Posted by
Jon on Saturday, August 25, 2007 5:30:09 AM
J. R. R. Tolkien once wrote in
The Hobbitt, "Now it is a strange thing, but things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway." Which is why this post shall be short.
This is a really good film. Even a paranoid and overly-political delusional, like myself, who can even
rant and rave about movies that he enjoyed, like
Becoming Jane, can have no complaints. There was one brief point, where the story makes a specific point of putting the spoiled, rich, and neglected child in a Christian private school (that struck just
too close to home), but then again, it also makes a point, later on, of depicting an identical family as agnostic ("Are you trying to convert my child!"), which I appreciated. It is necessary, when "characterizing" a character, to provide specific details and I'd venture to guess that the screenwriters made a point, in these divided times, of deliberately being all-inclusive. I appreciated that. And, it generally stayed away from political affiliation; I was all set for the wealthy businessman to be depicted as Republican and was all set to say to myself, "I didn't think they made Republicans in Manhattan!" and yet I had no chance to deliver it. I suppose I could say that, these days, only a story in Manhattan, so overwhelmingly Democratic, can be so apolitical, but even I know that's jumping the shark.
What's left is a really poignant story of love, giving love unexpectedly and needing love unexpectedly. I really had a good time, some good laughs, and a lot of good truth.
There was one sexual encounter, but without even what
Tracy Hickman calls a "boots scene", the scene where Captain Kirk pulls on his boots at the bedside of a beautiful alien woman, presumably after a night with more clothing absent than his footwear.
It's a good movie to challenge young adults, but with adult not a movie that younger kids can see and not know they missed the point. The adult themes are too central to the film for younger kids to appreciate.