"I deal with racist people all the time". That stinks. Can't we all just get along?
Anyway 2022's The Walk has a title that doesn't clearly define what it's about. I do know that it's one of those "don't forget where you came from" Boston movies. No judgement here. I just think I've seen too many of them over the past twenty years. "Walk" also has some Bostonian accents, one beatdown clip, and mentions the term "Southie" a lot. Paging Sean Maguire, Sean Maguire.
So yeah, The Walk is a film of many tones. It's all over the place. Talks about race, daughter protection, mob ties, and cop talk. It all feels like a TV miniseries wrapped up in 105 minutes. The screenplay is recycled, the interconnecting stories wander. You get an elongated version of Crash but it takes place on the other side of the country. Did I mention Terrence Howard is involved?
Mid-2000s films aside, did I like The Walk as a talky flick that was filmed entirely in New Orleans (masquerading as Beantown)? Somewhat. There were actually some scenes that left me with a lump in my throat. And did I gravitate towards "Walk" as a pic with wishy-washy characters who cater to the crux of altered stating? Not entirely. "Walk" suffers from being too effete. You don't ultimately know where everyone's head is at.
Distributed by Vertical Entertainment and edited with unvaried continuity by Justin Williams (he's been around the block for the past ten years), The Walk meanders for a good hour and a half until things come to a head. It's a film about ethnic group relations circa 1974 in Boston, Mass. The actors involved (Malcolm McDowell, Jeremy Piven, Justin Chatwin) aren't bad but their personas feel dated in a vehicle that despite good intentions, is indeed dated (I'm not referring to "Walk's" "Me' Decade" setting). "Walk about".
Plot summary
In 1974, a Boston Irish cop confronts fierce social pressure after being assigned to protect black high school students as they are bused into all-white South Boston High.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
June 10, 2022 at 08:02 AM
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VIEWS ON FILM review of The Walk
Good but needed more
I wanted there to be more parallels with other divisions in Boston to flesh out the broad truth about divisions among people.
Not a lot.. but a few thoughtful comments and remembrances about events in Northern Ireland and the history with the Brits.
You just have to watch the Godfatherti see the treatment of Italians.
Race is one issue but Irish Catholics were not a welcome group either vs Protestants And Italians were discriminated against too.
By the time of these events both groups became 'American white'.
Do maybe I'm asking too much. Maybe the history of our country needs revisions to include a broader and deeper set of info about how all immigrants were treated here oh and why they left their countries in the first place!
A Shocker
I'm Irish so, forgive my lack of knowledge of American Social History.
I was, and am, very well aware of Rosa Parks however, I never knew there was massive school segregation in the north most part of America. I always assumed that, because the northern states of America being more liberal, and most definitely pro abolitionist; whilst not all being well in the neighbourhood, assumed that life was more normal. This movie showed different.
It was a shocking eye opener to people like me, who know a lot yet, also know so little. I thought that the problem originally was with choice, not being allowed to go to the school of one's choice. Upon viewing, it appears it was the forcing of students to attend colleges, they did not want to attend....
All I can say is this. The culmination of cast, crew, writers, directors, etc., none of whom I know by the way (except for Malcom McDowell); put together a package that is not easily forgotten. He actually brought a smile to my face. An Englishman, speaking with a broad Boston Irish accent, and speaking Irish, brought a little light relief, to a serious story.
Well done everyone, for bringing this piece of history to light, I could relate. It's the first movie to watch at my age (64) that relates to my life.
In 1974, I was 16. I was doing my secondary school exams in June, after 3 years of education. I passed the exams with flying colours and applied for a job in the Irish Air Corps (RAF, USAF). By September I had no word, I was back in school studying higher maths with no books because, I didn't know if I'd needed them.
Eventually a letter was sent to the Irish Government to find out if I had a job or not. I did, I joined, did 32 years, and retired as an Air Crash Investigator. Ironically, all this transpired during massive problems in Ireland, mostly in the North. The storylines are different yet, not so different. Fear and hatred, on either side o the Athaltic, induced by history; which can be overcome, by courage and strength of character, and people.