I ~ The Michigan Daily - Monday, February 24, 1997 - 9A :Rosewood' full of emotion By Prashant Tamaskar Daily Arts Writer In the early 1920s, Rosewood, Fla. -wsnot an average small Southern :t.r. ;Black people owned nearly all of PtheZMltd and the businesses in the pros- s area. To most of its residents, ?wood was as c as they would e:er:.come to a ;titpian society. That was until a 'rcial incident ;sparked a white riab from the lighboring city of Sumner to burn down the community. This horrifying a bidden chapter of American history, ,ich was finally acknowledged by the 3Qf Florida in 1994, is the basis for olin 'Singleton's powerful, but slightly 'flawed new film, "Rosewood." The movie begins on New Year's Eve ,with the arrival of Mann (Ving Rhames), a drifter ,who wanders into Rosewood at about the same time that onvict escapes em a nearby prison. Mann is x warmly received by the community, and he decides to purchase land next to the only white- operated business Ving Rhames mean E in town, much to the chagrin of the owner, John Wright (Jon Voight), who wants the plot for himself. But as the land is about to be auc- tioned off, an announcement is made that a young, married white woman in Sumner has been beaten by an unidenti- fied black assailant. V I E W The accusation is false, as the Rosewood woman's lover is the guilty party. However, fearing At Showcase that her husband will learn of her infidelity, she invents this fabrication.. An angry mob of men in Sumner immediately concludes that Mann is the escaped felon and the probable culprit. They march into Rosewood looking for him. Quickly, the scene turns ugly, as the group, unable to locate their target, begins destroying Rosewood and mur- dering all black people they encounter. Those not killed (mostly women and chil- dren) are forced into the woods, where they rely on Mann and the reluctant Wright " for their survival. As is one of his specialties, director Singleton creates business. wonderful lead characters, particularly Mann and Wright, over whom he has great con- trol. Both men, who do not see eye-to- eye, grapple with complex dilemmas. They are flawed and completely believ- able, because they do not have all the answers, and they do not always make the right choices. In the main roles, Rhames and Voight are adequate and solid, respectively. Rhames, playing a part for which Denzel Washington was considered, offers an uneven performance. When he isn't reverting to his "Pulp Fiction" and "Mission: Impossible" tough-guy per- sona, he manages to be pretty convinc- ing. His partner, the veteran Voight, is consistent and unspectacular in a rather challenging portrayal. The focus of Singleton's "Rosewood" is not the characters, but the events. The presentation of the material is extreme- ly powerful with scenes full of raw, unbridled emotion. It is obvious that the director cares deeply about his work, and it appears as if he has put his heart and soul into the film. Ironically, this may be what prevents the movie from being truly remarkable. Singleton is so concerned with emo- tionally charging the film that he seems to sacrifice a bit of the story's integrity. This becomes evident in the characteri- zation of the white antagonists, whose racism appears to stem more from jeal- ousy of their more prosperous neigh- bors than from anything else. Their mob mentality comes off as artificial and Ving Rhames and Elise Neal star in John Singleton's "Rosewood." contrived. In creating dichotomy between the protagonists and the villains, Singleton is able to achieve the desired sentimen- tal effect. However, this technique slightly backfires in that it makes the tale a bit less credible (regardless of the actual truth). To the survivors who view the film, Singleton's account may be reputable, but to a white audience, he seems to embellish just enough to allow a feeling of empathetic detachment as opposed to guilt. Still, it is impossible not to feel dis- turbed and angry while watching "Rosewood." The movie is frighten- ing, and it makes the viewer agoniz- ingly uncomfortable. Yet, Singleton also does a nice job of emphasizing the community's resilience, providing the film with a contrast to the menac- ing naturalism. The theme of self- empowerment serves as the silver lin- ing in this otherwise apocalyptic story. Overall, "Rosewood" is a horrify- ing, emotional account of a despica- ble incident that was withheld from the public for more than 60 years, until an ambitious journalist uncov- ered the events. Nevertheless, a dis- crepancy still exists between the sur vivors' version, as told by the movie, and the "official" state of Florida report. Unfortunately, this disparity is the primary reason why Singleton's film will likely lose the power of its social commentary, despite being a skillful cinematic adaptation. s I S Book offers powerful outlook on ADD Beyond ADD Thon Hartmann Underwood Books These days, the number of people *gnosed with psychological ailments and learning disabilities has grown tremendously. Some experts attribute this phenome- non to a