Senseless

Senseless

Release Date: February 20, 1998
MPAA Rating: R
Starring: Marlon Wayans, David Spades
Genre: Comedy, Romance
BRA Rating: Y-Why

MOVIE SUMMARY: A Black college student facing extreme financial pressures participates in clinical trials of a sense enhancing drug, but things go awry when he increases his dosage. .

WHAT WE SEE: This film paints a positive picture of the young black college student working his way through school and taking on the added responsibilities of helping his mother at home financially, however, it depicts white students as having the luxury to ‘find themselves’ in college when black students can’t afford this. It also brims with the stereotypes of the single black mother struggling in poverty, overeating, and albeit with reason, the black student turning to drugs to compete academically and professionally. While there are positive black images and messages to be portrayed, the overuse of negative stereotypes garner this film a “Y” rating.

• Total Black Characters: (3) There are 3 primary black speaking characters, the main character, his love interest, and his mother. There are various non-speaking black roles, but none that interact with the main character which gives the impression that he is a rare commodity.
• Stereotypical Black Characters: (2) The main character embodies multiple negative stereotypes, no father figure, and financially struggling, (clinical) drug use. His mother embodies the single parent of multiple children, dependent on her son, and obese.
• Stereotypes Scenes (2) During the opening sequence, the main character is seen giving an exorbitant amount of sperm donation, hinting at the sexual stereotype of black men. Additionally, his mother is pictured living in poverty and urban decay.
• Positive Black Role Models (2) Both the main character and his love interest have positive character attributes as black students, doing well academically and taking their education seriously.
• Positive Black Messages (1) Movie stresses the value of education, hard work, and the dangers of taking the ‘easy way’ including drug use.

Popularity: 3% [?]