See What I'm Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary (2010)
I've spent a couple weeks with deaf people before so this documentary interested me. I figured it would be a story about how people have persevered through the challenges that they have been faced with and feeling good about things when it was over. Ended up getting a little heavy. If you are smart enough to get on the internet and read words then I am assuming that by reading the title you have a good idea about the plot to this. A comedian, an actor, a singer and a drummer all have their lives filmed. They all happen to be either deaf or hard of hearing.
We meet the actor and I already forgot his name. It might have started with an a. Nothing crazy about his story. Next you're introduced to the drummer and he seems alright. Next is some emo looking chick singing lyrics “I'm so lost, just let me bleed alone”. Metal. I'm into it. Finally we meet the comedian who seems nice and not funny. He is proud of who he is and says while the deaf community is small, they are close and stick together. We see that he gets invited to perform at this big festival in North Carolina and thinks it could be his big break. It's the first time that he'll be doing his act for only people who can hear.
Back to the metal chick. I was wondering how she can sing and be deaf. At the same time. Turns out she is only hard of hearing so there's the answer to that. You might think that being able to hear a little is way better than being deaf but it presents its own challenges that you don't really think about. Imagine that you only hear half of the conversations that you've ever had and have to try and fill in the blanks yourself. I know hearing half is better than hearing nothing but it comes with a different set of frustrations. Than think about the fact that she is treated badly by deaf people because they don't believe that she is one of them. She neither belongs with the deaf community or the hearing. When the movie finished I was tired of hearing her whining but now I think she has the right to whine all she wants. She isn't blind though so there is no excuse for some of her outfits.
The movie itself does cool things like muffle the sound at times so we can hear what the hard of hearing picks up. They do it with the deaf to so there is a minute of being around people talking in silence. On to the actor who is having trouble finding work on the stage so he teaches some ASL classes on the side. That's American Sign Language, not the first question you ask to one of Chris Hanson's “13” year old. He teaches some class at Julliard which is pretty legit. I will say that out of the four entertainers, he is the only one who would hold my attention. Dude can make some funny faces.
The drummers story is pretty cool. While growing up, the rest of his family all played instruments so to fit in he learned too. While walking through his dorm at his deaf college, he felt vibrations in the wall. I can instantly think of like 10 things that could make vibrations in a college dorm and I don't want to walk in on any of them. He did and it ended up being a guy playing guitar. He was super excited and told the guy he can drum. The guitarist freaked out and ran down the hall to grab another deaf guy who played bass and they formed a deaf band.
The comedian gets to the festival and in like 3 nights of performances I have to say probably less than 10 people showed up. North Carolina let both him and me down. We are both crushed. This is the beginning of things going wrong for all of them. The chick got a record deal or something for a CD. She is working hard on it but clashes with the producer and gets dropped. The deaf band named Beethoven’s Revenge (clever) are having a reunion and worrying about selling tickets. And then there is the actor. First he gets evicted from his place and spends nights sleeping on benches in the subway or at the park. Sad enough but there are also the stories. First involved him feeling left out of his family and for Christmas one year begged that his mom would learn how to sign so they could have a relationship. No presents, just signing. On Christmas day they all get together and she hasn't learned a thing so he gets angry and doesn't talk to her anymore. Gets a message later on from someone telling him that she has a brain tumor and is about to die. With a translator, he visits her on her death bed to say goodbye. He signs to the translator and looks to him to sign back. The mom starts asking why he is looking at him instead of at her. He asks the translator to tell her that she doesn't know how to sign so he has to use this guy. She starts crying and asks him to look at her and talk but of course he can't. Her mind is gone and she has forgotten that he is deaf or something and he ends up not being able to communicate with her before she dies. Friggin harsh right? Then he says one of his close friends died of AIDS around the same time and he just became pissed at the world. He wanted to die to so he had sex with a bunch of dudes to get AIDS himself. He succeeded. What am I watching?
Anyway the movie tries to redeem itself by the comedian putting together his own festival while the bands reunion show gets the singer to be their opening act. I don't care how well they go, how am I supposed to get over that. Things do go well. The concert sells out and the comedians and actors festival is a hit. Instead of death metal they play deaf metal. I like that.
Favorite Scene : Can't really think of a favorite. Maybe the drummer jamming but he is looking pretty old back there so don't rock too hard.
Best Lines : “Deaf people have eyes like Superman” “Interpreting the sign gets you a story but performing a sign gives you a picture”
Rating : 5.5 whoppers. Pretty average documentary. I liked the Dr. Nakamats one more for sure. Movie had it's moments but I won't be seeing it again.
Alternate Ending: There is a deaf scientist that cures AIDS for the actor
What I would do if I was the main Character : probably be a blogger about movies. Lot's of subtitles for me. I would quit playing my instrument though, it's hard enough as it is now.
What happens in the sequel : Hopefully that AIDS thing. The singer has found a profession she is better at and has dropped the blue hair. The comedian makes it big after getting a web redemption on Tosh.0 for performing in front of an empty theater. Drummer keeps on a rockin.
Can you hear me now?
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