Friday, April 03, 2009

Jerry Maguire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-oHuogx6_Y

Jerry Maguire is a great movie that plays to a lot of the stereotypes and idealogies discussed in class, particularly race in modern-day sports. Cuba Gooding, Jr. plays a black athlete that is the epitome of what some modern sports celebrities have become--selfish, me-first, and all about (as the clip shows) themselves. Jerry Maguire is the sports agent that maybe couldn't play much (and also happens to be white), but gets his money by being attached to the Rod Tidwell (Gooding)-types and promoting them.

The struggle in the movie is that Maguire (Tom Cruise) trying to get Tidwell to break out of the stereotype and mold of athletes before him that are in the sport for the money only, not for the love of the game or the fans. The movie speaks to a truth of modern sports--many athletes today bear a striking resemblance to the Rod Tidwell character. I could see him played by Terrell Owens, to be honest.

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