MovieChat Forums > Cedar Rapids (2011) Discussion > Displeasure in stereotyping

Displeasure in stereotyping

posted 14 years ago by mista_bone2004
23 replies | jump to latest

Granted, I haven't seen this movie yet, but I have read the reviews and seen the clips and interviews from Sundance, and I have to say I'm rather offended at the stereotyping of Wisconsin residents from movie directors. First of all, there is no such place, "uber-small town" or otherwise, as Brown Valley, Wisconsin. Secondly, even if there was, I'm sick and tired of people stereotyping Wisconsin residents as some kind of backwoods, stunted, sheltered peons cut off from the rest of the world. I'm tired of people assuming Wisconsin is just one big cow-pie. Why couldn't this character be from an "uber-small town" in California, perhaps Florida, under the same stereotype? Or are states like those considered "too classy" to succumb to such a stereotype?

Contrary to (apparent) popular belief, we DO have indoor plumbing, and that fancy new-fangled thing called 'electricity' here.

Pisses me off.

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[–] mista_bone2004 14 years ago

You'll forgive me if I assume you're not from Wisconsin. I'll even go so far as to assume you've never spent any time here, so you can spare me your self-righteous B.S.

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[–] tuckajj 14 years ago

how much are they paying you to push this garbage?

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[–] nutsberryfarm 14 years ago

guam you can't stereotype. it defies classification.

Golf clap? Golf clap.

[–] Jack_1515 14 years ago

You haven't seen the movie, so you're coming off as a pretty ignorant midwestern. You've just succeeded at becoming the stereotype you loathe.

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[–] ipacac22 14 years ago

Cry me a frickin river. The south gets the blunt of the stereotypes courtesy of Hollyweird. You should be happy anybody made a movie about the midwest.

Utah! Get me two.

[–] Blackjack254 14 years ago

if you want a decent midwest movie, "Field of Dreams" I consider to be the definitive Midwestern film.

The Midwest and Iowa in particular are very positively represented there.

How you can make the world a better place:
Don't shop at Wal-Mart.

[–] jackrabbit20 14 years ago

I didn't think the movie really stereotyped locations as much as types of people. I mean, the 40-Year Old Virgin was about a very similar guy as Ed Helms' character, and that took place in L.A. In this movie the Midwesterners range from the more conservative to those into kinky sex to hardcore tattooed guys.

[–] tvvt0 14 years ago

There's a stereotype for everywhere, get over it. And really, I've never heard any of those stereotypes for Wisconsin. I think this movie made fun of Iowa more times than anything.

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[–] bruce-129 14 years ago

I lived in Wisconsin for a year in the Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Mnomonie area and I don't think it was too far off. It was poking a little fun. Brown Valley was kind of goofy, that's true. With a name like Mista_Bone you gotta be kidding anyway.

They say in Wisconsin it ain't a sport if you ya don't kill something. Driving down the highways or the country roads it's like the suburbs with farms on either side of the road instead of houses. Green beautiful place ... in the summer, that is!

Oh, and when I was in Wisconsin they used to joke AIDS meant Another Iowan Discovers Sex, so maybe you should be happy with the Hollywood stereotyping, at least it was funny.

[–] kuremadman 14 years ago

So you are criticizing a movie you have never seen. Sort of a waste of time isn't it? I am from Iowa. Born and raised there. There was nothing wrong with how midwestern people were portrayed. A goofy character does not mean they are stereotyping the entire midwest.

Watch the movie. Then at least you will have something to actually post about.

[–] PotassiumMan 14 years ago

Its not really a film about the midwest per se. It only takes place there. Its more of a film about a man with so much potential who finally breaks out of his mold and becomes somebody. I would recommend to this film to anyone. Its chock-full of truth. In the end, you really don't think of the region in a bad way at all.

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[–] DUKEJBM 14 years ago

This was a story about a sheltered man who "grows up" and comes of age. Singular man, quit being so sensitive.

[–] AdamtheGerberBaby 14 years ago

And to the guy who said why don't they set one in small town California....they did that in The Goods.....also co-starring Ed Helms

and the problem is, the small town in California they used would be the 3rd or 4th largest city in any midwestern state not named Illinois (ie, 100k+ population)

-----I know the answer blowin in the wind. I also know what it sounds like when doves cry. I rule!