Blind Hatred

Rating: 10/10 (29 January 2011)

A little after the half way point in this film a main character is describing how how hatred is taught and that the after hearing something numerous times you stop questioning it.
This film is one of the best films I have ever seen. I first watched it in my 8th grade history class which is almost 10 years ago now. The thing that struck me the most was how no one person was actually "evil" but when a group of people get together it's a different story.
The atmosphere is genius, the layout of the town looks vivid and alive. Unlike some movies with only two or three dedicated sets this one literally is the town. The people of the town seem pitch perfect for their roles, from the F.B.I. agents to the town Sheriff to everyone else. While I'm on the topic of characters I want to say how much I appreciated the fact that they, in one way or another, developed most of the people you meet by showing where they work, live, and give them personality.
Now to discuss a little bit of the tone of the film. First off I never completely understood racism. The hatred of a group of people for any reason never made sense to me. As I said in the start of this review when something is taught to you, you don't think to question it. The only conclusion I can come to is that it's relying on blind hatred of some offense you think happened or were told happened. If that little bit didn't make sense racism doesn't make sense to me.
The little things that are present here is what makes it a great film especially since none of the character development is done for the sake of the plot but for the sake of the character.
Both Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe are great actors and are amazing in there roles but between the two Hackman has a more subtle way about the way he investigates a case unlike Dafoe who always thinks more agents and equipment is better then Hackman's method of talking pleasantly to people to get the truth without the town turning on him.
I could go on and on about this movie and the more I want to write the more I know the longer this is the less it'll be read. So I'll leave you with this, there are very few movies that leave you with a lasting impression and this is one that'll I'll be watching again and again.