Friday, May 08, 2009

Everybody's Doing It

Nice caption isn't it? I dint frame it hence its good! ha ha ha ha

To start with this is not a movie review.....

The title refers to a movie released in 2002 written by James LaRosa and directed by Jeff Beesley which I accidentally happen to see today. Thanks to You tube movies..

I don't watch much of English movies for the simple fact that I won't be able to follow it well dialogue through dialogue and frankly I was afraid it may have scenes which I am not comfortable to look at. And that made me watch just animated cartoon movies as I have a fascination for comic characters.

My life here in USA paved way to watch English movies. In the theaters we don't have much of choice and I have seen 2 movies [10.30pm shows] with my hubby. The first ever one turned to be worst and the second was a kind of okay.

Today I accidentally stepped upon the movies feature of the you tube [Till date I was just watching those movies posted as parts]. Randomly I picked this picture as the title indeed attracted me. Happy that it did turn out to be a good one. The plot was simple and clean and what we come across in day to day life.

Its about peer pressure in a high school to pledge against premarital sex. Pretty challenging plot isn't it. The director has indeed handled it well. The story revolves around the announcement from Government to take steps to avoid or reduce premarital sex among kids in every school. The school with 100% success rate in eradicating is awarded with funds.

This puts the pressure on the school to enforce the same on the kids. But the approach taken for this is where the school goes wrong. Instead of teaching the kids about the necessity of safe sex and the needs for healthier relationships, they try to enforce/ scare the kids with the consequences of premarital sex. They introduce a pledge system where the kids have to swore to be virgins and by doing this they get lot of benefits inclusive of scholarships! Under the leadership of a student [Caroline enacted by Brooke D'Orsay] they spy other students.

Though kids accept to the sign up the pledge for the attractive offers they are unable to keep up the promise. More the rules are enforced, more the kids tend to rebel. Angela, One among the kids doesn't wish to take the pledge just for the sake of it. She is exposed to the pressure from her peers as her sign would make it 100% and the school would get the funding. This disturbs her a lot as she is not able to accept the fact that sex is totally unhealthy and the real facts are being not put to the students. In spite of the fact she had a boyfriend and she being virgin, she strongly believed that one should realize inside them not to have intercourse and just not because of fear.

Finally the story ends with other students, parents and teachers understanding the fact that pressurizing doesn't lead to solutions and school management decides to introduce kids with the use of contraception and other safety methods along with the health science subject and aid for proper sex education.

Hey wait.. I already told to myself it isn't a review.. Okay I better stop here and go to what I wished to convey [I can hear people say "Oh God the post hasn't begin yet?" ]

I saw this in a more general perspective. This peer pressure is there every where. We name it society and tend to live in a way to please others rather than living for oneself. There was an instance in my home. My sister after her return from US, was commented on her dressing sense . I did accept that "when in Rome do as Romans do".. but what about your wishes. I heard most say "Just listen to the heart and proceed".. How could we really do when we constantly think to please others than trying to live for ourselves..

This is just a simple instance which I quoted. There are lot many. In most of the conferences you can see the dress code is suits for men. In western countries the costume helps in fighting against their climatic conditions. But why to do it back in India, in Chennai at peak summer. Doesn't it sound crazy?

About love or inter-caste marriages. Most of the opposition comes from the parents because of the fear that they can't face their social contacts or family members. The are forced not to realize their kids dreams even though they knew about it. I am not supporting inter-caste marriages/love marriages. Neither do I have belief in them. But this movie did indeed made me feel that its that society or peer makes the parents not to see the prospects with an open mind. I have been a witness for few of love marriages and also failures due to parents opposition. Very few cases had I got a chance to hear from a dad/mom proper reason for their non-cooperative moment. Most of them where "How do I face this world" as if the entire world is just looking at them. One even went to the extent of saying.. "If their daughter don't comply they have to leave to another town or place where no one would knew them".

Why were are unable to avoid this peer pressure. Rather how to fore go it? Good question but I haven't got a great answer to this yet. What is society? Ultimately its we, our self.. Then what could be stopping us? As the girl "Angela" in the movie its we who has to overcome this. Rome wasn't built in a day.. so I knew its not a simple and quick change to get its effect.. But I do hope in coming generation it could change..

Hoping for the best. Anyone with a good suggestion are welcome!!!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

True. The recent exp in my life is abt my sis's criteria on her groom hunt! Her mindset is "I need this kind coz this is what my friends are going for" whereas she should really be thinking "I need this because this is what suits me" !!!

பொன்ஸ்~~Poorna said...

Slowly i think your writing style and language have improved.. Keep up..

Even i just saw lot of movies in the first one year and wrote about them.. hee hee..