Applying Audience Theory Social Realism

Richard Dyer
1. Does your genre offer Utopian Solutions? Yes, or No? Please explain why?
Because the theory of utopian solutions is about offering the viewer escapism from
their problems and offering the viewer something better, I would have to say no,
social realism as a genre does not offer utopian solutions. This is because an essential
convention of social realism films is the poorer, impoverished setting, which cannot
be classed as a utopian solution as far as setting is concerned, due to the largely
negative way in which counsel estates are looked at in the media. This is clear in
Andrea Arnolds Fish Tank (2009). The films protagonist, Mia, lives in a block of flats
with her mum and little sister. At the beginning of the film, she insights violence with
other residents, which is a common stereotype of the people that live in these areas.
However, the film begins with Mia and her rather monotonous life, and then builds
upwards, with the help of Michael Fassbenders character, Conor. Conor helps Mia
experience new emotions of excitement and happiness by encouraging her passion for
dance. However, eventually Mia loses her relationship with Conor. The films ending,
is neither positive of negative, it is more Mia settling, which again cannot be
considered a utopian solution, as that would mean the films ending places Mia in the
absolute ideal situation.
The Frankfurt School
2. Is the audience sometimes passive in your genre? Explain why.
In terms of social realism films, I think that the Frankfurt Schools theory cannot be
applied. For example, with a film such as Half Nelson, which was an American social
realism film, it looks into the life of an inspirational school teacher in a rough area
with a drug problem, and the help he receives from one of his thirteen year old
students to get clean. One could argue that the film, much like Trainspotting, merely
serves to depict the effects of a drug problem on lower classes of people. However,
throughout the film it is clear that Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) does not agree with
modern society and how it is conformed to. Despite being a teacher, he makes it clear
to his students that he does not agree with the American education system, so as an act
of rebellion, he teaches them in his own, uniquely brutally honest way. All the while
succumbing to a drug problem, which acts as another act of rebellion against the
expectations of society on a teacher, which is to have this perfect, squeaky clean
reputation and to be an example to students. The fact that many social realism films
can be interpreted in a number of different ways is a clear indication that The
Hypodermic Needle Model Theory does not apply to this genre.
Blumler & Katz
3. What are the uses and gratifications for audiences of your genre?
Above all else, I think that the most applicable use and gratification for the genre
social realism is information/education. These films are rarely set in an area that the

people that go to see them know particularly well. If we take Trainspotting (1996) for
example, Trainspotting gives audiences a look into the drug scene in Edinburgh. Due
to the critical success of this film we can deduct that Danny Boyle accurately depicted
this area scene of the world. Trainspotting largely contributes to people awareness of
Scotland around the world. Again, if we look at The Full Monty (1997), despite the
obvious humorous nature of the film, it shows tiresome lives of working class men in
Sheffield in the seventies, who had been made redundant and subsequently had to deal
with the reversal of gender roles in their families. Due to these men no longer being
primary breadwinners of their family, women had to step in, which resulted in an
insecurity of masculinity. This film therefore is the gratification of education, in an
insight to the working class lives of these four men, and entertainment due to the
light-hearted nature of resulting in stripping in order to make money.
David Buckingham
4. If the audience of your genre is young people, how does this theory apply?
N/A