Civic Duty DVD Review

DVD REVIEW: CIVIC DUTY

10/08/07

Living in the post 9/11 era, who among us hasn’t felt a little mistrust, and fear when watching the evening news anchor drone on about another threat from the Al-Qaeda. Maybe we’ve even felt a little paranoia as we say good bye to loved ones in an airport and see a person of questionable ethnicity walk by. Most of us just , shrug it away, thinking it could never happen to us, those thing just don’t touch the lives of normal people like us, or do they? If September 11th showed us anything, its that things like that are now a very real and scary part of our everyday lives, and it can touch anyone, especially regular people who go to work everyday, and go on business trips and vacations with our families. How many of those people who were in the Towers that day, and on those planes were working, or just spending time with their families? How many loved ones were bid farewell to that morning never to be seen again? Now the mistrust, fear and paranoia has become the general rule instead of the exception, but if faced with what we believe to be potential danger, how far would we go to protect ourselves as well as the ones we love. Also how much quicker are we to irrationally racially profile someone and instantly scream terrorist if we see someone of the Muslim or middle eastern persuasion? The movie is a perfect example about how fear and irrationality has made some people increasingly paranoid, and people prefer to shoot first and ask questions later, even if innocent people get hurt.

It starts with Terry Allen who’s a frustrated accountant, played very believably by Peter Krause (Six Feet Under), who’s just been laid off and sees his dreams of moving into his perfect house with his perfect wife evaporate. Suddenly his life is anything but perfect, he’s got to much time on his hands, he’s snapping at everyone, including the woman he loves. Suddenly a new neighbor which he believes to be “middle eastern” moves in and his mind begins to slowly unravel. He becomes obsessed with the man’s actions , his comings and goings. He begins to search the news and the post office most wanted terrorist posters, wanting, almost needing to find some connection to this man. He contacts and then begins to harass the FBI with what he believes is proof that this guy is involved with terrorist. He follows the man and even becomes so bold as to break into his house, needing to find solid proof that will prove to everyone especially himself, that this man means everyone harm. After seeing what he believes to be suspicious items in his house , he later returns to his own house hours later to discover his house open and his shower on. He decides to confront this neighbor , believing him responsible for the break in, but not even he could have imagined what he was capable of doing, once his paranoia turns to obsession and he is convinced he is saving his country from a terrorist.

This movie was a perfect example of how the media can create such a fear and paranoia in even the most normal and rational people and turn us into murders and terrorists ourselves. It gives an interesting perspective of what fear can do, and what we as human beings are capable of becoming when we let that fear turn into hate. It makes you really think, and hopefully will make people take a good look at themselves and not pass judgment on those who are different and believe in different things, lest we become the terrorist and are subsequently judged. We cannot let that fear become violence because when we allow that to happen , we are no better that the ones we work so hard to fight against and then the whole point of what makes this country so great, freedom, becomes irrelevant. We are a great country because we are a melting pot of religions, ethnicities, opinions, race, and age and none are to be discriminated against, and this movie perfectly portrays what can happen to that freedom when you allow that fear that others will instill on us to infiltrate and tear us apart from within. Being a born and raised New Yorker, it really tore my heart apart the day I witnessed what other’s hate toward us will drive them to do. I saw a monument that was a large part of a lot of my childhood memories become garbage in a matter of seconds, so I can understand the outrage and fear at losing something so special, and losing so many innocent human lives, at the hands of people who’s beliefs would have them give up their own lives in order to make their point. But once you see this movie and see how far the fear and hate can take you, you may realize that all it does is turn you into what you wish to fight against the most, a terrorist. I really recommend watching this movie with an open mind, because it was more than entertainment, it was a lesson that people should consider and hopefully learn. The characters do a wonderful job of getting their message across and Peter Krauss does an excellent job of making you both pity him and simultaneously make you outraged at his actions and thoughts. Also Khaled Abol Naga, does such a wonderful job portraying the suspicious neighbor that your not sure whether to root for him or for his demise. I hope this will be the one that stays with people, and really makes them think and maybe even changes a few peoples perspective. After all, as I’ve always said, the basis of a great movie is that it makes you think, and this one does that and more. This one may actually teach you something.

VIDEO:
Widescreen 1.78:1

AUDIO:
English 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles English Spanish

RATING BREAK DOWN:

FILM REVIEW
VIDEO
AUDIO
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Review By Helen
helen@smartcine.com

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DVD REVIEW: CIVIC DUTY 10/08/07

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