You are here:
The State of Things

The State of Things

1982

Director

Wim Wenders

Runtime

121 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

On location in Portugal, a film crew runs out of film while making their own version of Roger Corman's The Day the World Ended (1956). The producer is nowhere to be found and director Munro attempts to find him in hopes of being able to finish the film.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

4.9/10

Fair


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film focuses on a central heterosexual pairing. It does not engage with queer identities or non-cisnormative frameworks, reflecting a focus on conventional domestic stagnation.

Gender Representation

Good

Wenders subverts traditional hierarchies by depicting a relationship defined by emotional detachment. Neither character serves as a pillar of authority, suggesting a departure from patriarchal structures.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Minimal

The cast and setting are predominantly white and European. The narrative lacks racial or ethnic intersectionality, operating within a highly specific, homogeneous cultural context.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The film critiques Western institutional stability through social atomization. It embraces moral relativism and a postmodern skepticism of established religious or patriotic anchors.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities that drive the plot or serve as central character traits.

Strengths

  • Subverts traditional gender hierarchies by avoiding stable patriarchal structures.
  • Offers a profound critique of Western institutional stability and capitalist urban life.
  • Embraces a sophisticated, nuanced exploration of human connection through moral relativism.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks racial and ethnic intersectionality within the central narrative arc.
  • Provides no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or queer theoretical frameworks.
  • Fails to include depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

AI Analysis

Wim Wenders' film is a postmodern meditation on alienation that prioritizes subjective experience over traditional plot. While it lacks demographic breadth, it excels in deconstructing social norms. The film's strength lies in its intellectual depth and its ability to challenge capitalist and institutional structures. It moves away from stable moral imperatives to explore human connection in flux. However, the work remains culturally homogeneous. The absence of LGBTQ+ representation and racial intersectionality limits its scope to a specific, localized European malaise.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.