From the opening scene, Akeelah describes how she feels different from everything and everyone around her. She is heard thinking out loud for a good word to describe this helpless feeling. Everything around her (family, friends, and community) seems to be living in a whole different world while she is struggling with trying to discover herself. An example of how she felt like an outsider, even within her own family, is when she returns home after making the cut at the district tournament. Her mom gives her little attention as she is more worried about dealing with Akeelah’s gangbanging brother who was just dropped off by the police. Akeelah’s excitement quickly disappears as her mom demands that she get inside the house.
The director does a good job in capturing this moment by shooting the scene from Akeelah’s perspective. The scene continues in the house with Akeelah talking to a picture of her deceased father about what she had just accomplished. The sound of yelling in the background emphasizes the commotion that was happening during what was supposed to be a joyous moment for Akeelah.
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"The director does a good job in capturing...The sound of yelling in the background emphasizes the commotion that was happening during what was supposed to be a joyous moment for Akeelah."
ReplyDeleteI liked how you explained this moment. Being able to interpret what the director is saying rather than just sitting back and take a movie for what the characters say demonstrates very good critical skills. Messages can be subtle sometimes.