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| Toni Lysaith, Clarke Peters, Jules Brown. |
Directed by Spike Lee.
Written by James McBride and Spike Lee.
Da Good Bishop Enoch Rouse: Clarke Peters.
Flik Royale: Jules Brown.
Chazz Morningstar: Toni Lysaith.
Deacon Zee: Thomas Jefferson Byrd.
Da Organist T.K. Hazelton: Jon Batiste.
Sister Sharon Morningstar: Heather Simms.
Blessing Rowe: Colman Domingo.
Colleen Royale: De'Adre Aziza.
Box: Nate Parker.
Mookie: Spike Lee.
Box office: $383,803.
1. Your reaction so far? And what scene or moment has stayed with you since this morning?
2. What do you think of Da Good Bishop Enoch? Don't let the terrible revelation at the end of our viewing be your only reaction—put it in the context of the man we see before the revelation.
3. Flik and Chazz: do you they strike you as believable young teens? Don't focus on the acting of Jules Brown and Toni Lysaith–it is amateurish, we know that. But as characters: do they seem realistic, believable? If so, how so—if not, how not?
The film has a soundtrack by Bruce Hornsby and songs by Judith Hill: I know I like the songs. This is the one that introduces the film.
See you all tomorrow.
1. So far, I have really enjoyed the movie. It is hilarious, poignant, and feels like summer. The scene that has stuck with me since this morning is the scene where Sharon and Enoch were sitting on the couch and talking about raising kids. I really liked that after all the terrible, stagnant adults we have seen in this class, we finally got to see an adult realize that they do not have all the answers and try to change for the better. Additionally, we see adults trying to help eachother try to figure out how to change and parent better which is really refreshing. The adults do not blame the kids or some other scape goat for the terrible things that happen, they accept that they are not perfect and take some responsibility.
ReplyDelete2. I think that Enoch is a man who is really trying to be better. Enoch tries to protect Flik and even changes his parenting strategy (with Sharon's encouragement) when he realizes things are not working out. Enoch is initially uncompromising in his treatment of Flik which makes it hard for the two to relate, but Enoch slowly learns to meet Flik half way. I think Enoch is trying very hard to redeem himself for what he did to Blessing, but unless he ever actually takes responsibility and accepts punishment for what he did, this has no chance of happening. Even in Enoch does take responsibility and accept punishment for what he did, I do not know if what he did is ultimately redeemable, but I do think he is trying incredibly hard to do right by Flik.
3. Flik and Chazz seem almost believable, but just a little larger than life. Neither of them exhibits any caution whatsoever. Whether it's sneaking out, ruining a freshly poured sidewalk, or approaching gang members, neither Chazz nor Flik shows any fear or caution. While kids can be reckless, they are rarely so reckless as to approach known gang members with an expensive iPad. Both kids charge headfirst into every situation without any thought which is not entirely unrealistic, but I do not think the movie gives young teens' enough credit when it comes to thinking things through.
Although parts of the film were disturbing to watch, I have really enjoyed Red Hook Summer. I have not seen a Spike Lee film before, and really loved his style. The colors, camera angles, music, and editing of this movie were all unique and interesting. Even looking past the artistic appeal of it, I thought that the story was gripping and the characters felt very real. A scene that stuck with me was the facetime between Flik and his mom. The child who played Flik was clearly not the best actor, but in this moment he shined. Spike Lee perfectly wrote the exchange so that it felt raw and authentic. So many moments from this film were larger than life, but in this moment, the viewer was able to truly see Flik’s character and peek into the life of a boy his age.
ReplyDeleteThe bishop clearly has some deep buried issues that he struggles with throughout the movie and his life. Although it is hard to look past the scene of him and the boy, when I do, I see a caring, if at times misguided, man. He is truly trying to do what is best for the people in his congregation. His church gives them a true home within the projects and inspires them to look for the good in their lives. Although I do not agree with his belief that everyone must find his Jesus, his church, and his God, I believe that his actions were with the best intentions. Sadly though, because of his past, it is hard for me not to feel disgusted by him.
