dvd review
Added 11/13/2009
I love Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner in this movie. Out of all of her movies, this was Whitney's best acting. I am sure Kevin Costner helped her. Finally, I love the interracial romance.
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The idea was not bad, but the script just doesn't deliver.
Added 11/8/2009
There are some parts of this movie that don't check for me.
One major issue is that the screen writer clearly has an understanding for how race plays out in film, yet still deliberately creates a movie that is racially insensitive. Typically, media is viewed seriously for subtle racist messages, and unfortunately, this movie fails although appearing to be just the opposite.
Costner is presented as the hero for which the movie cannot do without. He has a whole cast of sidekicks to help him to complete the task including the black limo driver that he recruits by informing him that if he doesn't become his side kick he will be killed because the "cocky black soffer" always dies by being in attentive. The driver is a racial stereotype of a young lazy black man that has to be directed by a white superior. The writer clearly understands that these racist roles are created for blacks but chooses to recreate bad roles for African Americans. I do not know why.
The depiction of black women in this movie is also extremely poor. Whitney Houstan is not just spoiled; she is sexually irresponsible. She is a stereotype of a successful African American female. In one screen she almost has sex with the man plotting to kill her because she is angry at her boyfriend Costner, and wants to make him jealous. Her character is immature. Her sister is so sexually dysfunctional that she attempts also to sleep with Costner even though she knows that she would be sleeping with her own sister's lover. I have an issue with this. Not only does it reproduce patterns of male domination (females cannot be trusted) it also depicts black females as being sexually immoral. Like Houstan, her camera sister is extremely immature and needs the guidance of a white male played by Costner.
The character of Rachel leaves much to be desired as far as a woman is concerned. She is inconsiderate and abuses the people that work for her. She also sexually harasses Costner and than tantrums on her own employee when he stops sleeping with her. We are supposed to view that in line with her Leo character type, but her character is really just immature. It doesn't make sense either since a singer as successful as the one she is playing would have to have a lot of discipline. The portrayal was just unfortunate.
Costner's character is the usual white male come to fix problems all the problems of irrational (black) people. That Costner must in fact fix the mess made by these two sisters is reaffirmed when Rachel's sister ends up being the one behind the murder plot. It is really just pitifully prejudice. Blacks cannot have legitimate threats against them without them really being about killing each other. Rachel's sister is jealous, murderous, and caddy. The actress cast is one of the most beautiful minority women but she is in the role of a criminal that would kill her own sister over petty jealousy. The story is really ridiculous, and sad to point out, but it is a racist movie.
I like Costner, but his character also needs tuning. He is emotionally constipated to the point of being abusive. He beats up some man just for giving him lip. He also jilts Houstan after sleeping with her, and this is supposed to some how prove that he is better at his job. It just places him in the position of being in control rather than his female partner. That seems to be the main function of the scenes inclusion; a white male is always in control no matter how subordinate his position realistically would be.
The interracial love story would be interesting if the couple did not break up at the end of the film for no appealing reason. Again, when viewed for a general pattern most of these interracial movies end the same way; the couple is delegitimized. The Bodygaurd is no exception. The problems with this film could have been corrected easily, by simply making Houstan more mature, removing the jilting scene as it doesn't make sense, and not breaking the couple apart at the end of film--the major change would also be not making another black person really behind the murder plot.
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Does anyone need a Bodyguard?
Added 10/21/2009
If you are looking for a bit of romance and drama, but just on the light side, then The Bodyguard doesn't disappoint. Costner and Houston have great onscreen chemistry. It worked well being that she is a rock star and her life is probably close to most of what we see...hopefully, without the dangerous drama. The storyline has its weak spots but watching Costner and Houston play the game of love/hate/love again makes it worth the time. Of course, Houston's dynamic voice adds to the entire enjoyment of the movie. Couldn't help notice how nice it was to not hear either of them or anyone in the movie mention "race"...just two people who fell in love. I've seen it a few times and will probably watch it again.
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A movie trashed by the critics but embraced by the public
Added 9/26/2009
If one can gather from the success of this film, don't always listen to the critics reviews--they can be wrong too. For instance, the esteemed critics, Siskel and Ebert once dismissed a film called "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" as just fluff but history proved that the film would endure and in fact has had several DVD releases including one in Blu-ray. I'm not saying that this film is an artistic triumph like Costner's "Dances with Wolves" or Eastwood's latest films like "The Changeling" or "Letters from Iwo Jima", but as a pulp film, it's a success. My acting coach at the time in San Francisco called it "enjoyable trash" and I agree with her. If you don't expect a lot, you'll get a lot. I really like that this film in the pre-Obama era, played down the inter-racial angle and more the conflict between celebrity and private life. Like Obama has stated there are more important issues to deal with than just the racial aspect--and this film proved it. Houston was never more alluring and Costner is pitch perfect as the Zen like ex-Secret Service man who is reluctant to continue his assignment of protecting a pop star he has fallen in love with--"never get involved with the person you're protecting". Now that Houston's career is on the mend, it would be great if there is a sequel. Surely the ending of this film hints at that!!
