Comments on: A Fat Acceptance Activist's take on "Wanted"

By: Wish

Wish — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:38:11 +0000

There was also some anger over the fact that Fox, Jolie’s character, is a woman of color in the comic.

By: Jackie

Jackie — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:25:55 +0000

I just read Cindy’s post. I wanted to also add, it seems this film is targeting more of the White Power prejudicial types, who love to hate people of ethnicities as well as fatties.

By: Jackie

Jackie — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:24:41 +0000

Wow! That is the most shitty idea for a movie I’ve ever heard. I mean, a high schooler could write a better script! It’s a shame too, cause I thought Angelina did look like a really cool bad ass. Maybe I should watch Gone in Sixty Seconds instead.

It sounds like the writer of this peice o’ crap fears powerful women. Let’s hope this frightened little boy, doesn’t write anymore films. Grows up, and gets over his infantile grudge, about women having power.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:32:43 +0000

I really, really wasn’t looking to get offended by the movie. I was really excited to see it.

I’m in the camp that believes that stereotypes are never just used in media to take up time and space. I think they are there for a reason.

Janice was just ONE layer of a movie that, to me, was railing against the corporate culture’s neutering of employees. I mean, think about it. In an office, no one is being tested for physical speed, strength or dexterity. It’s all social and mental speed, strength, etc.

I felt like the movie was asking us to feel sorry for a guy who was being made into a woman. And the most grotesque form of the corporate wonk was Janice.

I also HATED that Wesley dispatched The Butcher by thrusting a knife through the Virgen de Guadelupe on his T-shirt. A white guy kills the corpulent Latino-esque character by stabbing him through the emblem of Mexican and Mexican-American solidarity.

To me, the whole movie was The White Guy Soliloquy about women and minorities taking his power. The way the guys in the theater cheered when Janice was taken down a notch and the other “threats” were dispatched sorta sealed for me that the director was playing into a fantasy that makes me really nervous.

By: Haze

Haze — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:26:32 +0000

Yes watching this intro into the movie made me feel awful. She was in “High Color” with bright red hair, wearing ugly clothes, and overeating in front of everyone. Yuck.

I mean Wesley even tells her off in a semi-respectful way which I think they added in to negate her horribleness. Maybe that redeemed the role for her? Maybe she will treat her workers better?

I dunno..being fat makes me want to be nicer to my workers because they think I am ugly and incompetent and most likely feel sorry for me.
Because of my blood sugar I eat tiny meals all day long so I think it must look like I do eat all day. And again I am very apologetic. Not a bitch. Not controlling.

It is surprising because the rest of the movie did not fall prey to other Hollywood cliches. It must be in the novel..you’d think?

The question I ask about stereotypes is:
What will this add to the movie?
Will this character be as effective if they were say a little person or a black woman or a over athletic boss or a bill gates look-a-like?

By: Christy

Christy — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:37:23 +0000

I guess I just loved a movie. I don’t know. So many movies depict the terrible boss in different ways (office space jumps to mind), and it just seems like people are *looking* for something to be offended about. Maybe I’m just more easy going, but between the buzz about this and Walle, I think people just need to be able to see it as what it is – a movie. Janice is a stereotype, yes, but that isn’t saying she depicts every fat woman out there. I’m sure one of the writers met a fat woman on a doughnut binge at one point in their life and thought it would work in the movie.

And I guess that’s really all there is to it for me.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:23:56 +0000

The last scene of the movie really cinches it, folks.

We fatties just can’t step away from the doughnuts. WANTED reinforces that.

And I didn’t notice Angelina’s nose…

By: Bree

Bree — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:49:47 +0000

I’m not so offended as much amused by how society seems to think that all fat people are obsessed with donuts. If I had a tray of sweets in front of me to pick from, the donut would be the last one I’d choose.

By: Alyssa

Alyssa — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:59:17 +0000

There’smoretoyouthanjustfat, the short answer to that question is “No.” Actors are so desperate, even just to get an agent, let alone an actual job. I’m sure that woman’s agent would have dropped her if she’d turned down a role in a “major Hollywood movie.” I’m sure there was pressure on that actress from all sides. It’s hard enough to get cast in anything if you are fat, so you learn to accept whatever comes along. Plus, she can put it on her reel (a DVD composed of scenes she has done on film that is like a visual resume) and show producers that she has worked with “major players.” That, in turn, makes her more “cast-able” in the future.
The thing is, sometimes, as an actor, you feel like you have to do a job, even if it is abhorrent to you, just to stay alive in the industry.
Which is one of the main reasons I quit.

By: Carol Gwenn

Carol Gwenn — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:16:42 +0000

Take the time to give yourself a huge, wonderful present: watch the trailer for DISFIGURED! What a great piece of film this is & don’t I wish I were in NYC to be able to see it! If it’s going to come to L.A., I’ll be the first in line for a ticket. Looks like a REALLY terrific job.