School Ties

I watched this movie on video last night. First of all I want to say this... I find it absolutely irrelevant who played the characters in the movie, all the actors did ok (nothing special). Please don't write your reviews based on Damon or Fraser or the co... they're not what is important about the film. The film should make people realise what a disgusting, resentful quality anti-semitism is, and how much jewish kids have had to suffer not just in the 50s, but over a massive period of history. But I'm not going to go into a history lecture.

This movie touched me as this is a very familiar topic for me. Being born part Jewish in Russia I am well aware of the blunt, dumb prejudices that surround Jewish youth throughout school years, university admittance and army years. Fraser's character was lucky, he was physically strong... Let me tell you there are very few things in this life worse than being a victim of all these prejudices.

The story line is nothing special but one characteristic of it is important and truthful - Fraser's drive to succeed. Oh sure very few Jewish kids became football stars, most of them had to be become successful through books and study, but the point is, surrounded by prejudice, ignorance and hatred, that's the only choice Jews ever had... they had to strive to be the best or they had no hope of surviving with any dignity. Hence, David Green's drive to go to Harvard had nothing in common with that of his classmates. They wanted the high-life and were pushed by their proud, arrogant parents; David saw Harvard as a way to simply survive.

Some users have commented that there are more important issues in the world than this 'minor' bigotry case. Look, does that mean every movie should be about East Timorese getting slaughtered just because it's the most important issue of the time? This movie tries to show us how dumb, ignorant and blind anti-semitism is... and believe me there have been, there are and there will be millions of Jewish kids who would relate all too well to this movie. So please, instead of talking about the 'big' actors or sub-par story-line, think about the theme and make sure you're never the one immersed in stupid ignorance.