people he's talking to. Having said that, it was a crap film.
I'm rarely offended, normally because I'm aware of what I'm watching. The ending to I Am Legend pissed me off like you wouldn't believe and I was somewhat offended by how dumbed down it was. Oh another one was Talk To Her, the Almodovar film. Any film that tries to draw sympathy for a rapist is never going to go down well with me.
There are probably others but that's it for me.

I sort of see where you're coming from with this, but, what offended me about this film was that Cohen basically entrapped some of the victims of his pranks. For instance, you have Ron Paul, a respected Congressman here in the United States, calling him a queer at one point. But, can you really blame him? Wouldn't you be a little uncomfortable if someone you weren't sexually attracted to took you into a bedroom, offered you champagne and strawberries, danced erotically. and then took off their pants?

Borat was great because, for the most part, Cohen was able to elicit the prejudices of the people he met with with little more than questions. But, with this film, Cohen went a little too far.

 

[jmt225]

I really can't think of a single film that's ever offended me. The only type of film I could imagine that would offend me would be something that rapes a book or film or person that I have high respect for. Actually in that case, a film comes to mind immediately, and that's the absolutely fucking atrocious and insulting film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' great novel Less Than Zero. They took a book that was dark and haunting and nihilistic and turned it into a cheap piece of shit Hollywood movie of the week about Robert Downey Jr. being a drug addict and his friends crying a lot because of it. That movie offended me as a fan of Ellis'.

I've told you this before, but I'd like to express to you again: If you put the film on its own and completely forget about the book, it's a damn good movie, man. I really think you should give it another shot. There's a reason why that movie was so loved by those who hadn't read the book.

Anyway, I just had the film Rock Star on in the background. I'm offended by Mark Wahlberg's lip-syncing. I mean, really? I'm supposed to believe this terrible rapper can sing like that? Give me a break. That said, I still love the movie, lol.

 

[X]

I've told you this before, but I'd like to express to you again: If you put the film on its own and completely forget about the book, it's a damn good movie, man. I really think you should give it another shot. There's a reason why that movie was so loved by those who hadn't read the book.

Actually the film was pretty much ripped to pieces by the critics JMT, so I'm not sure what you mean about so many people loving it. The only thing good to come out of that film was Downey's performance. I actually have watched it again though JMT, I watched it about two months ago, and it was just as terrible as the first time I watched it. It's like watching a 2nd rate Lifetime Movie of the Week, it makes drug addiction look fashionable for god's sake.

But the fact that the film was terrible wasn't what offended me. What offended me was that they released the film under the guise of being an adaptation of Less Than Zero, when in fact it bares absolutely no resemblance to the story whatsoever. Whoever produced that film literally just bent over Bret Easton Ellis' masterpiece and raped it anally with a corkscrew.

 

[jmt225]

Actually the film was pretty much ripped to pieces by the critics JMT, so I'm not sure what you mean about so many people loving it.

Honestly man, Ebert gave it 4 stars and that's what made me think most critics liked it, since they usually tend to agree with him, especially back then. Moreover, on A&E's Biography about Downey there was a segment about it and nothing but good things were said about the film, so that was another thing that made me think it was a darling to critics.

The only thing good to come out of that film was Downey's performance. I actually have watched it again though JMT, I watched it about two months ago, and it was just as terrible as the first time I watched it.

Sorry you feel that way, man, but I still think had you never read the book you might feel a little bit differently.

It's like watching a 2nd rate Lifetime Movie of the Week, it makes drug addiction look fashionable for god's sake.

I don't know how you came to that conclusion. There's nothing 'fashionable' about Robert Downey Jr. in that movie, and that's ultimately who it centers around.

But the fact that the film was terrible wasn't what offended me. What offended me was that they released the film under the guise of being an adaptation of Less Than Zero, when in fact it bares absolutely no resemblance to the story whatsoever. Whoever produced that film literally just bent over Bret Easton Ellis' masterpiece and raped it anally with a corkscrew.

Over the years though Bret himself has come to appreciate the film. He hated it at first, but today he's quite fond of it. So much so he wants the cast to return and do a sequel to it once he's finished with Imperial Bedrooms.

 

[AngleisTNA]

I can say Bruno did offend me and how the film is highly praised by some people, I'll never know. I'm bisexual and gay jokes aint funny, I dont get how people like this homophobic individual, Sascha Baron Cohen was better as Ali G and he always will be.

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

I've never been offended. Disgusted perhaps, but not really offended by anything. One example of a film that disgusted me was 'Burn After Reading' for one reason and one reason only, and that was the ending.

2 people are killed/murdered and a bunch of other people's lives are ruined, purely so that some saggy old bitch can have her plastic surgery paid for? What sort of message is that? Not only was this film not funny as many hailed it to be, it just left such a horrible taste in my mouth that i don't think i'll pay for a Coen bros film again.