This movie is about the English Ambassador in Kenya and his wife, a curious journalist. While Justin takes devote care of his garden and works in his office, his wife spends a lot of time doing research about a pharmaceutical company that distributes drugs to prevent patients from AIDS. What seems suspicious to Tessa is that this company also distributes for free, drugs for tuberculosis. At this moment, she starts doing research some intense research. She founds out that this company DIPRAXA, is trying the tuberculosis drug in humans. Also, one of the top diplomat, realizes that Tessa is so close to know the truth, he sends somebody to kill her. After Tessa dies, Justin starts following the same path she did, and he also gets killed.
One of the stories this artifact is telling, is how the human beings loves hierarchy and power. We see this clearly shown in the movie when we appreciate Tessa’s house and the people in the village. In my opinion I don’t think there’s nothing wrong with this difference, but if this becomes ignorance then I think we certainly have a problem. In other words, if a diplomat ignores the reality of Kenya, then he has a problem. However, the movie shows not ignorant diplomats but diplomats that knowing the truth do nothing about it. Because again, the drugs are not affecting them.
However, not all characters are as mean as one can think. Tessa and Arnold, both doing research about this new drug, represent in my opinion the kingdom. Tessa and Arnold, not only do research, but Tessa especially, loves Africa and African people. She takes care of them and it doesn’t matter to her that she actually is the Ambassador’s wife. The empire, in this movie can be seen in Pellegrin and Sandy, because they know what Tessa is looking for, and that if the knows the truth it can be a scandal. What amazes me is the amount of power the both have, in terms of information and contacts. A lot like the huge data base in “The Persuaders”, with the only difference that Sandy and Pellegrin choose who to worry about.
I can’t remember if it was in the movie of in the book, when Justin says: “Tessa used to shop in the God’s will”. Tessa belongs to both worlds. In one she is married to this diplomat and the other was her passion. In Tessa’s first world to shop in the God’s will is sinful, sinful is also breaking the rules the Embassy created. Sinful, in this world is going further than your home and your roles. That’s why nobody, except Justin, liked Tessa, but all of them covered their upset very well. After all they are diplomats. One of the things I could identify the second time I watched this movie, was some envy in Sandy, because Tessa was free. Tessa could do whatever she wanted to.
As a conclusion I can sat that this movie shows how the empire is going always to win, but how hard they have to try. What I love about this movie is that it presents the Empire as something normal, and how, sometimes, the normality is evil. How they think that in order to be safe they have to kill people who disagree with them. Those strategies happened in reality but in other terms. When I see this movie I keep remembering the people who disappeared, in Chile or Argentina during the 80’s because some of them were against dictatorships. I don’t think this movie is far from reality and that is why it criticizes the Empire.
Great post, Sandra--and a good film, too.
ReplyDeleteI think its really sad how hard these companies try to cover things up. They view the african people as test subjects and don't really care what happens to them as long as they can perfect their drug. And whats even worse is the amount of people that back them up. When Justin was following his wifes trail he ran into person after person who knew the horror that the drug company doing but saw it as for the greater good. They all had the self in interest. Who cares if africans are dying from the testing as long as we can get a cure out of it. Tessa definitely reps the kingdom in this movie working to stop the drug company and bring give the humanity back to the african people. She stood up against the power and became a sort of marter dying for the cause and standing up for what she believed was right. There is definitely some parallelism here to the colassians. Standing up for their faith against the roman empire. Knowing it could be a death sentance.
ReplyDeleteThis was a really good film. I enjoyed it.
Consider the central theme of Big Pharm using
ReplyDeletesegments of the world population for drug testing. The third world has it's components
everywhere, from LOS ANGELES COUNTY with its 80,000 homeless, or D.C. with its 12,500.
Dipraxa does not just represent African Tests.
Psychotropics are secretly "tested" on the
outcasts of society...