Political correctness and racial tolerance figure prominently in this film directed by Mark Brokaw. It is based on Rebecca Gilman's play that originated at the Goodman Theater in Chicago. When it was presented in New York in 2000, the cast was headed by Hope Davis, an excellent actress. The transfer to the screen, adapted by Ms. Gilman and Doug Atchison, had a troubled production, finally made it to a commercial release in 2007, and in spite of the casting of Sarah Jessica Parker in the leading role, it didn't reach a wide audience.
The basic change from the play is that the person behind all the hatred is never seen, whereas in the screen version we get to see the perpetrator. Racism in America is something that was never eradicated from society; it keeps resurfacing in the most unexpected areas. It is at the center of this study on what is real and one's perception of this deeply rooted problem in our society.
The thorny issue of race relations is prominently seen in the film. As the story begins, several racist drawings appear outside Simon Brick's room in the dorm of Belmont College, where he lives. The dean of students, Sarah Daniels, decides the police must be informed about the incident, something Catherine Kenney, who is Sarah's superior thinks should have been kept in house and dealt by the college's own security.
Sarah, who started her professional career at Lawrence College, in Chicago, where the majority was black, had a tough time during her stay there. Now, some of the issues she thought she left behind come to haunt her. At the old job she was frightened by the students who were undisciplined and rude to her, seeing in Sarah a sort of enemy; they never took kindly to her.
Now in a more laid back and peaceful setting, Sarah finds herself in the middle of the controversy about what is perceived by the minority students as an affront, in the way the school has handled the case. Even a promising young student, Patrick Chibas, with an excellent record and a good chance for getting a scholarship insist in listing his race as 'nuyorican', or someone having been born in New York of Puerto Rican descent. He resents the fact that Sarah had told him to enter the more generic term "hispanic" because it is, as far as she is concerned, a much better way to describe himself in the application.
Sarah, meets a black CNN reporter, Aaron Carmichael, that is assigned to cover the incident; he develops a fond relationship with her, but evidently he feels a stronger attraction that Sarah refuses to acknowledge. When the case explodes out of proportions, there is a terrible revelation as to who is the culprit for the racist messages is. As it turns out it is someone one would not ever had imagined could be doing such a thing. After the scandal, and because of Aaron's discovery about what really has been bothering Sarah, she resigns to go back to her old college and face her own fears.
Sarah Jessica Parker makes an intense Sarah and is about the best thing in the film. Miranda Richardson and Beau Bridges don't have much to do. Mikelty Williamson makes a good contribution as Aaron. Paul James is the young man targeted because of his race. Victor Rasuk is Patrick Chibas.
The film, far from being perfect, offers a case study about how apart race plays a major role in society.
The basic change from the play is that the person behind all the hatred is never seen, whereas in the screen version we get to see the perpetrator. Racism in America is something that was never eradicated from society; it keeps resurfacing in the most unexpected areas. It is at the center of this study on what is real and one's perception of this deeply rooted problem in our society.
The thorny issue of race relations is prominently seen in the film. As the story begins, several racist drawings appear outside Simon Brick's room in the dorm of Belmont College, where he lives. The dean of students, Sarah Daniels, decides the police must be informed about the incident, something Catherine Kenney, who is Sarah's superior thinks should have been kept in house and dealt by the college's own security.
Sarah, who started her professional career at Lawrence College, in Chicago, where the majority was black, had a tough time during her stay there. Now, some of the issues she thought she left behind come to haunt her. At the old job she was frightened by the students who were undisciplined and rude to her, seeing in Sarah a sort of enemy; they never took kindly to her.
Now in a more laid back and peaceful setting, Sarah finds herself in the middle of the controversy about what is perceived by the minority students as an affront, in the way the school has handled the case. Even a promising young student, Patrick Chibas, with an excellent record and a good chance for getting a scholarship insist in listing his race as 'nuyorican', or someone having been born in New York of Puerto Rican descent. He resents the fact that Sarah had told him to enter the more generic term "hispanic" because it is, as far as she is concerned, a much better way to describe himself in the application.
Sarah, meets a black CNN reporter, Aaron Carmichael, that is assigned to cover the incident; he develops a fond relationship with her, but evidently he feels a stronger attraction that Sarah refuses to acknowledge. When the case explodes out of proportions, there is a terrible revelation as to who is the culprit for the racist messages is. As it turns out it is someone one would not ever had imagined could be doing such a thing. After the scandal, and because of Aaron's discovery about what really has been bothering Sarah, she resigns to go back to her old college and face her own fears.
Sarah Jessica Parker makes an intense Sarah and is about the best thing in the film. Miranda Richardson and Beau Bridges don't have much to do. Mikelty Williamson makes a good contribution as Aaron. Paul James is the young man targeted because of his race. Victor Rasuk is Patrick Chibas.
The film, far from being perfect, offers a case study about how apart race plays a major role in society.