Hollywood's Responsibility
In the situation of Boys Don't Cry, I feel like there is a real responsibility to tell the story accurately. This is such a controversial issue and type of film that the subject matter needs to be approached in a way that is respectful of the family of the vitctims involved. I had not known a lot about this film until I saw it. I was unaware that this was based on a true story, and I am actually glad I did not know until the end, because I think it would have been that much harder to watch. Although, I think the film showed the facts and shed a light on the manner that was done in a sensitive way to the family involved, while still being upfront and out right honest about the activities involved in by Teena and her friends. I really feel that because this is such a social issue, and because it was a true story that the filmmakers have a responsibility to tell the story accurately. I think that regardless of the point of view of the filmmaker, that they should be able to speak to the way they told the story, and present it in the most truthful way possible.
In regards to the reading, it talks about how she was shown the way others depicted her during interviews, but the way that she really was will never be known because it was not actually documented. However, even though this is a criticism of the film, I still feel that it is the best that can be done to tell the story. There is no way to guarentee that an actor will exactly portray someone else perfectly, but if it were the case it would mean a lot less telling of truly important stories. So, in this regard I disagree with the reading and I think that it is trying to tell the story as accurately as possible is the point, not how to-a-tee is the character portrayal.