Because of their youthful and innocent rowdiness, I believe that Flik and Chazz are pretty accurate representations of teenagers. At many times, I saw a lot of myself in the conversations that Flik had. I related to the ways in which Flik was unnecessarily sassy, stubborn, and spiteful. They seemed very real for a kid his age who has been sent to live with his extremely religious grandfather. Chazz seemed a little less real to me. This probably comes from the fact that she is so religious, which does not really reflect her as a character, but more the way in which I was raised and the people around me. At least in the areas around me, almost every teenager I meet is very skeptical of religion and would not have the same blind faith that she does. This view that I have, though, very much is built on the place I live, go to school, and who I interact with.
ReplyDeleteI really like Spike Lee’s style when it comes to his films. The vibrant colors and perfectly fitting soundtrack draw me into the film before I am even introduced to the plot. I think that most would agree when I say that the scene revealing Enoch’s past as a child molester has been on my mind since we watched the film this morning. The moment was so shocking because we had just started to catch a glimpse of Enoch and Flik’s new, positive relationship, and a secret like this being revealed spoiled that future for them suddenly and tragically.
I think that Enoch has many beliefs that are good for himself and his way of living. He has good intentions, though they are often misconstrued. He does not understand his own limitations, and will try to force his ideas and ways of living onto others, even if they do not want to abide by his ideals. The conversation between Enoch and Chazz’s mother seemed to be pivotal in Enoch’s treatment of kids in Flik’s generation. I am very conflicted in my opinions on his character. I do not think the viewer should discredit all of his positive attributes because of a mistake he made in the past; however, it is hard to give credit to someone who ruined another’s life and did not own up to it--especially in the case of child molestation.
I think that these teens are very overdone and exaggerated. Right off the bat, it is obvious that Spike Lee, as an older man, is writing about the teen experience from an outside perspective. The idea that teens are glued to their iPad’s, as well as the idea that kids these days are all vegan, are very stereotypical and not always accurate. This is not the first instance in which Spike Lee exaggerates depictions of modern-day teens: the Netflix series adaptation of She’s Gotta Have It includes the same types of exaggerations. In terms of Flik and Chazz’s personalities, I think that the depictions are more realistic. They both seem to be angry at the world for minor reasons, which is coherent with teens of any time period.
1. I have really enjoyed this movie thus far, I like the characters particularly Flik. The editing and the overall style of the movie is very unique and I’ve never seen anything like it before. One scene that really stuck with me was when Flick was asking his grandfather where god was in certain areas. The editing for that moment was perfect, when you saw Flik in front of the gang members or the buildings of the city. The actor isn’t the best, but this was a really good moment for him.
ReplyDelete2. Bishop Enoch is an incredibly confusing character, it seems that he has really made an effort to change who he once was. I’ve met a lot of religious people who are like him. HIs intentions are all very good ones with his grandfather, but he puts too much trust into god. He pushes god onto Flik a great deal and lets him see it as his only option for happiness. At first I had really like him and his character I thought he was going to develop into a strong relationship with his grandson, but it is impossible for me to look past the things he did with the young boy.
3. I felt that it was an accurate depiction of teenagers/kids. They were having fun in the summer time, causing trouble and doing what they want too. They have things that they’re angry or passionate about. I love the stubbornness of Flik and his independence. He really makes the movie for me.
