Wow! I'm changed!

Rating: 10/10 (29 May 2005)

I saw this movie on the recommendation of a therapist and friend of mine. I left the movie realizing one thing: we never really can imagine that our preconceived ideas of others, can be so wrong. We are all human beings, driven by the same needs, facing the same fears, wanting good in our lives, and all too often we don't realize how universal this is. To make this movie just about race is entirely wrong, it is about the human race. Though I think that the interaction and dissimilarities of the different characters (Korean, Persian, black, white, rich, poor) is typically of our American culture, I would imagine it applies on a universal level as far as the prejudices we hold as humans. We hear it from our parents who heard it from their parents, prejudice runs in families for generations, no matter how educated, rich or poor we are. The D.A.'s wife (Jean) sounds the same as the young black characters, she simply held back more. In the end, I felt good and enlightened by this movie and realized how every word I say and thought I have, is often in some way and indication of the prejudices I hold about others, some I seriously need to address, others more innocent, but prejudice nonetheless. I salute Paul Haggis for this most eye opening movie.