Watch the documentary, “The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia” (you can
ID: 463898 • Letter: W
Question
Watch the documentary, “The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia”
(you can watch it on Amazon Prime) here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Wonderful-Whites-West-Virginia/dp/B003VWC4BW
and write a two page reflection paper. First and foremost, I truly want your reaction to this documentary. I want to know what you thought about all of the many different aspects to this documentary. You need to concentrate on at least 3 different social problems that are represented. Identify these social problems and explain how it functions within the confines of this story. How do these social problems overlap?
Explanation / Answer
The first scenes suggest a comedy, a where-are-they-now reality show starring former guests of Jerry Springer. Sitting on couches and wondered over by lap-dogs, the Whites rank their favorite drugs, over shake their prescription bottles in front of the camera and take a toke of a joint. Grandma has a birthday party where gramps gets pintsized as the cake and candles are presented. One boasts of violent brawls with ex-lovers where mom hid the weapon and cleaned up the blood.
But, by now the tone has shifted to something more serious. It feels less of a Jersey Shore gross-out and more akin to the second season of The Wire, a moving and ultimately ambivalent portrait of working class whites whose culture and community is rooted in an economic reality that has long since expired.
The ambivalence is manifold. Pain is inflicted sharply in every direction: sisters have died in car collisions, children with gun accidents. We see a baby taken out of the arms of her mother, perhaps never to return, as she turns around snorts a line of something or other still in the hospital bed. She enters rehab and stays clean for a while, how long for we don’t know yet. The youngest children can’t get work because their parents have ruined their reputation; their last name is the ultimate stigma. It is also deserved, they openly boast about robbing and stealing, bullying and even stabbing. Some have moved away and begun to rebuild, but most have stayed tightly together. The townsfolk revile them as a pest, but also encourage them to take on roles as the local source of amusement and intrigue, egging-on bad behavior and eccentric tap-dancing for an evening’s entertainment.
At first the world of the Whites seems something far away, foreign, so much so that much of the dialogue comes with subtitles. Yet, when one takes a step backs from the alien aesthetics, another story emerges that sits firmly within a tradition of independent films such as Happiness, Magnolia, and American Beauty. These latter films take on intimate family lives of affluent whites in ordered suburbs but reveal the same pathologies of dysfunction, addiction and abuse. If anything, the Whites are simply honest and upfront about whom they are, whereas the suburban America is camera shy, relying upon Alan Ball, Paul Anderson, and Todd Solondz as their interlocutors.
It may well be true that there are two (and more) Americas, that different communities have been dealt different cards. Yet, although one family may be sitting at a Ping-Pong table and the other at a polished oak dining table, Nitzberg shows us that common nexus of neurosis underlies the emotional space the group around that table share. My hope is that people watch this film and pose questions that go beyond red states and blue states, outlaws and conformists, and instead address common, if unattractive, behaviors that make all of America a real, and not imaginary, America
People acting a fool are certainly nothing new in entertainment, but "The Wild Wonderful Whites of West Virginia" is infused with an underlying hopelessness that grounds this real life horror show. As we see the next generation of children being bred into this life, it really is more sad than funny. Touching on global economic issues, government subsidies, education and legal systems--there are so many societal factors that have contributed to and perpetuated the White phenomenon. Aside from the one brother that moved away, the White family seems content with their lot in life. No one makes one step to change their circumstances (unless forced by the law to do so). The documentary, thus, becomes a fascinating look at the world that makes this possible, the type of people who embrace life outside the law, and the celebrity culture that seems to reward bad behavior. Funny and disturbing, the Whites will make you think--for good or bad, it's real!
This documentary puts both Jesco and his sister front and center with the rest of the clan as supporting characters. This familial tale is populated by drug use, infidelity, and brawling, random acts of violence--even a face shooting for some added flavor. It's a bleak portrait to be sure, but the Whites embrace their worst instincts and mug to the cameras for comedic affect. They're proud of their reputation and legacy!
Pretty depressing to see all of the children being born into this family They’d be more worthy of respect if they were actually as tough and self-sufficient as they like to say they are. I don't think any of the women hold jobs yet the money keeps coming in due to social security payments sponsored by those who've actually worked. Thankfully the baby born with drugs in it's system was not allowed to go home and be subjected to that situation. The one family member who actually looks to have been hard-working, honest and worth of any kind of attention is the mother (Mamie?) who took in and raised orphaned children from the area.
A different world of rebellious people, Generations of excess Drugs, alcohol, children affected by drug abuse. Society is responsible for the cost of the problem. The White's know the system and how to get the most of it...one generation after another. It seemed that for whatever reason, these individual had new vehicle. It is difficult to be judgmental because Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking, affect society as a whole. Extremely sad
This may be a very well made documentary, but I find the story appalling
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