Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum

Actors' restraint

<< < (2/4) > >>

Toast:

I think the restraint is what gave us the feeling that we wanted more of every scene. 

We were conttinually dragging our feelings into the next scene.

The feeling created is one of incompleteness of our experience.

Just like the incompleteness of the lives we were watching.

Amazing effect.  Less is so much more in this film.

serious crayons:

--- Quote from: yaadpyar on April 09, 2006, 12:11:41 pm --- Ang Lee seems very intersted in the audience being fully engaged in the emotional experience of the characters, and wants the viewer's to be placed squarely in the middle of the story.  For this reason, the actors must never so fully experience and express their emotional nature that nothing is left for the audience to feel.
--- End quote ---

Well put, Celeste! And you too, Toast!

The emotional restraint draws viewers into the characters' heads. Because we have to figure out what they're thinking rather than being told what to think we develop more empathy for them. And we get to be moved by the events of the story rather than the actors' emoting. Also, the restraint helps maintain the momentum of emotion. For instance, you might assume that after Ennis read the final postcard, or got off the phone with Lureen, he would be distraught, perhaps collapsing with grief. But showing that would undermine the power of the scenes to follow at the Twist home and then in his trailer. Instead, Ennis exhibits a bit more emotion each time, as the scenes get progressively sadder and sadder and finally almost unbearably poignant and sad.

Whenever anybody who hasn't seen the movie asks me why I think it's so good, I say something to the effect of, It's a really powerful story told with incredible subtlety and restraint. Of course there are a million other things I could praise about it. But to me, it's that stark contrast above all else that makes the film so moving.

amh:
Other posters have mentioned Jake's acting when he is *quiet* during the lake confrontation scene, which is true.  But I also think he showed restraint when he finally lets it all out at Ennis during this scene too. 

Sure, he's emotional, and the most emotional he's ever been with Ennis.  But he still delivers this emotional outburst *just* far enough without going overboard.  Particularly when he delivers the final "I wish I knew how to quit you" line.  It bothers me so much that this line has been parodied and made a joke of.  Because the way Jake delivers that line to me is *just perfect*, and one of the most emotional, heart-wrenching moments of the film, a pivotal turning point that causes Ennis to finally break down, and with Jack's delivery of that line the emotional pain he's carrying seemlessly shifts from Jack onto Ennis.

I love Heath and his performance.  But as I type this again I am reminded how completely *underrated* I think Jake is throughout this film.  His acting is just as astonishing. 

YaadPyar:

--- Quote from: amh625 on April 10, 2006, 04:27:15 pm ---
I am reminded how completely *underrated* I think Jake is throughout this film.  His acting is just as astonishing. 


--- End quote ---

Agreed!  Jack seems very much more expressive than Ennis, but think of all the things Jack never says - he walks away from Ennis just as Ennis walks away from him, with a look back, and hope for the future, but nevertheless, he also walks away with hardly a word.  Heath can't be brilliant without Jake, and vice versa!

Compared probably to most anyone in our own lives, these two characters conceal more from each other than they ever reveal through words, which is essential to the tragedy of the story.  All them things we never know - never come to know...   :'( :'( :'(

bbm_stitchbuffyfan:

--- Quote ---Compared probably to most anyone in our own lives, these two characters conceal more from each other than they ever reveal through words, which is essential to the tragedy of the story. 
--- End quote ---

I don't know about that. I always saw Ennis being able to confide in Jack. There are some things Jack couldn't say to Ennis but I think he felt at ease with him and he was obviously elated when in Ennis' presence, unless something was terribly wrong (see: lakeside confrontation). And I agree, I think Jake's performance is very underrated and I thought he was just about perfect in the part.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page