person's desire to be detached from responsibility, or to society's encouragement to join the victim-of- the-month club because it is the "in" thing to do. These experts theorize that, in this frantic search for a scapegoat for peo- 's problems, Attention Deficit sorder (ADD) emerges as a conve- nlient choice for many. But as this condition (which is believed to be a nonexistent disorder created by pop culture) comes under heavy fire, Thom Hartmann argues in "3eyond ADD" that not only does )WD- exist, but that it may possibly hgve-benefits. -.'Jartmann is quick to point out that ,is not merely a myth, but some- tgi:that affects millions of people TIEdwide. He explains that, while ZVpre ADD can lead to failure in rly~aspects of life, even here it may -3what causes people like Thomas Edison or Evil Knievel to be as suc- cessful as they are in particular and limited areas of their lives." This constant theme of the book - that ADD sufferers can lead produc- tive and rewarding lives - is a won- derfully inspirational and uplifting message. Hartmann discusses at length some extraordinarily thought-provoking theories about how ADD came into existence, such as the hunter/farmer theory - in which ADD would just be the remainder of a survival instinct once possessed by our ances- tors. Since primitive times, a hunter was someone who needed to have the abil- ity to scan his environment constant- ly, because "if he were to focus too heavily on the trail, for example, and therefore miss the other details of his environment, he would either starve or be eaten." On the other hand, when the agricul- tural revolution began about 12,000 years ago, scanning became a liability for people in a society that had gone from hunting to farming. Farmers needed to have the ability to remain focused. Impatience and impul- siveness would be disastrous traits for them. For example, "if he were to go out into the field and dig up the seeds every day to see if they were growing, the crops would die." Other theories about the existence of ' ADD include the concept of shared mem- ories or knowledge; that mild ADD may just be a normal vari- ation of human behavior; and that perhaps ADD is a needed trait caused by evo- lution, which will benefit us in the future. Throughout "Beyond ADD," a posi- tive tone rings out to readers. Hartmann is insistent in his belief that ADD is not always a disorder, and that those with ADD can find ways to overcome their problems. He shows this in the "Solutions" section at the end of each chapter, stating possible solutions for the problems the chapter posed. "Beyond ADD" follows Hartmann's string of other successful books on the same topic. With one of his own children diag- nosed with ADD, Hartmann is espe- cially knowledgeable and insightful about this controversial subject. "Beyond ADD" is well-written and well-structured, offering interesting information in a eloquent and person- al manner. From discussing how different peo- ple with the same diagnosis can exhib- it different behaviors, to debating the pros and cons of Ritalin (a drug often prescribed for those with ADD), Hartmann is both intelligent and engaging. "Beyond ADD" attempts to sepa- rate the truth from the myth in great detail and rationality. Powerful and poignant, "Beyond ADD" provides much-needed infor- mation about a condition that is sur- rounded by myths, while giving those with the ailment a great sense of hope and inspiration. This is a must-read for everyone, for those with or without Attention Deficit Disorder. - Julia Shih Why should your organization apply? * Your group can interact with other MSA registered organizations * Opportunity to hold regular office hours where you can consult with members and students * Prime location on the Student Union's fourth floor * Availability to use conference room and resource center on the Fourth floor The Fourth floor of the Union has been under renovation for the past year, creating a new state-of-the-art atmosphere for Uniuersity of Michigan's MSA registered student groups, so that they may accomplish their work and their long-term goals. RVRADUDJY: -45 office spaces available in varying sizes .38 -locker spaces for storage -Your group must be registered with MSA to be considered for the space -Fill out application completely and concisely .Return it to MSA Office by 4:30pm on Thursday, February 27. 1997 APPLICATIONS ARE DUE FEB. 27! '1 AN ARMY SCHOLARSHIP COULD HELP YOU THROUGH MEDICAL SCHOOL The U.S. Army Health Professions Scholarship Program offers a unique opportunity for financial support to med- ical or osteopathy students. Financial support includes tuition, books, and other expenses required in a particular 'course. BeouP uest Think sunny days on the beaches of Lake St. Clair, rollerblading to Metro Park, mailing at Lakeside and picking up some transferable credits from Macomb Community College this summer! That's right! For just $51 per credit hour*, you can put some of your academic requirements behind you as a guest student at MCC. 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