"Strangers in Lahore Tea House": The imbalance is due to ethnic cognition

Everyone is born with a definition and classification. When life is completed, all you can do is to complete the definition and classification. However, this classification cannot be summed up purely by dichotomy, that is to say, people cannot be distinguished purely by concepts, because invisible gray areas still exist. In a few cases (religion or politics), the classification between people is very simple, that is to say, it is black or white. It is this simple classification that leads to many misunderstandings. In the movie "Strangers in Lahore Tea House", the characters are classified at the beginning of the film. This classification is based on race and is also the core of the film. The whole movie can be said to explain the ideology of ethnic cognition. That is to say, when you use ethnic cognition to interpret a person’s behavior, you will use the basic classification elements as the boundaries, and then compare the boundaries and so on. People of other races conduct behavioral analysis. In most cases, equality for all is advocated, but equality for all is as unattainable as communism. In the United States, where freedom and democracy are the slogan, the classification based on race is very obvious. There is a very interesting passage in the film. The male protagonist was taken to a naked examination at the airport and was questioned by the CIA. These details all illustrate the advantages of race. It is precisely because of looking at things with ethnic cognition that leads to this one-sided cognition.

I have to talk about the differences between groups and the differences between groups. The differences within the group are the minor differences under the larger whole, that is to say the differences in behavior, thought, and ideology within the same ethnic group. The most obvious thing in the film is that after the male protagonist has tried his best to squeeze into the upper class of the United States, his ethnic characteristics will be magnified, because he is a special case. Although the differences between groups and groups exist, they are sometimes not necessary. For example, the love between a male protagonist and an American woman. In this setting, the differences between groups will be ignored.

The turning point of the film is the 9/11 incident, which is also a common topic. After 9/11, people in the Islamic world were regarded as terrorists by the United States, and the media also publicized this, which directly led to the distinction between Islam and terrorism. Up the equal sign. The environmental characteristics of the male protagonist are very obvious, and in this case, the Americans' cursing of the Islamic world can be said to be a reasonable behavior. However, the male protagonist is obviously very concerned about such abuse. Even if he squeezed into the upper class of the United States, he is still a Pakistani, still a person from the Islamic world. And this directly led to the change in the love between the male lead and the American woman, the change in his personality, and the change in his choices.

The male protagonist gradually became more sensitive. In the art exhibition held by American women, the male protagonist was angry when he saw that he was regarded as the creator of the female protagonist. His anger was because he felt that he was consumed and his secret world was shown to Americans who hated Islamic countries. . . . . . At this time, ethnic cognition has become the cognition of the male protagonist. The setting of the male protagonist’s job is also very special, similar to George Clooney in "In the Clouds", and the film’s male protagonist’s father told such a story that the Turkish Guards captured the Balkans’ gays and trained them into Turkey. The most loyal fighter, then occupied the Balkans. Pakistanis received the best education and the most complete training in the United States, became the mute of American companies, and then returned to the Islamic world to dismiss local employees. This recognition is also based on ethnic cognition, so the identity and work of the male protagonist at this time is considered a kind of betrayal. The details of the composition gradually made the male protagonist’s ethnic awareness gradually clear, and then the male protagonist gave up his American dream and returned to Pakistan to promote the Pakistani dream.

The director Mira Nair is a female director born in India. The relationship between India and Pakistan was once tense. And Mira Nair did not substitute her emotions when shooting this film. The rhythm of the whole film is perfect, and the connection between the shot and the shot is smooth and sharp. My understanding of Mira Nair started with "Good Morning Mumbai". Her early films were almost in the same documentary style. However, the film "Strangers at Lahore Tea House" changed from the objective and calm before and added a lot. The elements of film noir, the relaxed lens design, and the ingenious plot design add to the film a lot. This film not only addresses the issue of "imbalance is due to ethnic cognition". Religious beliefs, political shady, etc. still exist, but the director uses the setting of a multinational company to replace it, which also makes the film A lot less preaching. When the director elaborated on these issues, he did not adopt a dualistic approach to throw out his own opinions, but weakened the choice, right and wrong, right and wrong, and made all behaviors and personalities as reasonable as possible in the general environment. The purpose is actually to explain the problem of communication between countries, and this problem is also the source of the contradictions existing between many countries. The most successful part of this film is to see the big from the small. Through the description of personal contradictions and then gradually expand the scope, throw out various problems, so that everyone knows the existence of the problem...

View more about The Reluctant Fundamentalist reviews