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Dick |
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The Nixon Watergate scandal has been the
center of countless discussions for over two
decades now. Yet never before have the
mysteries of this controversy been
humorously explained away by blaming
everything on the comedic happenstances of
two teen girls. Enter Betsy and Arlene—best
friends experiencing the bliss of adolescence
against a backdrop of loud-colored bell
bottoms and the groovy tunes of the Jackson
Five. They're both blonde (read into that what
you will), and their lives center around dreamy
crushes, excessive giggling and dramatizing
the nominal. Arlene lives in the Watergate
building. One night, she and Betsy just so
happened to run into the famous break-in
on their way downstairs to mail a teen contest
entry. The girls are oblivious that anything's
amiss. From there, the tale twists and turns
through the West Wing of the White House
and beyond—linking this clueless duo to every
critical detail surrounding the scandal.
Positive Elements: Although the
girls' intellects lack much substance, they do
seem to aspire to some sort of moral code.
Cursing is bad. Caring for animals is good.
Being "nice" is a must. And honesty is
important. Also, their friendship does stand
the test of time.
Spiritual Content: Vague. A
teacher scolds Arlene for her seemingly
fabricated account during an oral
presentation, claiming, "Every lie is another
brick in the pathway of hell."
Sexual Content: In an attempt to
obtain the Nixon tapes from a house, Betsy
distracts the teen resident (by making out with
him on his bed) while Arlene snoops around
downstairs. In another scene, Arlene finds her
mom lounging on the couch with lipstick
smeared all over her face. Moments later, a
man appears from behind—the insinuation is
obvious. Betsy's brother Larry is caught
watching a pornographic film (thankfully
moviegoers aren't forced to watch part of it
with him). The film's title, Deep Throat,
is then integrated into the scandal's
tangled web. Dick concludes with the
girls cutting up an American flag and stitching
it into two revealing outfits that they proceed to
model. As the credits roll, both Betsy and
Arlene are seen licking lollipops in a seductive
manner. The candy is emblazoned with the
word, "Dick." Several times throughout the
film, Richard Nixon's nickname, "Dick" is used
in intentionally confusing contexts, leading
viewers down sexually loaded trails.
Crude or Profane Language:
Christ's name is used in vain almost a
dozen times. One use of the f-word and
frequent use of other profanities.
Drug and Alcohol Content: It can
be argued that any film "documenting" the
Nixon era must feature drug use.
Nevertheless, Dick not only features
drugs, but takes pleasure in them. Larry
grows, creates and consumes substances on
a regular basis. The young man that Betsy
makes out with also drinks a large amount of
alcohol which he slurps through a bong. Nixon
is portrayed as a very heavy drinker, often
drinking hard liquor in the White House. Larry
keeps part of his drug stash in his mom's
walnut jar. So, when Betsy and Arlene decide
to bake the President a batch of cookies, they
unknowingly lace them with it. The President
loves the treats. So does his staff.
Other Negative Elements:
Throughout the film, the President and his
administration are portrayed as not only
dishonest, but are also presented in a
demeaning manner.
Summary: Teen favorites Kirsten
Dunst (Small Soldiers) and Michelle
Williams (
Dawson's Creek) are sure to attract many
young viewers to this retro-flavored flick.
Harmless comedy? Historically significance?
Hardly. This fabricated plot degrades authority,
glorifies drug use, spews profanities and
remains far from sexually innocent. This is
one "history" class worth ditching.
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