‘Shoot the Messenger’ takes aim at black-on-black hating
By Kenya Vaughn
Of the St. Louis American
As the opening credits for the film Shoot the Messenger jump across the screen, scored with 50 Cent’s “What Up Gangsta,” one might expect another Get Rich or Die Tryin’ type of ‘hood movie that depicts the harsh, violent and gritty life of the inner city.
Nothing could be further from the truth, geographically or literally.
In actuality, the film follows a British black man coming to terms with his race and the generational legacies of self-hatred and achievement gaps coupled with self-imposed discrimination and setbacks among blacks in England.
In Shoot the Messenger, the disintegration of black families – the absence of the black father in the home, male incarceration, black-on-black crime and failure within the mainstream public education systems – are exposed as global epidemics.
The movie also sheds light on a rarely discussed subject: bigotry and discrimination within the black community. The film illustrates how some of the black people who have defied the odds actually take pride in having the ability to look down on other black people.
The film follows successful computer programmer Joe Pascale (David Oyelowo). In a bold method of giving back to the community, he has decided to give up his luxurious career to become an inner-city teacher and serve as a role model for at-risk youth.
Due to his subconscious belief systems and preconceived notions about his own people, whom he genuinely wants to help, his plan backfires. In a scandal due to damaging false accusations, Joe loses his job, status and respect. He becomes resented, protested and crucified by the very people he has given up his plush life to help. He winds up as a downtrodden outcast.
Through the kindness of a stranger, Joe is eventually able to rebuild his life. But for the second go-round, he is fueled by resentment and develops a hatred and disdain for all blacks. Even though by society’s standards he is once again a success, his new motivation to point out and celebrate the faults of the community have a lethal impact on his personal, professional and spiritual life.
Only when he is forced to face the demons that initially led to his demise is he able to analyze why his life took such a tragic turn. He then realizes how his own hatred was responsible for not only his problems, but contributed to the ills of the people he felt were a catalyst to his own demise.
The film is a bit long. There are also a few disturbing stereotypes. But the acting, Ngozi Onwurah’s intense directing and straight-up, no-chaser script will challenge audiences to claim their role and responsibility in the problems that plague black communities around the world. The film bravely airs out the dirty laundry of a people and, at times, can be downright uncomfortable. But sometimes moving out of a person’s comfort zone is what moves people to change for the better.
Shoot the Messenger drives home the point that, in order for blacks to claim their place of greatness, we must move out of survival mode and operate out of forgiveness. Instead of buck-passing and scapegoating, black people need to stop using their hands to point fingers but instead to pull people up.
Shoot the Messenger will be shown as part of the Cinema St. Louis 15th Annual St. Louis International Film Festival on Friday, November 17 at 7 p.m. at Tivoli 3. The director will attend the screening. Visit www.cinemastlouis.org or call (314) 289-4153.
