At the beginning of the movie, the director did not restore the whole process of the rape to us. We learned about the whole incident through Kenneth's phone call, descriptions of people around, and a series of conversations between Sarah and Catherine. This narrative technique also paved the way for the 3-minute rape scene later in the film. Speaking of this three-minute rape scene with 262 shots, it created the longest rape scene in the history of American cinema. Judy Foster's successful performance also won her the first Oscar in her life.
In the whole process of watching the movie, I also had questions about whether Sarah deserves it. Now I can say firmly: she don't deserve it. Is it wrong for a young girl to dress very sexy to go to a bar? We all have the experience of drinking in the past, do we have to wear very corny to go, because young people have the capital to choose what they like, but this does not mean that you can treat someone casually , Even rape. In the second half of the film, the role of the film defendant began to change from a rapist to a bystander, and the director once again showed us the ugly side of human nature. Are the bystanders guilty? I think the bystanders in the movie are no longer simple bystanders. They have already participated in the rape indirectly. It was their advocacy that caused Sarah to be raped again and again. When a violent incident occurs, you can choose to be silent, because it is permitted by law, or you can choose to go to the police and state the truth in court even though it cannot be stopped like Kenneth. But if you are adding fuel to the flames, then you are destined to avoid the sanctions of the law. You are also the perpetrator and I think it is more outrageous than those who directly perpetrate the violence. Many facts have proved that: in a group, people will lose their individuality, and countless individuals who have lost their individuality will form an inferior group after adding up. They tend to clump together, put an unconscious idea into action, and their lethality is so powerful that they will even be shocked when they are independent individuals. Just like Kenneth's friend in the film, after being immersed in the pleasure of crime after the violence, Yu Guang looked at the only innocent Kenneth. It seems to be telling the audience that the direct root cause of the crime is not the criminal itself, but the advocacy of the onlookers, or because the society provides him with such an environment. It should be the society that should be sentenced...
It can be said that this is a feminist film, but what I want to say is that we should not think about the stand or angle of the film to narrate this matter. First of all, the atrocities in the film need to be controlled and resolved. As mentioned at the end of the film, there is an average of one rape every six minutes in the United States, and one-quarter of the victims encounter gang violence. This is only the United States in 1988. What is the current ratio? The movie tells a story that happened in the United States, so what if this story happened in China? It is estimated that the situation will be very different. No matter where it happens, the most important thing the victim needs to do is say it. Only by doing so can the perpetrator get the punishment he deserves, and arouse due attention to such incidents in society, instead of hiding from reporting or becoming an ugly bystander. Speaking of film performances, Sarah’s role is indeed very wonderful. It’s no wonder that Judy Foster has been fighting for this role for four years. She performed this frivolous, vulgar and brutally tortured little character. Lifelike, the Oscar coronation is also well-deserved. In contrast, Kelly McGillis, who played the prosecutor Catherine, pales in comparison. Although the whole movie is a bit flat and lacks climax, and the court statement is not as exciting as the same type of movies "A Few Good People" and "First Trial", it is still a masterpiece. At least it resonates with ordinary audiences. It tells us to say it bravely in the face of evil. We refuse to be an ugly person.
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