ROTTEN TOMATOES: Ricci Promises Positive Female Role Model in Speed Racer Comments

Ricci Promises Positive Female Role Model in Speed Racer

by Fred Topel | February 04, 2008

Summary

We know Speed Racer will be a visual treat with plenty of action, but perhaps it will have good values too. Christina Ricci, who plays Trixie, described all the progressive women's lib stuff she gets to play in the movie. Back to Article

(21-35 of 35 posts) | Reply

Vortex&Vertigo writes:
on Feb 05 2008 07:37 AM

In reply to this comment (#1554729)
Yes they produce V, but they also wrote the screenplay. So it's there vision. It's like the nightmare before christmas. Burton didn't direct it. But the vision was all his.

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Weicher writes:
on Feb 05 2008 07:44 AM

In reply to this comment (#1554801)
Absolutely agree.

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Feb 05 2008 09:00 AM

SHE WAS A ROLE MODEL IN BLACK SNAKE MOAN! YOU GUYS

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bethehero7404 writes:
on Feb 05 2008 09:08 AM

The fact that this movie is finally getting made is amazing. I never thought that this would have worked. Rumor was Johnny Depp as Speed but this will work. "CAR-FU" could be a good addition to Bullet-time and knife-time from Matrix and V for Vendetta.

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sfsilver writes:
on Feb 05 2008 10:08 AM

I'm so over the comic book fan crowd dismissing every adaptation that doesn't slavishly adhere to the source material. I think it's as silly as Jane Austen fans who get all out of whack about Pride and Prejudice. The VAST majority of the audience for V never would have even known the comic/graphic novel existed. Film is a different medium and I'll allow an adapter to make choices. It was an entertaining film that had more to say that was relevant to our world than most action films.

The Wachowski's for the first Matrix and Bound alone have earned enough good will in my mind for me to be interested in what they have come up with. Both are near perfect. One was flat out visionary. Most film makers can't even aspire to what they accomplished with those two films.

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TombstoneLawDog writes:
on Feb 05 2008 12:32 PM

I say 'bully' for Ricci and that I'm happy she got what she considers a strong role. I have to ask; does it serve the story?
Generally, I tend to agree with the 'Porn & Co about the unnecessary nature of 'feminizing' movies, and I can't help but bring it all back to the original master of balancing the hero/heroine role: James 'I-GAVE-BIRTH-TO-RIPLEY-AND-SARAH-CONNOR' Cameron. Hell, even Rose from Titanic was at least as strong/heroic as Leo in that movie.
My point (and--pardon my conceit--I believe Cameron's): If you have a story to tell, and you have a character that fits that story, GO WITH IT, whether it's a man or a woman. It will almost ALWAYS be better than worrying, after-the-fact, whether your story would be better served by a male or female lead. If you have to ask that, you've already gone corporate and lost your way. See, e.g., 'Hitcher'

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TombstoneLawDog writes:
on Feb 05 2008 12:33 PM

..and by 'Hitcher,' I mean the remake that came out last year.

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trpsomewhere writes:
on Feb 05 2008 01:39 PM

V for Vendetta (which the Wachowskis produced) was a rather good movie! Now, this comes from an outsider who had no idea that it was based on a Graphic Novel until I saw the titles at the start!

I liked the Matrix series as well..!

I'm not a die-hard Wachowski-fan, but I liked those works. Speed Racer is based on a cartoon! I don't expect (and wouldn't like it either) if this whole movie is cartoony with bright pastel colors (as long as I don't go blind) and looks like a cartoon with the similarly handicapped humor from the cartoons!

I think it'll be a really nostalgic moment if they're able to achieve that... and I think it looks the part from the trailer! I'm looking forward to this movie for the nostalgia, and the trailer is promising!

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Marineboy writes:
on Feb 05 2008 02:46 PM

V was great - far more politically adventurous than any other movie, even if Moore disowned it (I don't know why, what did he really expect? Lawrence of Arabia?).

Spped Racer looks gaudy fun - a real live action interpretation of Manga...

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Shompy writes:
on Feb 05 2008 03:49 PM

In reply to this comment (#1554174)
what exactly about her role is overly feminizing? she flies in a helicopter and kung fu fights. should women not be allowed to do this? shes just playing her role. you might also notice she mentions the mom always has an apron on. so not exactly politically correct. its just...speed racer. if you're that sensitive to the slightest mention of feminism, well thats kinda unfair. and if this movie turns out to be a steaming pile, at least they did something adventurous. i mean yes its a remake of a tv show but still...speed racer. thats gonna take some creativity to pull off.

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RedConverse writes:
on Feb 05 2008 10:39 PM

I agree with what Shompy said. What's the point in bashing a nice sentiment like this for no reason? Are you trying to sound witty or smart or something?
So what, unless it's a Lifetime movie, it should have a crappy, shallow female character? Also, this movie in no way perpetuates some "men bad, women good" societal standard. So it's got a great supporting female character, along with plenty of fun and style for a variety of audiences, including plenty of testosterone-fueled awesomeness to go around.
Geez.
Also, this movie looks awesome, and 300 is vastly overrated and over-praised. Just thought I'd throw that in there.

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RedConverse writes:
on Feb 05 2008 10:42 PM

Also, PornAgainChristian, I could never even have dreamt up a dumber name.

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RedConverse writes:
on Feb 05 2008 10:46 PM

Congratulations.

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Weicher writes:
on Feb 06 2008 03:57 AM

In reply to this comment (#1555035)
Well, if you had read the comic-book you would have realised of what a great film this could have been... I don't think anyone would disagree that the film is vastly inferior to the book. That's all I'm saying. They can depart of the source material, as long as they improve it (like Coppola made in Apocalypse Now or the Godfather, for example). But in this case, they ruined it. You liked V the movie because it is a slightly naif political satire full of action for post-teenagers, but it really DOESN'T HOLD UP.

Please read the book. We'll talk later.

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bigbrother writes:
on Feb 09 2008 12:14 PM

In reply to this comment (#1556639)
Hmmmm I personally adore V for Vendetta. True I never read the comic book, but this was never going to be a movie that got by on it's built in comic book audience. Frankly it just wasn't that popular. I loved it as a classy film that mixed evocative political satire with historical parody and orwellian themes that really delivered throughout.

I think people who read comic tend to overemphasize source material. I actually went out and read the comic book after seeing the movie and it at least for me didn't live up. I found for me anyway the movie didn't suffer for being tightly packaged, action packed and less drawn out. These were actually improvements for me on the book, but I think this phenomenon is easily explained. It's the same reason why many people who grew up in the 70's still like Roger Moore as Bond and kids today will insist Metallica's version of Turn the Page is better than Bob Segers (Ridiculous I know). It's hard to overcome the advantage of being the original in people minds.

I for one can't picture ever getting tired of this movie. Especially the Edmund Dantes scene, The "He was all of us" solilquay at the end and the "For 4 years I had roses and apologized to no one" scene with Rose which still makes me well up(I know I'm a big sissy. Screw you all for judging me)

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