This paper discusses the film Bordertown (2006), directed by Gregory Nava, in relation to the negative portrayal of Latinos/as. Moreover, it takes into account the adherence of the typical mainstream culture industry pattern while having a political agenda. For the analysis of this movie, I will show that this film is a result of Jennifer Lopez’s attempt to increase her popularity among the Latino community, both in the United States as well as in Mexico. To close, I will apply the concepts discussed in class.
Bordertown is a product of the mainstream culture industry that employs a negative representation of Mexico and its people as a result of capitalism. Lauren Adrian’s character is designed to make Jennifer Lopez more appealing to the Latino audience.
After the huge success of Selena (1997), director Gregory Nava has selected pop star Jennifer Lopez to play the main role as Lauren Adrian, a career-minded Mexican-American journalist who lives in Chicago, but is sent to Juarez, Mexico. She is there to investigate the sexual homicides that have happened since the approval of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1992. Eva, a young victim, makes Lauren reflect upon her own background and decide to fight for the women of Juarez, with the help of her ex-partner, Alfonso Diaz, played by Antonio Banderas. “While Lauren initially uses both Eva and Alfonso to get her story, even risking their lives in the process, she eventually comes to care deeply for the terrified young woman, through a process that includes confronting discomfort and denial about her own racial roots, and joining the female workers on the grueling assembly line to feel their pain.”
(Miller 1). After putting herself in severe danger for her story and after her article is rejected due to political and economical pressure on the newspaper, Lauren leaves her jobs to take over the Mexican newspaper owned by Diaz, who has been shot as a result of his involvement.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Characterization
- The Case of Jennifer Lopez
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper analyzes the film Bordertown (2006), directed by Gregory Nava, to assess its portrayal of Latinos/as and its adherence to mainstream culture industry patterns. The paper examines Jennifer Lopez's role in the film and its potential impact on her popularity within the Latino community, both in the United States and Mexico. By applying concepts discussed in class, the analysis seeks to understand the film's political agenda and its representation of Mexican society.
- Negative portrayal of Latinos/as
- Influence of the mainstream culture industry
- Jennifer Lopez's attempt to increase her popularity within the Latino community
- Criticism of capitalism and globalization
- The role of media in shaping perceptions of social issues
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the paper's topic, focusing on the negative representation of Latinos/as in the film Bordertown and its connection to mainstream culture industry patterns. The chapter also explores the film's potential political agenda and Jennifer Lopez's role in increasing her popularity among the Latino community.
- Characterization: This chapter examines the film's portrayal of Mexico, focusing on its depiction of living conditions, the government, and its people. It highlights the film's portrayal of Cuidad Juarez, a border town known for its sexual homicides of young women working in maquiladoras. The chapter further discusses the film's portrayal of the Mexican government's inefficiency and the influence of foreign corporations.
- The Case of Jennifer Lopez: This chapter analyzes Jennifer Lopez's role in the film, focusing on her portrayal as a reporter for the Chicago Sentinel who rediscovers her Mexican heritage while investigating the sexual homicides in Juarez. The chapter explores the potential motivations behind Lopez's involvement, examining whether it was a genuine attempt to raise awareness about the issue or a calculated move to increase her popularity in the Latin American market.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of the text include Latino/a representation, mainstream culture industry, Jennifer Lopez, Bordertown, Mexico, Cuidad Juarez, sexual homicides, maquiladoras, NAFTA, capitalism, globalization, political agenda, and media representation.
- Quote paper
- Jannis Rudzki-Weise (Author), 2010, Bordertown. The Case of Latino Identity examplified by Jennifer Lopez, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/164329
