Safe Spaces

Some of my favorite films are the ones that don't have much ostensible plot movement at first glance. I like films where characters just meander aimlessly as they work through certain social issues, or reevaluate their place in their own lives, and really, that's what this film is all about. It's about taking a temperature reading in the current political climate and deciding if it's time to make a meaningful and purposeful change in the way we live our lives. Josh (Justin Long, "Drag Me to Hell") is not a bad guy, though he does has his issues; he's a bit self-centered, he thinks he can fix everyone's problems for them and attempts to do so, and sometimes he just won't shut up enough for other people to get a word in. At the same time, Josh is trying. He makes a honest effort to connect with his family as his grandmother lies dying in the hospital, even going out of his way multiple times to try to convince his father (Richard Schiff, "Seven") to visit her, though his relationship with her over the last years has been strained (Grandma is mom's mom and the parents are divorced). Through these sequences we begin to get a sense of who Josh is and what he truly believes, and we also get passing interactions with minor characters that gently play on the import and sometimes uncomfortable social issues and how he as a white, straight, cisgender male plays into those issues. He approaches certain situations with as much gravitas as he can, but in the end, sometimes, he just finds himself at a loss for what to do. Many of the situations Josh finds himself in don't seem to really have an obvious answer as to what truly is 'The Right Thing' to do, and when he feels at a loss he feels as if he needs to fix it, when, in the end, all he really needs to do is listen, understand, and try to sympathize with the people he may have inadvertently hurt or offended. Beyond making a few important points, this film is also really funny. The theater in which I saw this movie was mostly full, and the crowd seemed to absolutely eat the humor up. Most of the jokes arises from uncomfortable or awkward situations, but there are plenty of great character chemistry moments, one liners, jokes that were previously set up and executed flawlessly, and though many of the jokes revolve around hot issues, none of it ever feels forced, crass, or ill-conceived; it feels real and honest. I think the reason I enjoyed this film so much is that it doesn't really claim to have any answers. It just asks that you open your ears and mind to the changing climate, and shut up for a while, at least long enough to hear the other voices and opinions around you. Overall, "Safe Spaces" was a very enjoyable, very 'woke' comedy that feels right at home in 2019.

For me, watching and enjoying a movie requires that I either (1) like some of main characters or (2) like the story or (3) find the cinematography interesting. Most good movies all three are satisfied.

For this movie I wasn't able to find any of those. While I generally like Justin Long, here as an Adjunct Professor teaching writing, in this movie I didn't like him at all. The dialog is generally uninspired and bland. And I had forgotten how annoying Fran Drescher's nasal delivery is.

I had moderately good hopes for this movie but I found it to be mostly a waste of time. Life is too short to watch too many mediocre movies.

I watched it at home on DVD from my public library.

I just had to respond to one of the reviews. All gen exers are over 40 now. The main character was a millennial and his students are post millennials.

There is a good story here. How a family pulls together during a trying time, despite their differences, conflicts and foibles to love and care for each other. There is nonsense here that I fear may be an all too real ultra sensitivity that pervades liberal campuses. While the traumatic difficulties that one may face in their youth may be regrettable, there is no way that the Jennifer Mann character will be able to function in real life if she thinks she can live in a bubble of protection from someone hurting her delicate sensitivities. In some ways this is a powerful contrasts. There is family where there is acceptable and strengthening of backbone and character by the sibling rivalries that persist. Without realizing it, perhaps this movie is a meaningful criticism of the politically correct culture that weakens our fiber and a call to family to strengthen it. Put the challenges Agatha and her story of escaping Nazi Germany, learning a new language and a new life, and facing death and the strength she showed in contrast with the "triggered" response of students seemingly can't deal with the simple realities of seeing another person feel bad to the point of threatening a professor's job. A normal human being would simply experience the class, discount the remarks that the professor made, perhaps utter a "meh" and go one with their own life. The contrast of Agatha to the youth of today is damning.

An interesting look at the intersection of millennial culture and academia. Justin Long and his character's family are an interesting study.