Review of Fuck (2006) by Trista M — 31 Oct 2007

[font=Century Gothic]I don't use profanity in this blog because for me swearing is purely a spontaneous activity(if anybody would like to see an example, please join me at my bus stop any time the bus is running late) and I give a great deal of thought as to what I write here. Also I can easily be controversial without resorting to obscenities. But to review the documentary "Fuck," I have no choice but to use the title word. If that bothers you, relax. There is wholesome entertainment on the way for tomorrow.[/font].

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[font=Century Gothic]"Fuck" is an entertaining documentary that regretfully does not provide much new information. A variety of experts including Tera Patrick, Bill Maher, Sam Donaldson, Ron Jeremy, Ben Bradlee, David Milch, Ice-T, Janeane Garofalo, Kevin Smith and the late great Hunter S. Thompson(the documentary is dedicated to him) testify about fuck and its possible usages.(But where are David Mamet and Susie Bright?) In opposition, there are Michael Medved, Alan Keyes and Pat Boone(which group would you rather hang out with?) who want to see the clock turned back to the good old days before Lenny Bruce(Dick Schaap famously wrote that Bruce dying at the age of forty was obscene) and George Carlin rocked the world. The documentary tries to make a case that there is a concerted crackdown on free speech during the Bush administation which might be the case but it looks like an uphill battle. Fuck is in wider use in more liberal countries like England where it can be heard on television shows such as "Meadowlands" and "Hex."[/font].

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[font=Century Gothic]Fuck is a word whose origins are unclear and dates back to at least 1475. Clips testify as to the word's multiple meanings in popular culture.(Miles Davis even came up with a wide variety of meanings for motherfucker in his autobiography.) I think fuck works best as a strongly worded rebuke, especially in the film "The Front" and Ani DiFranco's song, "Every State Line."[/font].

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[font=Century Gothic]And one of these days, I have to get around to watching "Deadwood."[/font].