Our BetterMost Community > Chez Tremblay
What do you all think of this review?
ednbarby:
--- Quote from: DavidinHartford on October 18, 2006, 02:57:19 pm ---I think that review is 100% accurate. I think alot of do crave more backstory on Jacks life. Mid way thru the film it does deviate to depict mostly Ennis's life. Too bad we could get more on the other characters, but then the movie would have been too long for a normal time slot. But never too long for us Brokies right? ;D
--- End quote ---
I crave it, too. Like Mikaela said, I also trust Ang Lee. And I agree with you both - it would have been too long if they showed that much more of Jack's life. I also think there's an aspect of wanting to show it primarily from Ennis' point of view. Ennis is the first to arrive in the first scene, and Ennis is the last to remain in the last scene. There's symmetry there, and as such, he would be the pivotal character.
It's probably been talked about in other threads here, but you know what "missing" scene I crave even more than the time between leaving the apartment and arriving at the Siesta Motel and the time Jack goes up to Lightning Flat to "see the folks for a few days" after the last time they're together? I *crave* the scene in whatever diner or restaurant they stop at to have breakfast the morning after the reunion.
I often imagine how they'd be, sitting across a table in a booth from one another. I see Jack nudging Ennis' boot with one of his and giving him a knowing smile, Ennis smiling back before he thinks "better" of it, then pulling his foot away as the waitress approaches. I see the delicate thread that exists between them as two people who love each other as they order, stir their coffee (or drink it black as the case may be - I picture Jack being partial to lots o' sugar like I am, and I see Ennis giving him one of his little closed-lip smiles and shaking his head at the sight of just how much he pours into it and Jack saying, "What? Ain't you ever seen someone put sugar in their coffee before?" and Ennis saying, "Yeah. But not that much."), and eat their food. Hell, maybe I oughtta write a fanfic. Oh wait - I guess I just kinda did.
Ellemeno:
Thanks Barb, it IS a good review - and I'm grateful to find this Movie Mom site I didn't know about. She doesn't give very many high grades. A B+ from her really means something.
I like this paragraph:
"Visual cues in this movie are very important and families might talk about these subtle touches, such as the way Ennis' life shrinks as seen by ever smaller interior spaces, about the smiles -few and far between-and who they are between, and about eye contact, which Ennis in his isolation uses sparingly and Jack in his recklessness uses often."
ednbarby:
--- Quote from: Ellemeno on October 18, 2006, 06:40:29 pm ---"Visual cues in this movie are very important and families might talk about these subtle touches, such as the way Ennis' life shrinks as seen by ever smaller interior spaces, about the smiles -few and far between-and who they are between, and about eye contact, which Ennis in his isolation uses sparingly and Jack in his recklessness uses often."
--- End quote ---
I liked that, too. It immediately brought to mind the way Jack's eyes bore into Ennis', and then into his lips, in the second tent scene, while Ennis does everything he can not to look Jack in the eye.
In fact, I can't get that image out of my head since first reading that this morning. Can't say as I mind, though.
serious crayons:
Beautiful review! Thanks for posting it, Barb. Here is a sentence I particularly loved:
--- Quote --- But by the conclusion, with its definitive, heart-wrenching portrayal of what will always be divided and what can never be, audiences will realize that the story has entered its souls.
--- End quote ---
She's probably a little optimistic to think that "audiences will realize" this, as if everybody will, when in fact we know there are plenty of dumbass mules out there who don't realize that. But Movie Mom seems to be at least a semi-Brokie (a full-fledged Brokie would have given it an A+ but, as Elle points out, Movie Mom must be a tough grader).
And I like how she provides good study-guide questions for families to discuss afterward. But she forgets to warn that if they really want answers they'll have to spend hours a day for months and months on message boards ... and even then they still won't be sure!
Kd5000:
That's a very thoughtful and well written review. Yes, I bought the SHORT story after seeing the film to see if there were more about Jack Twist's home life, work life (well he spends alot of time away trying to drum up business for his wife's company) or relationship with his wife. It's a pity the short story was so short.
I use to think Cassie was a waste as they could have devoted more film time to the characters that had already been introduced. I know, she serves a purpose, but...
No, there is no parallel confrontation between Lureen and Jack as with Alma and Ennis. She just represses though she does throws out a few hints, i.e. don't seem fair you driving all that way to go fishing (who is this guy you go away with from time to time that I've never met)... and why do husbands never like to dance with their wives Jack. I suppose that will have to do. Still think Lureen was an assertive person and would have finally asked "what's the deal."
I'm glad we did get to meet Jack's parents at the end. It gave more depth to the character, to see what sort of homelife (bleak) he must have had. So I'm grateful for that.
It would have been nice to have had more scenes of Jack being a good dad. All the moreso to make a striking contrast between Jack and his dad. Some evidence is given in that Jack rides the combine with his son in the driver's seat, or telling Lureen to call the school about Bobby's academic problems. I'm guess I'm thinking of my own childhood experiences of my dad teaching me how to ride a horse.
Perhaps a scene on the phone with Lureen tactfully confiding to Lashawn her husband's lack of "interest" and if that nomal after you have been married for several years... Of course, Lashawn (blabbermouth) would be the last person Lureen would have confided in, but we see no other friends that she and Jack had, Randall aside.
After Thanksgiving, we never hear again from L.D. THe short story says he passes on and I suppose we are left with that. I still wondered if Jack and L.D's relationship (did L.D. have more respect for his son in law) changed after the whole Thanksgiving blow-up. Did it worsen or did Jack earn a small amount of respect from his father in law?
We all want more scenes of Jack and Ennis together, like what occurred between tent scene #2 and the dozey embrace. Oh and the time that Jack and Ennis were at Don Wroe's cabin and killed an elk. Oh, that could have been a grand flashback. ;-)
Alot of questions are left unanswered. I guess it makes for a more "haunting" film.
--------------------------
Don't know what was going on behind the scenes, if "other parties" felt they were "pushing the envelope" with the rather tame same-sex scenes and expressions of tenderness they already did have.
Maybe they felt that was sufficient. And maybe showing too much more of Lureen and Jack life together would have changed the dynamics (away from Jack and Ennis) of the film and you'd have a Douglas Sirk weepie.
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