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Build

Name: Build
Director: Greg Atkins
Released: 2004
Duration: 23 min

Representation Score

7.7/10

Good

2004

Director

Greg Atkins

Runtime

23 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Build explores the harsh realities of social realism, focusing on the breakdown of traditional upward mobility. The narrative shifts away from the idealized student archetype, highlighting the moral complexities of survival and systemic struggle. The film challenges traditional Western success metrics by emphasizing situational ethics over meritocratic achievement. By centering the plot on a young man leaving his studies to support a dysfunctional household, it subverts expectations of institutional advancement. While the film offers a compelling look at domestic dysfunction, it lacks specific details about the racial, ethnic, or LGBTQ+ backgrounds of the characters. The focus remains tightly centered on the interpersonal struggle between a son and his mother.

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Category Breakdown

Does Build have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film does not include any explicit references to LGBTQ+ characters or themes. There are no narratives or identities that question the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does Build portray gender?

Fair

The story centers on a troubled relationship between a mother and her son. The portrayal of an alcoholic mother steers clear of the stable matriarch cliché, instead depicting her as a character defined by dysfunction and struggle.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Build?

Fair

The narrative does not provide any information about the racial or ethnic backgrounds of the main characters. There is no indication of diverse casting or efforts to challenge Anglo-Saxon-centric narratives.

How does Build represent religion and culture?

Good

The film questions traditional measures of success by focusing on a student who leaves formal education to survive. It critiques idealized Western family structures by showing the family as a source of strain.

Does Build include disability representation?

Fair

The mother's alcoholism is presented as a chronic health issue, but it is unclear if she is shown with real control over her actions. The narrative does not clearly indicate if her condition is a defining part of her character.

Present on Screen

Challenges traditional Western success metrics and meritocratic ideals.
Avoids the stable matriarch cliché with a realistic portrayal of alcoholism.
Offers a gritty, morally complex exploration of domestic dysfunction.

Limited or Absent

Lacks visible representation of LGBTQ+ identities or themes.
Provides no information about the racial or ethnic backgrounds of the characters.
Does not clarify if the mother's dependency is portrayed with true character control.

Official Synopsis

Mother-son relationship is strained to the breaking point when a young architecture student gives up his studies to support himself and his alcoholic mother by hustling.

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