Post by •°o.O emily O.o°• on Feb 4, 2007 21:10:32 GMT
Paul will be so proud... *spoilers*
So, i watched Clint's little film from '95, and was pleasantly surprised. It was my first Eastwood flick actually, in terms of acting or directing, and I was quite impressed. It can ruin a film if the director is also the star *cough*braveheart*cough* because...it's hard to be in two places at once, and a director needs to be removed from the action (ie. not giving themselves all the screentime, Mel!!)
Anyway. The cinematography was generally good; some lovely shots of said bridges and the rural countryside, and a in particular the well shot sequence in the rain at the end, when they meet in the cars. I love how for her husband, they're just waiting in traffic lights, but for her she is seeing the love of her life for the last time, and on the edge of changing her mind about a decision she made which changed the course of her life. But for those who haven't seen it - Basically it is a story of adultery (well, it is) but seen through the memories of a dead mother left to her children. I love how at the beginning, they are discussing the legal stuff to do with their mother who's died, and we don't know anything about her or care about her character. The story is her story, not Clint's character's; Franchesca, the disatisfied housewife who moved from Italy to Iowa and had settled to a quiet life looking after her family. Her isolation, her slight conflict with her family, are put across really effectively through just her actions and reactions to things. You really like the character and want her to be happy.
After Clint - "Robert" - a photographer for the National Geographic turns up looking for directions to a nearby bridge, their at first innocent time spent together (as the kids and husband are away) becomes a passionate love affair, and after four days of reclaimed youth and excitement, she must decide whether to abandon her family or let her secret love go. My favourite scenes are not the later "love montages" (any over-romanticism is dispelled by their arguments after that) but the very un-romantic start of their relationship. They don't know each other, and it is awkward and so natural to watch...you would never guess the dialogue had been scripted. After so many teen flicks with stock-lines and such, it was really refreshing to hear such natural talk between the two of them, with clumsy remarks and silences.
Anyway, it's a bittersweet, charming and thorougly depressing film. I was crying for the last 20 mins or so, and felt completely disillusioned about love and marriage! But thats praise, because it was so moving. Check out this film because although slow-paced and small scale, it makes a frank statement about life, marriage and the "certainty that comes once in a lifetime". The only problem was having to watch Clint kissing Meryl Streep very badly...eww...memories of "Somethings Gotta Give" (people over 50 shouldnt use tongues). As Dudders said, the most moving thing about it is that her husband is just a nice guy who wants to make her happy, even if he's not very good at it. And her son grew on me as a character, there are a few nice scenes with him and his sister struggling with memories and revalations.
On a personal note - I found this film interesting because my dad came up against the same choice himself a few years ago. Unlike Franchesca though, he decided to persue the person he was meant to be with.
Anyone seen the film and got something to add? ;D four stars from me.
****/5
Emily
So, i watched Clint's little film from '95, and was pleasantly surprised. It was my first Eastwood flick actually, in terms of acting or directing, and I was quite impressed. It can ruin a film if the director is also the star *cough*braveheart*cough* because...it's hard to be in two places at once, and a director needs to be removed from the action (ie. not giving themselves all the screentime, Mel!!)
Anyway. The cinematography was generally good; some lovely shots of said bridges and the rural countryside, and a in particular the well shot sequence in the rain at the end, when they meet in the cars. I love how for her husband, they're just waiting in traffic lights, but for her she is seeing the love of her life for the last time, and on the edge of changing her mind about a decision she made which changed the course of her life. But for those who haven't seen it - Basically it is a story of adultery (well, it is) but seen through the memories of a dead mother left to her children. I love how at the beginning, they are discussing the legal stuff to do with their mother who's died, and we don't know anything about her or care about her character. The story is her story, not Clint's character's; Franchesca, the disatisfied housewife who moved from Italy to Iowa and had settled to a quiet life looking after her family. Her isolation, her slight conflict with her family, are put across really effectively through just her actions and reactions to things. You really like the character and want her to be happy.
After Clint - "Robert" - a photographer for the National Geographic turns up looking for directions to a nearby bridge, their at first innocent time spent together (as the kids and husband are away) becomes a passionate love affair, and after four days of reclaimed youth and excitement, she must decide whether to abandon her family or let her secret love go. My favourite scenes are not the later "love montages" (any over-romanticism is dispelled by their arguments after that) but the very un-romantic start of their relationship. They don't know each other, and it is awkward and so natural to watch...you would never guess the dialogue had been scripted. After so many teen flicks with stock-lines and such, it was really refreshing to hear such natural talk between the two of them, with clumsy remarks and silences.
Anyway, it's a bittersweet, charming and thorougly depressing film. I was crying for the last 20 mins or so, and felt completely disillusioned about love and marriage! But thats praise, because it was so moving. Check out this film because although slow-paced and small scale, it makes a frank statement about life, marriage and the "certainty that comes once in a lifetime". The only problem was having to watch Clint kissing Meryl Streep very badly...eww...memories of "Somethings Gotta Give" (people over 50 shouldnt use tongues). As Dudders said, the most moving thing about it is that her husband is just a nice guy who wants to make her happy, even if he's not very good at it. And her son grew on me as a character, there are a few nice scenes with him and his sister struggling with memories and revalations.
On a personal note - I found this film interesting because my dad came up against the same choice himself a few years ago. Unlike Franchesca though, he decided to persue the person he was meant to be with.
Anyone seen the film and got something to add? ;D four stars from me.
****/5
Emily
