Finishing the novel last night has left me in a really peculiar mood this morning--even for a Monday.
I think part of the trouble is that reading the novel has disinterred things from my own past that I would have preferred stayed buried.
I should probably be discussing this on my own blog rather than here.
I should find out if the film is still playing in Philadelphia, except that I will be away this weekend, so I'm not sure there's a point to that, unless I can determine if it's still playing Easter Monday. I could possibly see it then.
As it happens, I'm acquainted with someone whose family background is Italian Jewish. He was born and raised in Israel; I don't know when his family moved there from Italy. He has his Green Card. He married a U.S. citizen (I am well acquainted with the marriage because I was his husband's Best Man!).
But anyway, not yet having seen the movie, it's his voice I "hear" as I read the text, and his face I "see" rather than the voice and face of Timothee Chalamet. (I do "hear" and "see" Armie Hammer, probably because I've already seen him elsewhere.)
That’s interesting, Jeff, that you see your friend's face. I wonder if he will be obliterated by Timothée when you do see it!
As for being in a peculiar mood, it certainly keeps happening to me, and with the book perhaps even more than the film. They are so intertwined for me now, but I think it’s the Ghost Spots section that affects me so much, even though I don’t think it’s digging up anything buried for me... The more I read it, the more I find little details of how that summer reverberates with both of them, and it’s heartbreaking.
I do know that I’m missing my husband (who died nearly 5 years ago) very much at the moment, and am a little emotional about everything, in a good way I think. It’s a little bit similar to my reaction to Brokeback, though not nearly so extreme. Michael was alive then, and was amazed by the whole thing - as was I - though he was very tolerant about it!
I hope in the end CMBYN is a good experience for you. I think it will stay as one of my best ever films.