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While I've never mentioned that before (believe it or not, there are aspects of Hermehditary I still haven't criticized), I did notice it anyway, and bringing that up is a fair point; in fact, that inconsistency can taken as another indication of Ari Aster's messy, maybe even... "sloppy" approach when it came to making that movie, let's say?
I don’t disagree with that; it can be read that way. Generally, I wouldn’t even say I like Aster, I like Hereditary. I don’t see that sort of thing as an “inconsistency” anyway; it’s probably deliberate, in line with how Annie never loved that child, wanted (and tried ceaselessly) to abort him, maybe he was sired by a lover. Prenatal resentment, yadda yadda, makes it easier for the demon to pounce on him. I agree that it is not ideal, but not really a problem for me in this context.

I do admit it’s a valid and amusing criticism.



While I've never mentioned that before (believe it or not, there are aspects of Hermehditary I still haven't criticized), I did notice it anyway, and bringing that up is a fair point; in fact, that inconsistency can taken as another indication of Ari Aster's messy, maybe even... "sloppy" approach when it came to making that movie, let's say?


I have a student of two white parents who "looks Middle Eastern". She is the spitting image of her two siblings, just with slightly darker skin.

I mean, this is the father of Alex Wolff:


And this is his mother:



It's weird to me that this would be seen as a criticism of this film. Kids with different coloring from their family already have to put up with a lot of weird racism or comments about being "illegitimate". Now we're saying it's unrealistic that they . . . exist?



Yes, it was, there is something to it. It’s memorable. But not quite my cup of tea. Also as a general note, I’m longing to see a film where such a nice suburban mummy actually
WARNING: spoilers below
takes the drug dealer’s money and does have sex with him, whether out of fear or by choice (preferably choice). That would be original in terms of human psychology: she seemed all sweet and then she did that.
I think that films like that do exist, but those are films where the main character is more like a villain. This film was more focused on the idea of someone who is casually pushed around by a lot of people in her life and gets taken to a point where she has to fight back. She just wants this dangerous stranger out of her life with as little risk to herself and her child as possible, and I think that's a really realistic emotional viewpoint.

I mean, having sex with someone
WARNING: spoilers below
out of fear is just rape. And I didn't mind that the character in this film wasn't actually raped. And if she did have sex with him out of choice that would be her trying to seduce or play him, and that's a really dangerous game to play, and one that could endanger her child.



I have a student of two white parents who "looks Middle Eastern". She is the spitting image of her two siblings, just with slightly darker skin.

I mean, this is the father of Alex Wolff:


And this is his mother:



It's weird to me that this would be seen as a criticism of this film. Kids with different coloring from their family already have to put up with a lot of weird racism or comments about being "illegitimate". Now we're saying it's unrealistic that they . . . exist?
To be clear: “looks Middle Eastern” was a quote and not my language.



To be clear: “looks Middle Eastern” was a quote and not my language.
I know.

I'm just pointing out that kids having features, coloring, hair texture, etc that doesn't match the dominant racial/ethnic presentation of their parents is not at all uncommon and remarking about it as if it's a weird thing just adds to some not very nice comments that are directed at kids who don't "match" their parents.

I know I'm kind of a killjoy about stuff like this, but it's the kind of "harmless/amusing" observation that feeds into bullying.

I actually thought that both kids being believable as their children, and yet being a little different looking was an interesting dynamic.



I don’t disagree with that; it can be read that way. Generally, I wouldn’t even say I like Aster, I like Hereditary. I don’t see that sort of thing as an “inconsistency” anyway; it’s probably deliberate, in line with how Annie never loved that child, wanted (and tried ceaselessly) to abort him, maybe he was sired by a lover. Prenatal resentment, yadda yadda, makes it easier for the demon to pounce on him. I agree that it is not ideal, but not really a problem for me in this context.

I do admit it’s a valid and amusing criticism.
Eh, I didn't see any indications (even just subtle ones) that that was the case in the movie, but that's not surprising, considering how little thought Aster gave to so many of the details in it.
I have a student of two white parents who "looks Middle Eastern". She is the spitting image of her two siblings, just with slightly darker skin.

I mean, this is the father of Alex Wolff:

And this is his mother:

It's weird to me that this would be seen as a criticism of this film. Kids with different coloring from their family already have to put up with a lot of weird racism or comments about being "illegitimate". Now we're saying it's unrealistic that they . . . exist?
I know there are really people like that out there, but it still isn't common, and just because those kids exist doesn't automatically mean it isn't legitimate to find an example of it in a film odd, especially not within the larger context of a movie that's already full of things that seem kind of wonky, or just flat-out don't make any sense. I mean, you're comparing real life, something that is by its very nature completely natural and random, versus a specific, artificial narrative made up of a countless number of conscious creative choices on the part of the filmmakers, so something existing or being possible in real life doesn't automatically justify its existence in a movie.



I know there are really people like that out there, but it still isn't common, and just because those kids exist doesn't automatically mean it isn't legitimate to find an example of it in a film odd, especially not within the larger context of a movie that's already full of things that seem kind of wonky, or just flat-out don't make any sense.
What you're saying applies far more to the cranio-facial syndrome of the daughter than to a child whose coloring is a bit darker than his parents.

I mean, you're comparing real life, something that is by its very nature completely natural and random, versus a specific, artificial narrative made up of a countless number of conscious creative choices on the part of the filmmakers, so something existing or being possible in real life doesn't automatically justify its existence in a movie.
A lot of movie kids don't look a whole lot like their parents. Wolff looks enough like Byrne that it didn't seem all that outlandish.





Also, I thought that Wolff acted the heck out of his part and was really excellent in the role. If casting a strong actor meant casting someone who looked a little less like what we imagine a Byrne-Collette baby would look like, I'm fine with it.



What you're saying applies far more to the cranio-facial syndrome of the daughter than to a child whose coloring is a bit darker than his parents.
...which is why I already criticized that particular aspect of the movie multiple times back on the Corrie.




Love Naked and there's a really great commentary out there with Leigh and Thewlis.
Ditto. So sad that Cartlidge died young.
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