Police brutality, social exclusion,racism and unrest of banlieu youth are the salient objective of the movie. In Paris immigrants have been pushed to the suburbs and left uneducated through government policies. In the movie, we watched the other side of the story which analyzes the unrests from suburban youths' side. The protagonists of the movie are three young immigrant (Vinz, Hubert and Said) and their one day has been screened. Actually, we observe that their violent actions aren't related with their origin. They are prone to violence because they are excluded from society. Public stereotype towards immigrants make them wild so they are far from being integrated into the society. In one scene police forces humiliate the two immigrant without a reason (just because they are immigrant) and in this sense the notion of hospitality turns into hostility. Derida indicates that being hospitable is also means that keeping the immigrant under control. (Rosello, 2001) The idea is in order to be hospitable, firstly the one must have power to host. In France case the level of power and control, that the government and police exert, is problematic and too much. In this sense, the power to host turns to be power to force or suppress. In one scene police says Vinz that police is here to protect them and Vinz responds him that who would protect immigrants from police.
“So far so good… so far so good… so far so good.” How you fall doesn’t matter. It’s how you crash.’
I think the most impressive part of the movie is the final scene. Throughout the movie Vinz keeps saying that he will kill a police officer with a gun he's found, if his friend dies and Hubert tries to stop him by saying "hatred breeds hatred". (Kassovitz, 1995) At the end of the movie Vinz gives up his claim thanks to Hubert and gives the gun to him. As Said and Vinz leaves Hubert, police car pulls up and officers begin to beat Vinz. Hubert sees them and closes there with the gun. Police officer kills Vinz. So here we observe the dilemma of Hubert about using or not using the gun. Although Hubert is a good natured man, the situation he faced force him to fire his gun. The message here is the immigrants who exert fear around the suburbs are not bad in nature but other people's actions shape their behavior. At the end Hubert decides how he wants to land. The term “So far so good… so far so good… so far so good.” How you fall doesn’t matter. It’s how you crash.’ signifies their lost life in suburbs.
Reference :
Rosello, Mireille. Introduction to Postcolonial Hospitality: The immigrant as Guest. Stanford, Standford UP, 2001.
"At the end Hubert decides how he wants to land. The term “So far so good… so far so good… so far so good.” How you fall doesn’t matter. It’s how you crash.’ signifies their lost life in suburbs. "
ReplyDeleteYes and also how one can lost it although one kept itself from violence for a long time.
Therefore this kind of reaction is justifiable. Not excusable, but at least understable.