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THE BODYGUARD MOVIE
Added 9/2/2009
THIS IS A FANTASTIC PRODUCT!!!IT WAS SHIPPED VERY FAST AND IT WAS IN THE CONDITION THAT WAS DESCRIBED BY SELLER...I LOVE THIS MOVIE WHITNEY HOUSTON IS PHENOMINAL AND SO IS KEVIN COSNER!!!!!!IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT,BUY IT.
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dvd review
Added 11/13/2009
I love Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner in this movie. Out of all of her movies, this was Whitney's best acting. I am sure Kevin Costner helped her. Finally, I love the interracial romance.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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The idea was not bad, but the script just doesn't deliver.
Added 11/8/2009
There are some parts of this movie that don't check for me.
One major issue is that the screen writer clearly has an understanding for how race plays out in film, yet still deliberately creates a movie that is racially insensitive. Typically, media is viewed seriously for subtle racist messages, and unfortunately, this movie fails although appearing to be just the opposite.
Costner is presented as the hero for which the movie cannot do without. He has a whole cast of sidekicks to help him to complete the task including the black limo driver that he recruits by informing him that if he doesn't become his side kick he will be killed because the "cocky black soffer" always dies by being in attentive. The driver is a racial stereotype of a young lazy black man that has to be directed by a white superior. The writer clearly understands that these racist roles are created for blacks but chooses to recreate bad roles for African Americans. I do not know why.
The depiction of black women in this movie is also extremely poor. Whitney Houstan is not just spoiled; she is sexually irresponsible. She is a stereotype of a successful African American female. In one screen she almost has sex with the man plotting to kill her because she is angry at her boyfriend Costner, and wants to make him jealous. Her character is immature. Her sister is so sexually dysfunctional that she attempts also to sleep with Costner even though she knows that she would be sleeping with her own sister's lover. I have an issue with this. Not only does it reproduce patterns of male domination (females cannot be trusted) it also depicts black females as being sexually immoral. Like Houstan, her camera sister is extremely immature and needs the guidance of a white male played by Costner.
The character of Rachel leaves much to be desired as far as a woman is concerned. She is inconsiderate and abuses the people that work for her. She also sexually harasses Costner and than tantrums on her own employee when he stops sleeping with her. We are supposed to view that in line with her Leo character type, but her character is really just immature. It doesn't make sense either since a singer as successful as the one she is playing would have to have a lot of discipline. The portrayal was just unfortunate.
Costner's character is the usual white male come to fix problems all the problems of irrational (black) people. That Costner must in fact fix the mess made by these two sisters is reaffirmed when Rachel's sister ends up being the one behind the murder plot. It is really just pitifully prejudice. Blacks cannot have legitimate threats against them without them really being about killing each other. Rachel's sister is jealous, murderous, and caddy. The actress cast is one of the most beautiful minority women but she is in the role of a criminal that would kill her own sister over petty jealousy. The story is really ridiculous, and sad to point out, but it is a racist movie.
I like Costner, but his character also needs tuning. He is emotionally constipated to the point of being abusive. He beats up some man just for giving him lip. He also jilts Houstan after sleeping with her, and this is supposed to some how prove that he is better at his job. It just places him in the position of being in control rather than his female partner. That seems to be the main function of the scenes inclusion; a white male is always in control no matter how subordinate his position realistically would be.
The interracial love story would be interesting if the couple did not break up at the end of the film for no appealing reason. Again, when viewed for a general pattern most of these interracial movies end the same way; the couple is delegitimized. The Bodygaurd is no exception. The problems with this film could have been corrected easily, by simply making Houstan more mature, removing the jilting scene as it doesn't make sense, and not breaking the couple apart at the end of film--the major change would also be not making another black person really behind the murder plot.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Does anyone need a Bodyguard?
Added 10/21/2009
If you are looking for a bit of romance and drama, but just on the light side, then The Bodyguard doesn't disappoint. Costner and Houston have great onscreen chemistry. It worked well being that she is a rock star and her life is probably close to most of what we see...hopefully, without the dangerous drama. The storyline has its weak spots but watching Costner and Houston play the game of love/hate/love again makes it worth the time. Of course, Houston's dynamic voice adds to the entire enjoyment of the movie. Couldn't help notice how nice it was to not hear either of them or anyone in the movie mention "race"...just two people who fell in love. I've seen it a few times and will probably watch it again.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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