Elements of Film:
Moral or Social Commentary
Some films seek to project social commentary or moralize as a call to political, social, or other action. For example, in To Kill a Mockingbird, Gregory Peck plays a lawyer in a small Alabama town in the 1930s. By standing up for his beliefs, the protagonist offers a clear message about the need to resist the racism pervasive in the South at the time. What makes the message strong is that his character’s (Atticus’) morality is embodied in his actions, not openly scripted in the dialogue. Other examples of films that offer social commentary or calls to action include Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me which comments on the health risks and social ills of fast food.
As you evaluate a film’s moral or social commentary, consider how overt that commentary is and how it challenges, engages, or marginalizes audiences. THAT IS, No one likes a moralist or an “in your face” messenger. Think Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAK8Cd4t0WA ) or
Spurlock’s “SuperSize Me”. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1Lkyb6SU5U )
One way that “morality” or “social commentary” can be conveyed is through what’s termed “Bildungsroman” --- This is a very popular form of storytelling whereby the author bases the plot on the overall growth of the central character throughout the timeline of the story. As the story progresses, the subject (main character) undergoes noticeable mental, physical, social, emotional, moral, and often spiritual advancement and strengthening before the viewers’ eyes. This method of offer a moral is more covert and often establishes a clear protagonist as that character fights his or her way through some conflict (either external or internal). Typically, this arc is all in the name of some greater “moral” to be achieved. Be careful here—like any story that seeks to create a moral/lesson, it’s very easy to be both cliché and gauche. Being too overt here can ruin a film by creating what’s termed a “conversion narrative”. Do you remember these movies listed below— they each have the same “overt” morality story and all offer the same cliché message. That is, “appreciate what you have before you lose it”.
Examples:
“Click” with Adam Sandler (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2a8k2BGxlQ&feature=player_embedded )—
“The Family Man” with Nicholas Cage (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pBb8jPGUT4&feature=player_embedded )
and
The many many many many many versions of , “A Chrisman Carol”—here’s my personal favorite “Scrooged”—with Bill Murray. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5s-xArZvjo ) also, if you’re a Murray fan, “Groundhog Day” is basically the same moralizing theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSVeDx9fk60 ). Wicked funny but, his character’s arc is wholly predictable.
Other Examples:
Friday Night Lights The reason Friday Night Lights is effective is presenting a moral is that it sets two messages at the same time. First, the cliché message that winning isn’t everything and the underdog always prevails. However, it doesn’t end there, but instead reverses our expectations in the end by showing something a little more real--that even if you give it your all, you won’t necessarily be able to take down Goliath. This message typically rings more true to an audience. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3BvhKzE-04
The Town This movie addresses a clear moral (right versus wrong) but when it comes to the end of the movie, the main character disregards this lesson and thereby challenges the viewers assumptions and expectations within the story. The larger moral presented is: “no matter what you do with your life, there is a line that you do not cross”. Interestingly, the main characters in this movie are bank robbers—creating moral ambiguity and a more covert message on “right versus wrong”.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcXt9aUMbBk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGR4SFOimlk
- The Devils Advocate
The Devil's Advocate is a movie wherein a small town lawyer, Keanu Reeves, is visited by a high- profile lawyer from New York, Al Pacino. Throughout the movie, Reeves is mentored by Pacino on ways to become a more effective lawyer, but is continuously faced with moral dilemmas based on love, money, and power. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMN5uQhF-Ro
- Pulp Fiction
In Pulp Fiction, Samuel L Jackson and John Travolta are two hit men who work to do the bidding of their boss, Marcellus Wallace. The movie has multiple interweaving storylines, including a good bit with Bruce Willis, but the above scene is one of the most memorable in the film. The falsified bible verse is very chilling and serves to show the morality of Jackson, as a hit man, and the man robbing the diner. Both have a moment of realization where they understand the wrongfulness of their actions and move on from it. What makes the message strong is that “morality” is embodied in the actions of the characters, not the dialogue.