The movie was interesting but I'm calling BS. Let me lay it down for you.
The year is 1963 and JFK is in office. Lurene Hallett (Michelle Pfeiffer) is a Dallas woman that loves the Kennedys. When JFK was assassinated she wanted so desperately to attend the funeral that she defied her husband and snuck out to catch a bus to Washington DC.
Paul Cater (Dennis Haysbert--better known as Allstate's spokesperson or the president in 24) is on his way home with his daughter, Jonell (Stephanie McFadden). He ends up on the same bus as Lurene, sitting right behind her. His daughter is withdrawn and it looks like things aren't what they seem between Paul and Jonell.
Now, here's where the movie simply gets it wrong. Lurene starts to engage in idle chit-chat with Paul and Paul somewhat reciprocates. Eventually it turns into them being on the lam together through various southern states with a stolen car. I'm skipping a lot of details but I don't want to be a spoiler nor do I want to make this review much longer than it's already going to be.
Here are my gripes:
Firstly, no way would Lurene be associating with a black man on a public bus in the south. Even if she was liberal at that time chances are she wouldn't have been that daft and would know the social faux pas of talking with a "colored" man for a reason other than an immediate need.
Secondly, even if Lurene engaged him, no way would Paul reciprocate. Even if he was a bold and defiant black man he would know that talking with a white woman in the south would mean almost certain death. Furthermore, he had his daughter with him so that was even more of a reason to be in self-preservation mode.
Thirdly, even if we conceded that actions one and two happened, no way would it go beyond that--which in the movie it did. It went way beyond that.
If this movie took place in any later era, like the 70's for instance, then I'd be more apt to believe it. Yes, there'd still be problems with the association between these two but at least it'd be more believable. This happened in 1963, and even though there was some progress by that time things hadn't progressed nearly enough for a white woman and a black man to be seen together in the south.
I give Love Field a little bit of credit because they did approach the grave danger Lurene put them both in. Paul was in trouble and he was trying to lay low and it was largely due to the naiveté of Lurene. She was so aloof and reckless that she was apt to get both of them killed. Today, that same behavior wouldn't even warrant a second look but not in 1963. Lurene was a walking weapon and didn't even know it and for that I say BS.
The year is 1963 and JFK is in office. Lurene Hallett (Michelle Pfeiffer) is a Dallas woman that loves the Kennedys. When JFK was assassinated she wanted so desperately to attend the funeral that she defied her husband and snuck out to catch a bus to Washington DC.
Paul Cater (Dennis Haysbert--better known as Allstate's spokesperson or the president in 24) is on his way home with his daughter, Jonell (Stephanie McFadden). He ends up on the same bus as Lurene, sitting right behind her. His daughter is withdrawn and it looks like things aren't what they seem between Paul and Jonell.
Now, here's where the movie simply gets it wrong. Lurene starts to engage in idle chit-chat with Paul and Paul somewhat reciprocates. Eventually it turns into them being on the lam together through various southern states with a stolen car. I'm skipping a lot of details but I don't want to be a spoiler nor do I want to make this review much longer than it's already going to be.
Here are my gripes:
Firstly, no way would Lurene be associating with a black man on a public bus in the south. Even if she was liberal at that time chances are she wouldn't have been that daft and would know the social faux pas of talking with a "colored" man for a reason other than an immediate need.
Secondly, even if Lurene engaged him, no way would Paul reciprocate. Even if he was a bold and defiant black man he would know that talking with a white woman in the south would mean almost certain death. Furthermore, he had his daughter with him so that was even more of a reason to be in self-preservation mode.
Thirdly, even if we conceded that actions one and two happened, no way would it go beyond that--which in the movie it did. It went way beyond that.
If this movie took place in any later era, like the 70's for instance, then I'd be more apt to believe it. Yes, there'd still be problems with the association between these two but at least it'd be more believable. This happened in 1963, and even though there was some progress by that time things hadn't progressed nearly enough for a white woman and a black man to be seen together in the south.
I give Love Field a little bit of credit because they did approach the grave danger Lurene put them both in. Paul was in trouble and he was trying to lay low and it was largely due to the naiveté of Lurene. She was so aloof and reckless that she was apt to get both of them killed. Today, that same behavior wouldn't even warrant a second look but not in 1963. Lurene was a walking weapon and didn't even know it and for that I say BS.