We watched the movie Debut. About Ruben, basically wanting to go to an art institution instead of UCLA for med school. His father, who was really strict didn’t want that. He considered it a hobby, pass time, not a skill. He didn’t think it would be something worth spending all his money on to go to school for. Ruben was stuck trying to decide which party to go to, his sisters 18th birthday or his friends high school party. Some of the discussion after the movie suggested it had something to do with him deciding between his heritage. He seemed to want to go to his sisters party because it’s the right thing to do, but he wanted to go to the other party because a girl he liked was going, which isn’t strictly wrong, but to go to that party over the huge party being thrown for your sister is probably at least slightly wrong. He ends up going to the high school party for a little bit, while he is there he basically gets treated like shit by some drunk white girl who eventually starts yakin all over herself. After that he realized that he didn’t want to be there, his friends took him back to his sisters party and more drama ensued.
I think one thing I want to note is, when we discussed the movie afterwards, people made a lot of comments and good notes about why his father started to be more accepting of his decision to go to art school. Before, he was just mad at his dad, he didn’t care that his dad wanted him to go to UCLA to be a doctor, he wasn’t interested in why his father wanted that. During the party I think one of the important scenes was Bens dad and grandfather arguing, everyone could hear them, but Ben got his fathers perspective of why he wants Ben to do what he wants him to do, such as go to UCLA. Everything his dad had to go through, being an immigrant and just the life he had to live, he wants better for Ben. I think when Ben made that connection he was more willing to sort of open up and show him why he wants to go to art school. Not to be defiant but because it’s a passion not a hobby, but a skill I suppose?