RoxyBird

I'm not sure why this film is rated so low. It is not a Hollywood blockbuster, not a Citizen Kane, you can tell its low budget. Regardless, the acting is pretty good, the directing and cinematography are good. It IS difficult to tell a story when we all know the outcome, so it feels a little long at times, but it is otherwise watchable.

The film was made with the utmost respect for John Jones. Aside from the scenes of him in the cave, there are many flashback and dream sequences that make John Jones a real person, not just the "guy who got stuck in the cave."

I will say that I do NOT recommend this film to anyone who suffers from claustrophobia or anxiety. I do not think you will enjoy it, as it will only exacerbate those issues.

If you're curious about this documentary because you've heard all the criticism, just watch it and form your own opinion. A lot of the criticism comes from people who haven't even watched it.

The meat and potatoes, the core argument the director is making, is that he feels that Apu's accent and that he's working in a convenience store is a mockery of the Indian American experience. He compares Apu's appearance on The Simpsons to a minstrel show, yes to black face.

I'm always willing to hear opinions and points of view of others - he interviews several Indian American actors who say they are tired of being required to have accents in their acting jobs and play the roles of the confused immigrant or convenience store worker. All valid arguments of Hollywood's lack of diversity and constant typecasting.

However, the reason I am rating this what I am is because I don't feel this documentary needed to be made, nor would I watch it again. Everything he did could have been condensed to maybe a 20 minute video clip on YouTube. He spends a significant portion of it trying to get a hold of Hank Azaria, and whining about not getting a response from him.

To be a more meaty documentary, he could have instead spent some time educating us on what exactly IS the Indian American experience. He never does this. He also never once says the word "satire" which is what The Simpsons is. Has he even seen the whole series? Does he know what satire even is?

All the whining and presentation doesn't make him a likeable guy. In fact, he's almost 40 and he comes off as bratty and immature.

I think he could have wrapped up his arguments better in a way to educate people, but he doesn't so thats why they come off as weak. I made myself watch all the way through and would never watch again.