Ghett´a Life by Chris Browne

1. Who was your favorite character (s) from the film? Why?


I think my favorite character from the film was the mother of the protagonist, she wanted to support and help her son, and also she fought against the gangs that wanted to kill Derrick. Dawn Thompson it was amazing for me, because she tried to be a good mother, maybe because she lost their other son, and tried to don't do the same mistakes with Derrick or maybe she was a real good mother, independet of the situation. For Dawn the politics was a stupid thing, and when she saw that Derrick start to understand that the society can’t be work with murders, the intimidation and the constant flow of  blood, I think she felt good, like if in that moment his son opened their eyes for the first time.

And also I like the old enemy of Derrick called Gully rat, because he changed her vision of the reality, they converted in friends after to fight in the boxing gym. I suffered when Gully dies, because he salve Derrick and his family, when in the past he always said thathe hate the band who represented Derrick and his father. 

2. How does the film compare to the other Jamaican films from the 70s? (Besides visual effects, think about the plot and character development).

I think in all the movies that we saw in the course represented the poverty, very similar to the “Favelas” in Brazil or the “Poblaciones Callampa” in Chile, because the cities appeared to made of garbage, and the constant presence of the parties or the gangs showed us a cruel reality, all the people live with fear and submission. Again all the population that we could saw in the film are very skinny, this a clear example to the shortage of the food, the police can’t control the gangs and murders, the robbs can change easily in  a fight. So, I think all the representations that we could saw in the three movies of the course means that the drugs, the music, the politics, and basically the money moves the people, and control them.


3. How are women portrayed in this film? Is it a little or big advancement compared to the films from the 1970's?

I wishing to say that is a big advancement, because Dawn brokes the story and converts in a important character, but in entire movie the women is showed exactly like in the other films, for example, the daughter of the coach didn’t speak much, and the romance that she had with Derrick is very forced.  Besides all the women associated with boxing are stereotypes, the society and the director sexualize them, and showed with little clothes, and obviously they don’t speak, they only walk and display their bodies. I really hate this, because it's not real.