1. I am not too sure how I feel about this film just yet. I can't seem to find to a character that I am really drawn to or care about (I like Deacon Zee and the organist though). This movie feels like it takes all the stereotypes about what the hood is like and condenses it to characters. I think the movie is going to make some sort of commentary about sexual abuse and victim blaming in the black community and the effects of gentrification on minority neighborhoods. It just needs a bit more time to play out. The scene where Blessing showed up to the church and outed Bishop Enoch as his abuser resonated with me. The fact that the men tried carrying Blessing out instead of confronting the Bishop is an example of that victim blaming mentality. I also saw it with the mention of “fast project girls” and the “there’s a difference between a baby mama and a single mother” conversations. I like the way the movie was filmed, the way that it switches between being on an iPad vs an actual camera, the way that the filters change and show flashbacks. Something that stuck with me was when Bishop Enoch was running down the hallway and cornered Flik by the door and the camera looked like there was someone holding it and running with them. I loved it.
Delete2. For a good portion of the movie, I thought the Bishop was really annoying and not a genuine person. The whole “you need Jesus” thing he had going on really rubbed me the wrong way and he never seemed to actually care about Flik. He also was also weirdly concerned with everyone else’s personal business, particularly the boy who is a member of the bloods. It was like he made it his personal job to be God’s messenger in the community. I liked when he was having the conversation with Chazz’s mom and she tells him that Flik needs a man, not a pastor or god. I liked the idea that religion should be a supplement to the lessons that you teach as a parent/guardian. After finding out that he is abuser, I felt like I could start to understand why he took this bishop persona so seriously. I don’t think I understand it enough to give a definitive reason for it but this event makes his character make more sense.
3. I think that Chazz is a lot more believable than Flik. My biggest problem with Chazz’s character is that they really overdid the “ghetto black girl from the projects” stereotype. She was loud and animated in such an over the top way that was almost offensive. Perhaps that is just because of her acting and this may not even be a valid criticism. Despite this, she genuinely struggled with the assumption of people thinking she’s “fast” because she’s a black girl from the projects and having to watch her friends turn away from the church to join gangs. She finds a friend in Flik. That is realistic. On the other hand, Flik’s character seemed too detached from any understanding of what it means to be black in the projects (or maybe even black in general). I remember when Chazz said “you talk white” and he said “I go to a private school in Atlanta”. That struck me because this is my first year at a predominately white school but I’ve been told by black people all my life that I “talk white”. He could’ve been a character that I saw myself in but he is a character that I dislike. For a black kid (even if he presumably is from a white area), I think he lacks an incredible amount of street-smarts. Nobody goes to the projects and openly brandishes an IPad and starts recording people without permission unless they want to be robbed. Everyone knows who the bloods are. He also had no manners whatsoever. I feel like they could’ve done a whole lot more with his character to make him feel real and not clueless. At the end of the day, I think that this movie stresses the fact that they are young and innocent and just want to enjoy their summer vacations, which is something most teens want.
1 ) I have enjoyed the movie so far. I find all of the characters to be pretty believable. I liked the twist ending. The movie lures the audience into a false sense of security and then springs the ending on them. One scene that stuck with me was the scene when Enoch and Chazz’s mom were talking on the couch. They talked about how differ their early lives were from the children’s. I thought that this scene was very interesting.
ReplyDelete2 ) Bishop Enoch seemed nice in the beginning of the movie. He seemed like a relatively good person even though he seemed a bit strange. He is clearly extremely religious and he is upset by the fact that Flik does not believe in God. He seemed to really care about his community and the people in his church.
3 ) Flik and Chazz seem to be fairly believable teenagers to me. I thought that the scene with the rat was funny and also the scenes with the cement. They seem to like each other and they seem to like hanging out and joking together. There relationship feels real. I think that they are some of the most believable teenagers we have seen yet.
Overall, I have enjoyed the rollercoaster of emotions the movie has led me on. The moment you think the movie is about the bonding between a grandfather and his grandson, a curveball is thrown at you. My favorite scene has to be when the grandfather was speaking with Chazz’s mom about raising kids. I loved when he opened up about his father, and how god helped him find the way. Chazz’s mother speaking about her daughter who died and how she is going to do everything in her power to make sure that nothing like that ever happened to Chazz was incredible. Seeing how much she cared and loved Chazz was inspiring.
