I don't usually watch documentaries, but holy hell this was good. Despite what O.J did or didn't do, you can't deny the fact that he is such an interesting and complex character. The rise and fall of a person loved and adored by everybody, who's identity, and most of all racial identity, was shattered the moment he garnered fame. This documentary examines almost every aspect of his life, and doesn't shy away from interviewing tons of friends, family, and individuals prevalent throughout his court trial to paint a full portrait of a person who was in many ways shaped by the things he didn't wanna be defined by. From Rodney King to the 1992 Watts riots, racism was at the center of a lot of it, and also a part of an identity that O.J didn't wanna be a part of and yet despite this it's inevitably what set the stage for the trial of the century. Ultimately, this may seem like a movie about racism, which isn't necessarily wrong since that is indeed a large part of the big picture, but it's also so much more than that. It details ambition, power, manipulation, corruption in the LAPD and ties it into the racism, trauma, and pain experienced by hundreds of thousands of African Americans in L.A over the years and all over the country in general.
The flowing nature of relationships. Even when we think we've found true love, happiness isn't guaranteed and it never really is to be honest and this is something that Blue Valentine excels at showing. It's a film that shows what I see as a realistic portrayal of a marriage in decline. We follow Dean and Cindy thorough the decline of their relationship while also being shown various moments of their courtship leading up to their marriage. I remember somewhere near the beginning we get a glimpse at Deans view of true love and finidng the one when he talks about how women usually settle for a partner that's convient and will stick around while guys know for sure when they have found the one and coincidentally thats exactly what their realtionship turned into. For Dean it was love at first sight and while I'm sure that Cindy actually did love Dean you can't deny the simple fact that it was also the fact that Dean would stick around even though the child may not be his and love her that contributed to her marrying him, and while they were for sure happy for some time, that happiness died out. The happiness at the beginning of their relationship compared to the stale nature at the end of it shows, for me at least, a fairy tale ending isn't guaranteed. Blue Valentine isn't just a story of a failed marriage, but of a love that once was. My ranting is now done. I also have to say that the song "You Always Hurt The One You Love" is very good and I've listened to it about 10 times since I finished the movie.
