"The Absent" is not about not reporting, the time has not come

Joy 2022-10-30 12:33:31

(I’m not a textbook, it’s just my feeling. If you don’t like to go around, don’t urinate and urinate anywhere, it’s uncivilized! If you don’t write it yourself, but you have to spread it everywhere, it shouldn’t be a proud technique. If you can’t hold back it, Must excrete, take off the vest and come back again.) Many classic stories are wonderful and the characters are deep, just like Hugo's witty words, they have "complex as the sea-like character", choose such a story protagonist, they are quiet But changeable, dangerous but fascinating, roaring power accumulates in the depths, and there is a faint joy in the turbulent waterfall. It is difficult not to be eye-catching. Billy Bob Thornton in "Switchblade" is such a person, killer Leon is such a person, and the phantom of the theater Gerald. Butler is such a person, in short, there are countless drama characters like this. In the lens of the Coen brothers, the star character who has never been left out is probably such a character. "The Absent" is an undoubted representative, and it is also a good movie that I particularly like in the works of the Coen brothers. The whole play uses finely crafted black and white tones, and the enchanting phantom flowing in the soft light reveals the magical charm of retro and reminiscence movies. The light and dark changes of an exposure in the black-and-white picture engrave the contrast between documentary and drama in the process of recording and narrating the story, and also precipitate the color of memory and recall. In addition, as far as the type of film is concerned, whether it is in the core, the effect of color, light, spectrum, and shadow, or the theme concept of exposing the dark side of society in a sad way, it is the memory of the traditional noir film of the last century. do. The narration of the portrayal is not limited to some kind of old-fashioned opening curtain effect. It is connected to the end of the movie, the "flashback" method of writing biographies in the prison of Ed, and the whole play excuses oral narration, which is very natural. The ground is enclosed within the frame outlined by the voice-over, making this dislocation and coiling "circular" murder event more and more seamless. In addition, the Coen brothers are particularly good at using lenses to construct narrative pictures that can be expanded in depth, often through an imperceptible angle, ingesting the atmosphere of terror or crime, creating unexpected dramatic conflicts, thus creating a certain intriguing mood. This seems to have become their must-chosen cooking ingredients. For me, this has also become one of the pleasures of experiencing Cohn-style movies, but they never abuse them, so they are not cheap and contrived, which is even more praised. For example, there is a scene in "Blood Labyrinth", which is about Abby abandoning her husband, Maddie, and living in lover Frey's house. The next morning, Abby was ambushed by Maddie in the living room. When the Coen brothers pointed the camera at Maddie's loyal dog, unexpected energy erupted in the whole picture, which was quite impressive. "Ice Blood Storm" also cited an example. Shelly’s father-in-law was shot and killed by a short weird man, and Shelly rushed to the scene to check. At that time, the diagonally divided camera was aimed at Shelly’s body and the person lying on the ground not far away. The moment the trunk opened, the picture looked very smart. There is a similar story in "The Absent", shortly after the opening, the Eds and the Daves entertained the Daves. The camera is set behind Ed, and he follows Ed's gaze towards the brightly lit house in front. Ed tells that his wife and old Dave are washing dishes and playing ambiguously together. Suddenly, Dave appeared next to Ed. The entrance to the scene was outside the screen. This lens language was magical, cleverly creating a sense of liveliness and a sense of anxiety. In addition, the lens slowly moves closer to the intake target, or the moving object is gradually approached in the static lens. These are also used as labels in the pictures of the Coen brothers, which are extraordinary in a different artistic conception. Besides, the plot of the movie "The Absent" is actually not complicated. It is just a life revolution triggered by a crisis of marriage and a life of fatigue. The result of the revolution is that there is no life and no future. See you in heaven or hell. Fight again. Obviously, this time the Coen brothers played the game of "abnormal death" again, still using the theme they have always been passionate about, and can't get out of the life topics of money, marriage and lack of talent, such as "Blood Maze" and "Ice Blood Storm". "Barton Fink" and so on, are nothing more than a philosophical perspective of causal reincarnation, and it also reveals the exploration of the "desire" of human nature. Moreover, these films are also concentrated and realistic in the process of dividing the