ReplyDeleteI find Enoch to be very inspiring. He finds a way to always see the glass half full, and has a positive impact on everyone he runs into. Once he talked to Chazz’s mom, he was able to understand Flick a little better and grow closer to him. The scene that we saw at the end of the movie was truly shocking; I never expected Enoch to have done something like that.
The kids seem very realistic to me, based on how their relationship was created. The bonding between them seemed similar to how I have met new people in the schools I have been new to. I can also see how Flik’s hesitation to the church could be very real. He is suddenly pushed into a situation that is completely obscure to him and expected to embrace it with open arms. The only part of these kids that is hard for me to believe is the disrespect that Flik initially shows Enoch. I personally believe that most kids would have respected their grandfathers wishes and obliged to work at the church without complaining.
1. I really like this movie. It is very funny and upbeat and the actors (most of them) are great at making their characters feel believable and full of life. My favorite moment from the movie so far is the one where Chazz's mom (forgot her name) and Bishop Enoch are talking on the couch. Chazz's mom tells the bishop that Flik doesn't need the Bible, he needs your love. This really changed the way that Bishop Enoch looks at the world and his interactions with other people. He learns that while the Bible may be the solution to all of his problems, others may not feel the same.
ReplyDelete2. I think that he is trying to compensate for his mistakes in the past. He is trying to right the wrong he did in the past. Once is he kicked out of his hometown, he reforms himself and tries to help others and be as holy as possible.
3. I think that Spike Lee thinks that teens are generally more reckless and addicted to technology than they are in real life. I don't think very many teens are dumb enough to walk up to gang members with an expensive iPad and try to film them. The way that Flik is unable to use his judgement on where and when it is appropriate to film things with his iPad is either an excessive stereotype or something seriously wrong with Flik. I feel like Spike Lee sees teenagers the way that Bishop Enoch talks about them in his "tradition" speech.
ReplyDelete1. Your reaction so far? And what scene or moment has stayed with you since this morning?
I really enjoy it. I took John’s Spike Lee class last short term, and and I think understanding Spike’s style has made me appreciate the film more. The scene that has stuck with me the most so far has to be the classic Spike Lee dolly shot when Blessing confronts Enoch. The acting in that scene is incredible and it's such a classic Spike Lee scene.
2. What do you think of Da Good Bishop Enoch? Don't let the terrible revelation at the end of our viewing be your only reaction—put it in the context of the man we see before the revelation.
I think the Bishop is throwing himself into his religion in an attempt to forgive himself for was he did. I do not in any way think he is a ‘changed man’ or that his heart is in the right place, I simply believe he is overcompensating by devoting his ENTIRE life to God.
3. Flik and Chazz: do you they strike you as believable young teens? Don't focus on the acting of Jules Brown and Toni Lysaith–it is amateurish, we know that. But as characters: do they seem realistic, believable? If so, how so—if not, how not?
I think that, while Chazz’s character is fun and lovable, Flik’s character is a little too stereotypical. I understand the juxtaposition between Brooklyn and Atlanta (north and south), but I think Flik’s obsession with his iPad 2 borders on being categorized as product placement. I still think Flik’s character is likeable, but I think it would be better if his character was toned down slightly.
1. I think I like this movie so far. I thought it was sweet at the beginning. I loved the relationship between Chazz and Flik which is probably a popular opinion. I was hoping Flik and his grandfather would meet each other halfway about the religion topic. I was just amused with the story, but then we ended on a huge reveal. Honestly the scene where the man confronted Enoch was the most powerful. There was so much commotion and emotion packed into that scene. The man was screaming, Enoch was praying, and everyone was shouting about Chazz. It’s just made me realize that this movie was serious on a deeper level because it was so well done.
