"Perhaps sensing this wariness, the creators of some of the more politically compelling movies and TV shows of the past year have instead explored how being alive feels during a tumultuous period. They capture the atmosphere, the mood, the ambient existence of everyday people who are living through a transformative time in history, whether or not they recognize that they are doing so."
"J.B. is not pushed into a life of crime-he chooses it because he's just that bored. This wayward boredom is more striking when you consider what he ignores: Whenever the news is on, J.B. listens nonchalantly, apathetic about the war in Vietnam. He behaves as though current events are so far beyond his control or influence that participating at all is utterly pointless."
Since Trump's 2016 election, Hollywood has struggled to reflect American political upheaval, initially using heavy-handed approaches with direct messaging. However, audiences have grown more skeptical of transparent political commentary. Recent compelling films and television shows have shifted strategy, focusing on depicting how it feels to live during transformative historical moments rather than explicitly addressing politics. This approach captures the ambient existence and mood of everyday people navigating tumultuous times, whether consciously aware of historical significance or not. The strategy acknowledges audience wariness toward obvious political messaging while still engaging with contemporary reality through emotional and atmospheric storytelling.
Read at The Atlantic
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