Week of real hatred: film critic suffers backlash to 'Passion' review

New York Daily News ^ | 2/29/04 | Jami Bernard

[Brian Mosely]

In 18 years as a professional movie critic, I've never gotten the response that I had this week to my one-star review of "The Passion of the Christ."

I knew the reaction would be hostile - movie critics routinely get hate mail, even one time for a review of "Bambi."

But, as they would say in an action movie of the kind Mel Gibson formerly made, this time, it's personal.

[.38sw]

Fine. But what about what she wrote? I just see a lot of slamming how she looks. Is everyone posting here slender, fit, good-looking and well-groomed? I want pictures!

[angkor]

I think Ms. Bernard is fooling herself. Her film review takes up only a portion of her previous column.

Absolutely correct. Her "review" does make passing reference to a few cinematic qualities (which strangely she seems to appreciate), but the bulk of it is an hysterical reaction to her own search for anti-Semetic content.

I can think of few reviewers who would squander their precious word-count looking for "hook noses" and trying to deconstruct the religious composition of a fictitious mob of film actors.

And having personally viewed Brandeis University's archive copy of that vile Nazi propaganda film "The Eternal Jew", her depiction of The Passion in these terms is utterly and intentionally despicable.

[alnick]

"Whatever happened to the idea that the centerpiece of every major religion is love?"

Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friend.

[FormerACLUmember]

In 18 years as a , I've never gotten the response that I had this week to my one-star review of "The Passion of the Christ."

This is a "professional movie critic"? I question if she even saw the picture.

And she gets personally insulting and grossly defamatory to a lot of good people. NOT in any way "professional" behavior by any measure.

[Enterprise]

"I don't know, she is pretty slovenly looking.. I have a hard time taking advice or orders from slobs or those who disrespect themselves sooo much. How can a person with such obvious lack of self control with something as valuable as their life be taken seriously.... I certainly wouldn't want them organizing anything in my life."

Well Porterville, (East of Hwy 99), I don't disagree about taking advice etc. However, my point is this:

You are in a debate and you're being judged by your responses to your opponent. Your opponent is pretty slovenly looking. He/She states: "President Bush has proved that he is incapable of leading the Nation in peacetime, much less in a time of war." You respond with: "You're pretty slovenly."

Since you didn't offer any argument against your opponent's assertion, you just lost the debate.

[Porterville]

Like I said, if you are a slob with your most basic tool, your body, how can you have efficient operations withing the mind? She is probably flush with mental incongruities. You can judge people by how they look, the PC police would have you think otherwise, but I hate liberals.

[Porterville]

Sure, in a modern debate with a PC audience. How about a debate with a slob in a business meeting, or a police station, or a political meeting, or in the military? The slob loses every time because of their lack of reverence for their peers and superiors.

[Rocko]

Well, as the author of post 10 (which you are citing), I'm sorry to observe that you are unable to "unstuff" my compressed file.

Why does her pretention somehow seem more palatable than mine?

[technochick99]

Notice the liberal tactic of equating "disagreement" with "hate."

And stupidity.

[stripes1776]

There is one question I have never asked myself prior to Foxman's (from the ADL) vicious attack on Christians, but I think it needs to be asked everytime a Jewish person makes an anti-Christian statement: How deep is the hatred for and prejudice against Christians in the Jewish community?

I think that most Jews and Christians respect each other and have cordial relations. But Foxman oviously has extreme prejudice against Christians. How deep does his hatred go for Christians? And is his extremism indicative of a wider existence of deep-seated hatred amoung Jews for all Christians?

These are questions that must be asked now that Foxman has shown his extreme hatred for Christians.

[sakic]

Ebert

Since you have shown that you are a fan of the critic Ebert I'm sure that you also agree with the above review.

At least you're fair about this stuff.

[sakic]

Why is it called whining? It's a free country.

You don't understand. If you disagree with the majority here it is whining. If you agree, it is thoughtful discourse.

[mo]

I'm beginning to get the impression our "media elite" somehow identify with the Sanhedrin in the movie!!

[Rocko]

Actually, The Last Tempation of Christ is a fine film, but inferior to The Passion of the Christ.

Have you seen both?

[sakic]

I don't know, she is pretty slovenly looking.. I have a hard time taking advice or orders from slobs or those who disrespect themselves sooo much. How can a person with such obvious lack of self control with something as valuable as their life be taken seriously

You must despise Linda Tripp.

[SJackson]

Jews hate Christians, everyone knows that. Not the many, may attacks from Jewish freepers on these threads.

[.38sw]

OK. She's a slob, so her mind must be inefficient. But I haven't seen much debate or reasoned rebuttal on this thread about what she actually wrote. I clicked on this thread, thinking I might see some discussion of the review; instead, I read lots of humorous comments about her looks. How enlightening.

And using your criteria, from now on, I'm not going to give full consideration to anything any posters on FR have to say from now on unless I see recent photographs of them. Then I can evaluate how efficient their mental processes are.

[Delphinium]

I can imagine what he is calling hateful?

These liberals can say, and do the most mean spirited , hateful things but if one of us mildly criticizes anything they say, or do it’s a major deal.

[GROOVY]

Never seen Last Temptation and don't plan to. But the point is not that he is always right, the point is that he can put aside his political beliefs during his reviews. This can be illustrated by the Fact that he liked both Last Tempation and the Passion. This puts him in a different league then the NY Post guy whose review seems to most, to be only be motivated by bias since other objective reviewers loved the Movie so much, but he thought it was the worst thing he has ever seen. How else can you explain such wide disparity in the reviews?

[sakic]

Never saw the first in its entirety (it didn't grab me), plan to see the current one soon.