ReplyDelete2. I thought he was very positive character. It did feel like something was off but I thought he was adding a great new perspective and adult in his life. Although he clearly isn’t a good role model now he did seem like a wise and experienced adult. I thought he would pull out something deeper in Flik, but the window for that kind of situation just closed. I liked the fact that he was friends with everyone. He had become a big factor in the community and it was a good place for Flik to jump in and get a taste of the different lifestyle
3. Yes, definitely. These kids had a very realistic portrayal. They seem much more appropriate for their age. Chazz jokes around with him so much without much thought behind it and Flik doesn’t react. This felt just like my experience around sixth grade. You guys warned us about their acting but it didn’t bother me at all because thats how kids really act. I liked that these kids were in their own bubble. They snuck around stealing food and talking about the adults thinking they were really fooling them. They seemed very naive and I’m curious to see how they handle the aftermath of the scene we ended on.
ReplyDeleteI won’t be able to give a complete opinion on the film until we’ve finished it because, as we’ve seen, things can change in an instant in this movie. For now though, I’d say I’m intrigued by the possible endings of the film despite certain acting and cinematography moments are a little shaky. The moment that stayed with me from the film was obviously the twist where the grandpa was revealed to be a child molester, and I think this is justified just because of the pure shock the reveal and scene provided.
Enoch is a peculiar case. It’s all too easy to judge him just based on his past, but, all things considered, he is not the most apathetic character possible by any means. Since his crimes, he’s been making a conscious effort to seemingly change himself for the better. A few things I didn’t like about Enoch, even ignoring the flashback, are how, in a time of panic and emergency for Chazz after Blessing had just been kicked out, instead of taking action, he stood and prayed without actually doing anything. I also disliked the moment when he pinned Flik to the door, but maybe that scene was just meant to foreshadow what we learn later.
It is a little hard for me to get past the acting. Even beyond that, however, I think the characters of Chazz and Flik are written in very stereotypical and one-dimensional ways, and, so far, they’ve only had key emotional moments when the plot required it or the director wanted it, not because something in the story actual prompted a change of heart. I was not convinced by the teens on the film.
I know that this is long after 9/9:30, but I had to catch up to where you guys were in the movie.
ReplyDelete1. The movie’s fun to watch, and I like the way Spike Lee plays with themes of love, family, poverty, death, and religion in the movie. At times, though, the movie comes across as heavy-handed. There is very little subtlety. Some of the issue might be that the actors for Flick and Chazz are not very good. A scene that’s stayed with me was when Chazz was threatening to jump over the side. The entire time the kids were talking, I was thinking, “Wow, this scene would be really moving if those kids could act.” Since there was no nuance in their voices, it got really hard for me to keep up with what they were talking about.
2. He seems to really care about his community. I especially loved him at the beginning when he was introducing Flick to everybody in the neighborhood, and again when he didn’t hesitate to buy Flick’s iPad back for him. I agree with Chazz’s mom though that Bishop Enoch is too quick to rely solely on prayer and religion. Clearly, horrible things are happening in the neighborhood, and even the ones with God in their lives are struggling.
3. They seem more like younger kids than teenagers. I thought they were 11, rather than 13. Flik and Chazz are very naive, very stubborn, and just want to play around. They also make friends with each other immediately, which is more like kids than teenagers. That being said, Flik and Chazz do seem like real people. They’re complicated and have both good and bad inside of them.
1. Overall, I think this movie is very mediocre. While some characters are acted terribly, others are acted amazingly such as the bishop. Besides the acting, the plot, at first, didn’t really seem to go anywhere. The introduction and scenes between Flik and Chazz took way too long. But, once the middle of the film is reached, there are different more serious scenes.
ReplyDelete2. I think Da Good Bishop Enoch is a changed man. As he described his terrible behavior before, it was clear to me that he no longer acts in this. This is most likely his reasoning to be so close to the lord know, for he really needed to follow a good path, rather than the child molester path he was already on. Enoch is definitely a good man, for he cares about his community and grandson. His only questionable action (as present day Enoch) is his constant push to make Flik accept Jesus, even after Sister Sharon told her Flik needs him, not Jesus.