region and the environment, deliberately magnifying the background, creating a true and credible "report" charm. Especially in the process of forming characters and events, the advancement of the plot always follows the path of the mind that people want to break the shackles of the environment, people are driven by desires, and people yearn for heights and get ahead. This is a world of material desires, you and me. The reality that can't be shaken off. The story begins with a middle-aged hairdresser named Ed. He introduces himself uninterestedly. It sounds like he really can't get through this day. Some neurotic brother-in-law Frank is self-righteous and chattering, torturing his ears all day long; his wife Doris, who works in a clothing store, hooks up with the shop owner Dave, but he can't open his eyes; what about himself? Taciturn, full of depression, mechanical life, emotional numbness, as a married son-in-law, became the second successor of the father-in-law, but in his heart, he has no enthusiasm and desire for the life choice of a barber. In the movies of the Coen brothers, whether the protagonist or the supporting role in each play, there must be a chatter, who talks like an endless machine gun. Besides, the movies of the Coen brothers are intentional or unintentional. The function of magnifying the mouth in the middle, not to mention a large number of philosophical narration voiceovers, as far as the lips and teeth are focused in the close-up, those facial muscles that are distorted, exaggerated, clever, and grinning are revealed in words , All forms a special narrative language in movies. Of course, the corresponding is silence, as Ed said, he doesn't speak much, only has a haircut. In this way, with scenes and people moving in silence, Cohen uses the hammer of psychological perspective and the axe of scene scheduling to infinitely expand the marginal zone. Come back to the role of Ed, anyway, he is a fish struggling in stagnant water, and needs fresh oxygen to nourish life, so he decided to fight hard. As a result, such a small ridicule in this world really reappeared in Ed's life. A fat owner who found a business opportunity but had no money to invest in a dry cleaner business walked into Ed's barber shop. Everything was destined, and the two were bound together by an invisible life lock. However, the source of the tragedy backtracking was the "blackmail" incident that had already occurred, and Ed did not know it. The fat boss once saw Dave, the owner of the clothing store, having an affair with Doris. He also knew about Dave's fortune. He relied on the wealth and support of his wife's family. These logically led to the original criminal facts of knocking out a sum of money. However, several anonymous letters sent to Dave did not receive a reply. The fat boss probably wanted to give up this way of making money. He said that God would close a door for you and open another window for you. Implied its decision to find another way. A decisive turning point happened when I met Ed. Although it is not revealed in the play, Ed is on the verge of a mental breakdown at this time. In order to satisfy Dave's revenge, to get rid of the cuckold coward, and to change the lifeless barber role, he "blackmailed" him. The plan passed to Ed like a baton. Following this, the evocative and weird layout will also be fully revealed. It can also be seen from here that the Coen brothers' screenwriting ability makes people look up. All the crime branches of the whole play can be independently formed into chapters, and each character’s own motives are the starting point, extending inward, focusing on the final center point. This complex narrative layout plays a major role in enhancing the point of view of the whole play. No. Even in some details that are easy to overlook, they have been carefully deployed, which can't help but sigh. When Ed entered the hotel and took the blackmailed cash and walked into the fat boss’s room, my feeling at the time was that Ed was too careless. In fact, this is what the Coen brothers want. Analyzing the character of Ed, we know that he is not a veteran with all kinds of criminal experience, but an ordinary man who is tortured by pain, but he cannot be considered an idiot. He chooses the hotel where the fat boss lives as the place to trade. Slightly scheming, thinking that it is the "best of both worlds" abacus. This play was later exposed in Dave's office and became a particularly natural and vivid plot. This foreshadowing went straight to the end of the play, and simply uncovered the mystery of "The man who wasn't there". Dave killed the fat boss, but Ed was the one who lost his life. There are many more, such as the scene in which Doris hangs herself. Her death uncovered a lot of amazing information that served the plot. Doris is not Dave's simple mistress, at least she loves Dave deeply, and the child in her belly explains everything. But the irony is that Dave will not give up his family property for Doris's cause. He was so overwhelmed by the "extortion" that he had already moved the idea of ​​severing the relationship with Doris. This was when Dave was talking with Edmy. Something revealed. In addition, when Ed confessed to the lawyer that she was the murderer, although the lawyer misunderstood what he said, Ed's casually told the fact that Doris should be like a mirror. This may be the reason why she chose to give up her life. one. In short, there is no plot in this drama that does not serve the entire plot, and there is no one to leave. The auxiliary role of props or supporting roles is also exquisitely used. The strands of hair cut in the barbershop are long, short, curly, and straight. They are discarded and put into the trash can with a broom, because there are new hair decorations on the top of the head. And the trimmed hairstyles are just that, and life seems to be swallowed and abandoned in a kind of unchanging repetition. Of course, the fat boss' wig is the finishing touch. Coupled with the handkerchief that Ed carried with him, when he handed it to Dave to wipe his tears, a simple shot has compared the personality characteristics and spiritual world of the two people. Later, when I read the newspaper in Ed, there were two features of the news, the infinite prospects of the new dry cleaning technology, and the UFO that was discovered in New Mexico. Longing and desire. Betty, a girl who loves to play the piano, has become a glamorous violet in the black-and-white picture. It is true that Scarlett’s swaying youthful figure injects vitality into the film, but Betty’s role is full of dramatic tension. It is also static and dynamic, semi-innocent becomes enchanting, obedient and smooth is hidden behind rebellion, and passion is decorated with calmness and decentness in disguise. It is not uncommon for children like this to grow up. For example, Betty in the play is regarded as a problem girl. Regardless of the genius girl, this indispensable role foil is just a borrowing method to deeply portray the human nature of the play. Betty played the works created by Beethoven after his deafness, lacking passion for performance, but in Ed's mind, it is a perfect talent and impression. As a result, he blurred the concept of "love" and wanted to be with Betty for life, so he imagined that he could be Betty's agent and make her a world superstar in one hand, so as to win the value and dignity of his personal existence. Obviously, this is not discussing who is right and who is wrong. In Ed's mind, it is a question of approval and disapproval. But in the end, even this spiritual sustenance was deprived. Betty’s frivolousness is the culprit, but there is also another meaning. Betty, who plays a good girl in front of her father, uses an adult way to please or thank Ed. Is this also looking for? What about "self"? When it comes to character, this is particularly interesting in this film. To put it simply, almost the main characters are in line with a psychological characteristic of dissatisfaction with the status quo and seeking to change. The point is that no one is the same, deep and delicate to the bone marrow. Ed needs to change his entire life, for dignity, for the meaning of life. Dave needs to change his current dangerous situation. Despite his wish before, he also chose to betray his wife because of some kind of emptiness. With the help of her mistress status, Doris wants to have a clothing store that she can completely control. Ed's lawyers wanted to keep the invincible reputation until Doris committed suicide, leaving him with regrets, and he wanted to prove his reason even more. What does teenage Betty need? Perhaps what is needed is the attention, recognition and understanding that adolescent boys and girls yearn for. As for the fat boss who ran away with money, what he needs is money, which is an opportunity to seize business opportunities. In short, it is these ordinary people who are involved in the vortex of life and death decisions for desires that they cannot control. If there are two landmines in the beginning and the end of the show, then one is the fat boss, and the second is Frank, who has no ambitions and is willing to be plain. The last punch he gave Ed in the court ruined the lawyer’s perfect speech. He put Ed on the electric chair completely. The line "what kind of man are you? "Frank questioned Ed. This sentence also appeared on the night Ed and Dave battled, and Dave questioned Ed in the same way. This kind of intentional arrangement, which is not artificial, is dotted in every corner of the story. It leaves spectators with different interpretable spaces. Finally, Bob Thornton’s acting skills are once again convincing. "Don’t play with your sorrow anymore, it eats your life like a bald eagle. ——Goethe "Faust"

View more about The Man Who Wasn't There reviews

Extended Reading

The Man Who Wasn't There quotes

  • Ed Crane: And through it all, we cut the hair.

  • Reidenschneider: You're okay, pal. You're okay, she's okay, everything's gonna be hunky... And the, and the flapjacks, honey.