Todd’s Movie Blog

I’ve discovered something rather interesting coming out of Hollywood this month.  A minor story trend that is at the heart of two very different movies, the Wachowski’s Speed Racer and David Mamet’s Redbelt.  Essentially these two movies make the same point in very different ways, that it is better to compete in a sport for the sheer love of the game than compete for a monetary prize.  Both films have as villains conglomerates who fix the competitions so that particular people win and are opposed by single heroes who fight to expose the hypocrisy of the business.   Personally of the two I prefer Speed Racer’s confusing Tron inspired escapades to Mamet’s thoughtful and thought provoking drama for one simple fact, Speed wants to earn an honest living doing what he loves, while Mamet’s protagonist  prefers subjecting a life of quiet destitution on himself and his family rather than sully the good name of martial arts by actually earning money with it.  Considering how many people are broke and out of work, I’d rather root for someone’s financial and moral victory rather than just a moral victory that, knowing Mamet, wouldn’t change the status quo anyway.