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In poorer areas of society, the ability to use ordinary, inexpensive objects in creative ways becomes a mark of distinction. Because people in these places don’t have a whole lot, they pride themselves on their ability to make use of what they do have. For example, having grown up in Kentucky, I can attest to the many wondrous uses of duct tape; I have seen it used in the fixing of electronics, cars, houses, and even clothing! In this film by Ephriam “Fetti” Benton, it is not duct tape, but brown paper bags that serve multiple purposes. Throughout the film, we see the different ways people use this simple item, including (but not limited to): cookware, air freshener, hairstyling, transport of work-related items, and sex protection (more on that later).
Rodney, Tamika, and Rodissa all live in the hood, while Diane lives in a more well-off part of the city. Rodney has been released from jail a day early, and is looking to raise some quick cash. His girlfriend Tamika is getting ready for a date (with someone else) later that night. She enlists the help of her friend Rodissa to help do her hair. Meanwhile, Diane, Tamika’s cousin, is trying to gain approval at the affluent white law firm she works for by trying to get into a “Black Society Social Club” to bring in new clients.
Rodney and Tamika possess a resourcefulness that has come with living in the ghetto; this is shown in their various creative uses for paper bags throughout the film. However, Diane (who grew up in the hood, then later moved out), is snobby and condescending when she comes to visit Tamika at her apartment. She has chosen to reject the very place she came from and everything it represents, including the ingenuity that goes along with not having a lot of money. It is Diane’s pride and refusal to accept where she came from that ultimately ends up limiting her.
Content
This film takes an interesting and creative look at social perceptions by the various uses of paper bags. How the different characters use this simple item speaks to their background, resourcefulness, and outlook on the world. The writing is decent and the story proceeds at a good pace. At times, the storyline got a bit confusing (with Tamika, her date, Rodney, the dealer, and Rodissa), and it wasn’t until the second time watching it that I got everything straight. I think that most of the confusion could be cleared up with improved audio and clearer dialogue, as it was sometimes hard to follow what was being said. (See below for comments.)
The acting on part of Ephriam Benton and Matesha Royal (Rodney and Tamika) was pretty good; however, I felt that Afiya Leslay’s performance as Diane was the most shaky. I attributed the somewhat stiff demeanor to her character, as Diane seems to be the type of person who takes herself (and everyone else) too seriously. However, the delivery of many of her lines seemed a bit stilted and forced.
There were some creative moments in the film. One nice touch is when Diane is meeting with her supervisors at the law firm. As she comes into their office and sits down, one of the associates comes in and places a white paper bag (presumably someone’s lunch) on the desk in front of her, a subtle indication to the audience that Diane is very different from the other characters. My personal favorite, though, is when Rodney visits the dealer’s apartment to give him his cut of the day’s earnings. Unbeknownst to Rodney, the dealer is Tamika’s “date” that night; Rodessa has tagged along and has become bored while waiting for them to finish. The dealer asks Rodney to “take one for the team” and have sex with Rodessa as a favor. The problem is, Rodessa is not the prettiest flower in the garden; so, Rodney makes a mask for her out of a paper bag so he doesn’t have to look at her face. (Talk about protection!)
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