"CRAZY" FILM REVIEW
The movie contains changes in sexual culture which are neatly
depicted. Dominant moral codes and forms of social control are also brought to
the screen. The foundations for
determining who or what actions are deviant in Quebec society in the 1970’s
consisted of notions pertaining to machoism. Everything revolved around
potency, power, and the manful. Due to these conditions, frequency of sexual
activity was perceived as a “normal” feature of someone’s personality.
Sexuality was a very vivid part of one’s own identity and built up the “self”. In
the movie, we are conflicted with the push and pull factors of the deviance
dance at work. The dominant moral entrepreneur being the Catholic church declares
premarital sex being immoral and a punitive act. On the other hand, the
community perceives active teenage sexual activities as an assurance of a sign
of what some might call “stallionism”.
Taking a sociocultural look at the province of Quebec in the
1970’s, stepping back and acknowledging the greater scale picture, we can see
where and how deviance plays a major role in Zac’s upbringing, idea of self,
and fitting into this society.
On the institutional level, the church plays a central role
in the family’s views and morals. This is not indicated by their constant
presence in the religious arena but by the director’s decision in frequently shooting
and capturing items of catholic nature, such as the cross and several Jesus
figurines. Instead of media as a mediator of meaning, we are invoked to believe
and constantly be reminded of what lies embedded in these symbols, which take
part in symbolic interaction. What is important to note is what Catholicism has
to say on the matter that is being dealt with.
Interactionally, between Zac and his entourage, we get a
sense of what is deemed “right” and “wrong”, “normal” and “deviant” through his
various relationships and how they are carried out. An example, which can be
addressed, is that of Reneault’s sex life. By hiding in the vent/cupboard, Zac
is voyeuristically self-educating himself. Observing his older brother’s
lifestyle further entices him to engage in similar activities with his closest
girlfriend, considering this behavior “non-deviant”.
On the individual level we are exposed to Zac’s thoughts on
sexual deviance by way of his prayers to god and his forced trip to the
psychologist. He has this personal view of what being gay looks like. He
pictures them as being flamboyant and publicly unrestricted in demonstrating
their distinct sexuality. In Zac’s eyes being homosexual is the worst possible
thing that can happen to him and for this exact reason he prays for “anything
but this”.
Zac’s relationship with his father appears to be a central
focal point of the film. This 4th born child of the family has
always seeked his attention, approval, and acceptance. His father is his idol;
he looks up to him as a dominant figure of virility and masculinity – the
perfect man. Though in the beginning of the movie Zac and his father got along
famously spending time one-on-one and bonding through inside jokes, this
relationship reaches a major turning point. When Gervais walks in on his son dressed up in his mother’s
clothing and jewelry, he views Zac with an entirely different perspective. He
no longer refers to Zac when exclaiming, “He takes after his father!” So, this
significant other (the father) who’s ideas, perceptions, and reactions matter
most to young Zac had a substantial impact on his future actions and behavior.
At school on the other hand, Zac wants to prove himself to
the generalized other, being his schoolmates. Wanting to build his own image
and reject others’ notions of him being a “softy” or even a social outcast, he
deliberately gets into physical combat for no apparent reason other than
wanting to demonstrate machoism.
For young Zac, he was initially described as being the
“sensitive one” who felt and saw things in a way others did not or could not.
He was from the very beginning characterized as different. He was also viewed
as more feminine than the rest of his brothers. He was then evaluated with
negative judgments from all his peers and family. Wanting to nurture a baby
brother, dressing up as a mother, and acting more emotionally intelligent where
evaluated as “wrong” in the society in which he lived. Moreover, regulation of
Zac’s behavior then took place. He was made subject to a range of social
treatments designed to control his deviance. For instance, he consecutively
received “masculine” gifts every year for his birthday/Christmas (musical
instruments, air hockey game table, etc.), his you carriage was returned to the
store after the holidays, and he was usually blamed first for any mal
occurrence in the household.
Gervais, Zac’s
father on the opposite hand is an emblem for masculinity. When he would drop or
pick up his kids from school all the children would rush to the fence to get a
good look at him and gaze at him with a gaze of praise. His long “flowy” dark
hair, aviator Raybans, leather sports-jacket, and always riding up with his
washed and waxed automobile. Everything he would do would exhault man-ess.
Exhaling “O’s” when he smoked his cigarettes, cracking Quebecer jokes, these
were all mere facets of his personality that when added up resulted in this
positive public reaction. Those who surrounded him always respected him and
regarded all his actions as socially correct for his gender role. Subsequently, his evaluation was a
positive one and his label was imprinted clearly for everyone to read and
understand. Conceiving only males in the family proved he was potent and the
personification of testosterone. So, whether he enjoyed singing or listening to
music that might be classified as “gay” would never affect his identity since
he had already achieved a master status of “the head of the house”. In turn, he
was always herd in high regard and everyone would listen when he spoke – or
sang.
Zac’s older brother Reneault also goes through the social
typing process throughout the film.
In his pre-teen years he is described as the troublemaker with a bit of
an attitude. He slouches on his side of the couch with his arms crossed and a
“mean-mug” plastered on his face conveying dismay. Although his behavior is
negative and he does not accomplish much compared to his brothers (not being
studious or a jock or gifted), he is
evaluated as a man. This is due to his figure, apparel, tattoos, his sex appeal
to women (very active sex life), motorcycle, drug use (marijuana), and all
around lifestyle. Once his primary deviance turned into secondary with the
event of his mother finding his stashed narcotics he obtained the master status
as “the screw-up” and build his identity around it. Everyone in the family knew
what he was about, it was taboo at the start but Renault’s misbehavior did not
match that of his brother Zac. The treatment he therefore received was pity
through several of his family members
lending him money and his father still treated him a decent amount of
respect as he mirrored Gervais’ masculinity.
With reference to
labeling theory, numerous examples of primary and secondary deviance are
offered in the film. In this case, Zac has been tagged from early childhood
as being sensitive and possessing motherly qualities – he is said to have a
gift of some kind. This label has consequences in how he identifies himself and
contributes to subsequent actions carried out in his life. This phenomenon
clearly plays a role on the dramatization of evil. Zac performed acts of
primary deviance, such as breaking his father’s record on purpose possibly due
to his frustration with his altered attitude towards him. Another example can
be wanting a baby carriage for his birthday/Christmas or dressing up as a
mother to babysit his younger brother, which can be considered a simple
“phase”. The problem with this is that he got caught. Furthermore, people’s
overall idea of who Zac was was put into question and changed, which later
altered the way he saw himself. Examples of this can be seen when Zac prays to
Jesus asking why he is different and pleading “anything but this, anything but
this”, fearing homosexuality. His actions then transform into secondary
deviance taking into account the fact that he builds a lifestyle around his
deviant acts. After the incident of him being caught masturbating in the car
with another teenage boy (one that he previously got into a fist-fight with), he
obtains a master status of “p’tit fife”(gay boy). From that moment on, his
entourage regards him as being or having homosexual qualities about him.
.JPG)
