Hhehehehheeh... Hahahhaa, Yes... This was the review I had been hoping to see come in from a reader of AICN for BAMBOOZLED. You see, The Sweeper, was left confused... having conflicting thoughts and feelings... guilt and pleasure, entertainment and social convictions.... Questions seemingly answered in such a way as to force you to still ask MORE QUESTIONS. This my friends would seem to indicate that Spike Lee might very well of accomplished exactly what I felt he was out to do with BAMBOOZLED... and that was to create a Jonathan Swift biting Modest Proposal SATIRE. And when satire is done at its absolute best... you get letters like the one below. Folks... I'm dying to see this film. Here's The Sweeper... and well... look what Spike did to this poor fella...
I need help to understand this film. I don't know how to talk about it. I don't know how to talk about it without being a hypocrite to its ideas.
In general, I can definately say 2 things:
1. Spike Lee has made a defining film for our generation.
2. Spike Lee spits in the face of everyone, including himself.
This movies asks questions and gives no answers. As soon as you think you know the answer that you think Mr. Lee is trying to assert, he throws something at you to contradict that idea.
Does this make any sense? Let me try again.
Example: Savion Glover is one of the marquee names in this film. For those that know his work, we know that we are in for a treat with him in this film. He is an outstanding, tony award winning tap dancer that will surely delight and inspire us. And he delivers. He dances extensively throughout the film. The contradiction comes in the form of a question raised by this film. Should black performers continue to be song & dance men for the general population? Isn't the black performer more than good moves?
Example: Spike Lee directs and produces the recently released Original Kings of Comedy -- a comedy concert film. He does 2 days of shooting. Edits it together. Budget around 3 million. Makes approximately 37 million to date. Now, the contradtion. Spike seems to be asking us (and himself?) via Bamboozled: why is it that the majority of successful black entertainment continues to be dominated by commedians? Why are serious looks at the black community unsuccessful for the most part? Why must we be represented by "buffoons" (his word)?
I guess I have to risk the hypocrisy to discuss those things I do understand.
I loved Savion Glover. Not only can he dance, but he can act, too. I loved Tommy Davidson. He shows a range that no one has tapped into yet. Together, Savion and Tommy are a formidable pair. Some of their best scene come when they appear as their minstral characters, Mantan & Sleep 'n Eat. They give 150% to making those characters likeable, believeable, funny, etc.
Damon Wayans. Who knew he could be serious. I have never been a big fan of his, however, he is good in this role. He is over the top, but in the end, I came to understand that he had to be over the top. He affects this horrible "white man" accent and does not drop it EVER... not when he is mad. Not when is talking intimately with his mother. Not when he is faced with his mortality. At first, I thought that this was just a bad accent performed by Mr. Wayans, however, eventually, his character's father asks him, "And when did you start talking with that ridiculous accent?" He does not react or change a thing about it. He continues the conversation as if he never heard his father say it. Interesting.
Jada Pinkett Smith. The Ophelia of this film.
Just a thought.... This story has a strong Hamlet influence... hmmm. It is me, or does anyone else who has seen it agree? Discuss.
Back to Jada. Normally, don't like her. She is wonderful in this role. She is smart and conflicted and sassy and just one of the deeper characters.
Michael Rappaport. We are supposed to hate this character. And I do. But I like him just the same. I like his balls out honesty. He is a total asshole. He is completely ignorant of his actions while his portends to be completely immersed in black culture. His characters is one of the great contradictions and indictments in this film.
Paul Mooney is wonderful. For me, his appearance was the first sign of "wait a minute -- what am I really supposed to understand here?"
What else do I understand?
The images are arresting. They are powerful. They give you the chills. Mr. Lee has deftly intertwined the history of his message in with the modern setting. Everywhere you turn, the past slaps the present in the face.
Then there is the idea of time. Time is EVERYWHERE in this film. Pierre Delecroix (Damon Wayans) lives in a clock tower. Many of the gifts he receives are clocks, many of which tick off the seconds with eyes watching you. I realize that this is a huge motif. I can guess at the obvious implications of its presence, however, any ideas as to other reasons as to why Mr. Lee throws time in our face.
This movie shook me to my core.
Was I offended? Yes. Was I exhilarated? Yes. Do I feel guilty about feeling exhilarated? Yes. Do I love this film? Yes. Do I know why yet? I'm not so sure.
Hope this all makes sense..... Sweeper