3. Yes, they definitely do. They are dreamers big dreamers, just like every teen on this planet. Chazz itches to explore what else is out in the world other than Brooklyn. Flik wants to explore Brooklyn with Chazz, which gets him into trouble a few times. He also wants to make a documentary, using only and iPad 2. But regardless, they both have dreams, and they both love adventure.
(note: I got permission to turn this in late since I was sick in Friday. Also, I’ve already finished the film)
ReplyDelete1. Overall I really like this film. My only issue is that sometimes the not so great acting from Flik and Chazz got in the way of my enjoyment of the movie. There are two scenes that have stuck with me the most. One is the scene where the boy that Enoch molested is calling Enoch out. All this time, Enoch has been running from his misdeeds by portraying himself as this righteous figure who is always right, but now he is being exposed, and he is forced to be vulnerable. After this, the church erupts into chaos. I think this scene of complete chaos represents all the turmoil that exists beneath the surface with Enoch as a character and also within redhook in general. Another moment in this films that I thought was really brilliant was when the two detectives are talking about the stolen ipad case after Flik and Enoch leave. They say:
“The only thing we're gonna get out of this case is an empty feeling. How can we do police work, when even the preachers are afraid to talk?”
“The Hook. Red Hook, baby.”
“Shiiiiiiiiit”
Here, even though they are talking about the stolen ipad case, I think the case that will just “leave us with an empty feeling” is supposed to refer to the situation with Enoch. This moment stood out to me because it makes it clear how the adults are trying to help these children in Red Hook make something of themselves, but even though the adults (particularly Enoch) pretend to be these all righteous, all knowing figures, they are not these perfect people that they pretend to be, and they are not really capable of providing the answers for these kids.
Delete2. (note: because I was there for the discussion on Friday, I knew what Enoch had done while watching the whole film, which definitely gave me a biased view of him, but it was also really interesting to watch already knowing what he had done) I definitely think Enoch is a very charismatic man, but is always really bothered me how he portrayed himself as this righteous man and was always so critical of these young people. Even though he recognized that gentrification was a problem, he really blamed the young people for all of Red Hook’s problems. This was frustrating regardless of the fact that he really wasn’t a good guy, but it was even more frustrating once it was revealed that he had molested a child. Earlier, before this was revealed, I loved the moment when Chazz’s mom called Enoch out for not being a good mentor for Flick. She admitted that she didn’t have all the right answers, which Enoch was never able to do. Enoch wasn’t able to connect with Flick at all until after this conversation with Chazz’s mom, which allowed him to step off his high horse and stop being so critical of Flick all the time. Shortly after, he was able to connect with Flick, he was exposed as a child molester. I think for all these years he had been running from what he had done, and it finally catches up with him. Even though he has always felt guilt for what he has done and has tried to better himself, I don’t think he genuinely reconciled with what he had done until he is exposed and made to feel vulnerable. This doesn’t really happen until his victim publicly accuses him, he is beaten up by Box, and then goes on that long walk around Red Hook. I think for him to really redeem himself, he would have had to stop running and continue to face the emotions that he faced while going on the long walk around Red Hook, but then in the end, he just ends up moving away.
3. I actually do think they were pretty realistic. I remember in the discussion how people were talking about how Flicks disrespect towards his grandpa is unrealistic, but I actually thought this was not that unrealistic of a 13 year old boy. When you are a child you are always expected to respect adults, and I think part of being an adolescent is gaining this sense that you don’t actually owe these adults respect. This feeling usually just gets dismissed as entitlement, and oftentimes it is, especially with Flick, but sometimes this feeling that you don’t owe anyone respect is genuinely valid. Enoch certainly does not respect Flick. While watching all these films on adolescents, I often find it hard to draw the line from when this lack of respect is valid or when it is just entitlement. Sometimes, I think it is both.