Eternal-Testament t1_ja2rwz0 wrote
Evidently I'm a different generation that use to be able to just enjoy a good movie without worrying about who is represented and how, what social boxes get checked and how and what may be offensive to people lifetimes from now.
I truly cannot fathom what it must be like to live a life being perpetually offended at everything.
doc_55lk t1_ja2uqpg wrote
Neither can I. Seems like a really weird life to live.
I remember when people had a good laugh over offensive jokes directed toward them, as opposed to starting Internet movements to "cancel" the person making the joke.
verascity t1_ja2wtuh wrote
I mean, I used to laugh at those jokes because I didn't want to be a "buzzkill" or develop a reputation for being "humorless," even though I do and did joke about plenty of other things. I just swallowed my feelings every time someone laughed at my expense. It didn't feel good.
doc_55lk t1_ja2yddl wrote
There's obviously still a line to be drawn, but as of late, that line seems to be drawn so close that it's impossible to make any sort of joke without catastrophically offending someone.
This post is a decent example of that. 30 years ago the idea of a government agent misusing his government agent skills and funding to fuck around with his unfaithful wife, to the backdrop of an action flick, was funny as fuck. Now though, some random dude is deciding to post about it, saying that it offends them and that the premise is the sole reason that a 4K re release would bomb.
verascity t1_ja31y5z wrote
As I said in another comment, the OP doesn't really read as offended to me, much less "catastrophically" so. Just observing that this is a product that would really not do well out of its time. Personally, I never saw the movie, and the plot as described does sound kind of gross to me, but I'm willing to accept it's different in context. Still, I think OP is probably right that it wouldn't fly today.
another_busted_robot t1_ja3d9zx wrote
OP's description of the plot and actions are super disingenuous though. Arnold isn't using his spy background to "stalk and Weinstein" Curtis, he actually stops that from happening. Curtis' character was cheating on her husband with a guy pretending to be a spy because she was bored with her life. The stripping scene culminates with Arnold (pretending to be a villain) asking her why she's doing what she's doing, at which point she confesses that she's bored with her life and her husband doesn't pay any attention to her. There's no forcing, no manipulation from Arnold's character. Even the stripping scene is super awkward and comical, being that her character is supposed to be a suburban housewife masquerading as a spy trying to seduce and wiretap a villain. She even kicks Arnold's ass a bit when she changes her mind and before she finds out it's him. Basically OP's read and description of it is completely wrong. And Tom Arnold's character does call Arnold's character out for using his spy background to set this whole ruse up instead of just talking to her.
nebbyb t1_ja33e5n wrote
Now imagine someone from a different background and how your position could seem crazy to them. Just try.
verascity t1_ja2x6ld wrote
I don't think the OP sounds "offended." They're saying that the movie aged poorly and is negatively impacted by changes in our cultural values. It was less fun for them because they think about things in a different way now, but I wouldn't say they sound hurt.
You've really never rewatched something and thought, "Oof, that aged badly"?
ikurumba t1_ja33s3m wrote
But it's supposed to be funny. Like the audience is in on the joke because we are watching it as a movie. It's not a true crime drama about something that happened in real life even though those are more accepted nowadays. It's an imagination land where anything is possible, but you and op get offended when people have imaginations that you don't like.
verascity t1_ja358cm wrote
I'm not offended, either. You seem to be very sure that criticism = offense, but I'm not sure why.
And comedy can be outdated and cringeworthy just as much as drama, if not even moreso. Look at Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Or, as someone else pointed out, the rape scene in 16 Candles (and the other rape scene in Revenge of the Nerds, come to think of it). You think that shit flies now?
nebbyb t1_ja33jqv wrote
Sixteen Candles, rape is hilarious!
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