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Roswell

Name: Roswell
Director: Jeremy Kagan
Released: 1994
Duration: 91 min

Representation Score

3.0/10

Limited

1994

PG-13

Director

Jeremy Kagan

Runtime

91 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Roswell is a traditional historical drama focused on institutional secrecy. While it explores the tension between individual ability to act and systemic authority, it remains bound to the social hierarchies of 1947. The narrative structure emphasizes a procedural science-fiction plot rather than disrupting mid-20th-century social norms, leading to a conventional portrayal of the era.

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Category Breakdown

Does Roswell have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not include any representation of LGBTQ+ identities or same-sex relationships. Set in 1947, the military context suggests adherence to traditional social structures.

How does Roswell portray gender?

Fair

Major Jesse Marcel, a male character, holds most of the ability to act in the story. Women are not shown in roles that challenge the gender norms of the mid-20th century.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Roswell?

Limited

The story centers on military personnel and local ranchers in rural New Mexico. It depicts a homogeneous society without diverse perspectives.

How does Roswell represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film questions the reliability of official government narratives and institutional trust. It portrays military explanations as potentially misleading, challenging the idea of infallible state authority.

Does Roswell include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no mention of characters with physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Present on Screen

The film offers a compelling look at individual ability to act against systemic secrecy.
It provides a nuanced critique of institutional trust and official government narratives.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities and non-traditional characters.
Gender roles remain traditional, with ability to act mostly held by male figures.
The cast lacks racial and ethnic diversity, depicting a homogeneous society.

Official Synopsis

Based on the book "UFO Crash at Roswell" by Kevin Randle and Donald Schmitt, Roswell follows the attempts of Major Jesse Marcel to discover the truth about strange debris found on a local rancher's field in July of 1947. Told by his superiors that what he has found is nothing more than a downed weather balloon, Marcel maintains his military duty until the weight of the truth, however out of this world it may be, forces him to piece together what really occurred.

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