|
F- - - Send This Review to a Friend
Making an entire documentary about the use of the F word, historically, comically and controversially, would seem to be a challenge. But filmmaker Steve Anderson has proved himself up to it by surveying the usage and peppering the work with interviews, some singing the praises of freedom and other scorning what they see as corruption of values. The pro free speech side comes off best, as the film makes the naysayers seem silly.
Those easily upset by language, the use of this word in particular, probably wouldn’t want to go near this provocative film. However, those who see more problems with censors than with the word will find much to enjoy and bolster their opinions.
One can note examples set by Lenny Bruce and viewpoints by comics Bill Maher and Billy Connolly and filmmaker Kevin Smith, to cite but a few examples. The appalled include Pat Bone, conservative film critic Michael Medved and Judith Martin (Miss Manners). Many figures from different walks of life add their two cents, and the film gleefully tallies the times the F word is used in it at about 800.
There are illustrative scenes of copulation, animal and human, all in an effort to take the mystique out of the deed as well as the word.
After a while a bit of boredom sets in. How much can you flog the same word? But perhaps what’s most interesting about the film, apart from the humor that courses through it, is what is revealed about censorship. There is a need to protect free speech and the excuse of protecting our children is not a justification for trampling on the first amendment, and many who get overwrought about the F word are generally in the camp that would censor far more.
Also, those who worry about children using so-called bad language are living in a dream world. Youngsters are already way ahead of what their elders think they know and use when out of the house. It was that way when I was a boy, and all indications are that it is even more so now. A THINKFilm release.
|