- "Brooklyn"
The film contains nostalgia and kinship, friendship and love, and a lot of personal interior depictions. For a while, I don't know where to start, but it is clear that the beginning of everything stems from the protagonist Alice's trip to the United States. This kind of grown-up film should not be narrated in a straight line, so I will talk about my insights in the form of point-by-point analogy.
1. Characters
1. The Boarding Sisters and Nancy
Alice first arrived in the United States and lived in a Brooklyn host family. Except for the stern and mean landlord, the other tenants were girls of the same age.
"Laughter duo": two girls who love to laugh, they are outspoken about God and men, as if there is no taboo. But their hearts are kind. Help Alice get rid of Dorothy's endless complaints; perfect her makeup; and help Alice master Italian food so she can go to her boyfriend Tony's house for dinner.
Dorothy: A sour girl who seems to be a child. At the dance party, I couldn't help complaining to Alice, who came with me, "How can I find someone without anyone, I really want to meet a man", and spoke ill of the laughing duo behind their backs.
Sheila: A divorced single woman has a great influence on Alice's follow-up view of love
Nancy: Although this Irish girl and Alice are best friends, their views on love and the world are completely different, which became more and more obvious after Alice returned to Ireland again.
2. Mother and sister Ruth
Mother: After Alice came home, she pressured Alice, both at work and in love, to stay in Ireland. After all, after the death of her husband, she was dependent on her two daughters, but the eldest daughter died of illness and the youngest daughter went abroad. We can understand her loneliness and helplessness.
Sister: A popular accountant in the town, she took on too much herself, mother's support, sister's support. Every time I receive a letter from my sister from the United States, I cry with joy and longing. But she kept her illness a secret in order not to worry her family. (I don't know why my sister didn't tell my mother and my sister's relationship, forgot to answer)
3. Kelly, the grocer: mean and snobbish. On the one hand, they reprimanded the poor women who bought shoe polish but forgot to supply the time; on the other hand, the wealthy Mrs. Brady was given priority to cut the line and greeted with a smile.
4. Priests and supervisors
Priest: Kind, merciful and wise. Sponsor Alice to come to America and help her find a job. More importantly, it funded her to attend night school, which prompted Alice to get an accounting certificate later. And when Alice was in poor working condition due to missing home, she gave great comfort, "Homesickness is like other diseases, it makes people uncomfortable, but it will eventually be transferred to other people." Every year, the Christmas Rescue Dinner is held to help the elderly who are homeless.
Supervisor: While waiting for the cashier, Alice was in a silent and awkward atmosphere with the customer due to her inexperience. And she patiently taught, "You have to treat every customer like a new friend." She witnesses Alice's two losses (family love; sister's death) and a transformation (love gives Alice the confidence that makes her work great). When Alice is going on vacation with her boyfriend Tony and choosing a swimsuit, she gives ample advice. That is, there are teachings like the experience of the elders, and there are sisters who make suggestions.
5. The eldest sister and the little girl on the boat
Sister: It was Alice's blunt and stubborn lower bunk roommate when she first boarded the ship to the United States. Accustomed to living in the United States, she sighed, "It was a mistake to come back from the United States." The two sleeping cabins share a bathroom. Facing the bathroom being robbed by another sleeping cabin, Alice, who is seasick, can only use a bucket to solve the problem of vomiting and toileting. The eldest sister who learned about it, picked the lock and blocked the gate, and resorted to violence to fight back against the injustice. Sophisticated advice for Alice entering customs: "Don't look too naive, I'll put on some lipstick and mascara, maybe some eyeliner. Stand up straight, polish your shoes, whatever How not to cough. Don't be rude, don't be pushy, don't be nervous. Think like an American, you have to know where you're going."
Little girl: When Alice decided to leave her hometown and return to the United States on the boat trip, she met such a little girl who was like her old hometown, timid and innocent. The film echoes the beginning and end in this way, highlighting the changes and growth of the characters.
6. Two men
(1) Overall review:
Jim Farrell: A well-bred, calm, well-off gentleman
Tony: Willing to listen, direct, a little straight, a warm and warm guy from a normal family with many sons (similar to me)
(2) Specifically:
Jim Farrell: Farrell can give the house immediately, the future is clear. Alice had always disliked the lads at the rugby club, she thought, "You all look the same, in slouchy jackets and hair oil", which means rich kids doing nothing and relying on their parents. But on the one hand Farrell noticed this in their later dates, and said his inner words at the retention moment, "My life is very easy in your opinion, taking over my parents' bar and living in my parents' house. I can imagine how outsiders look at me, but it's not like that. I've never been anywhere, not even England. It's scary to think that I might never set foot in Ireland." In the retention, on the grounds that she needed her work, she was extremely euphemistic, instead of being as direct and enthusiastic as Tony (although Tony is her boyfriend and Farrell is an ambiguous object, but because they do not know each other's existence, so the identity The difference in the scale of words and actions can be ignored). Such a rich boy is lonely, "I'm sorry, I want to ask you a lot of things, but I keep saying it." It is precisely because of other people's misunderstandings about him that he has nowhere to express his thoughts. But in the face of Alice's hesitation and rejection, "I imagined a completely different life", he advised, "I understand, but your life here is as good, or even better." Farrell is still trapped in his own thoughts. Alice loves the quiet beach of her hometown and is happy to get a temporary job as an accountant, but Alice's heart still belongs to America and freedom. During this time, Alice's affection and closeness to Farrell was not pure love, but a reliance derived from her love for her hometown. For example, Pharrell is just a temporary stop for Alice to let go of her exhaustion and enjoy the established reality (Alice is not too much to discuss here, I'd rather believe it's just the inconvenience of a woman lost in conflict. Steady state, and awakened by the threat of the grocer's thorn-headed Kelly, knowing where he really belongs).
Tony's love for Alice moved me the most (forgive me for being so subjective, he's so similar to me). After waiting for Alice for a long time at the night school, he said to Alice, "I just want to accompany you home, not to eat, not to drink, to do nothing. I know you have to study, then sleep well. In a while. I just need to send you home and say good night, or I won't be able to wait that long." There was a contradictory cuteness in the words, a boy waited so long just to see the girl he loved. "Otherwise I can't wait that long" is such a warm speech. On the page, there was a little straight guy who hesitated and wanted to invite Alice to be a guest at home, or Alice to help him out of the siege, "Just ask, you make me nervous". One of the things that appears straight is when Alice is invited to his house for dinner, he talks about his kids not being able to like the Yankees. At this time, Alice was angry and overwhelmed. Talking about children in love meant marriage considerations, but the young Alice had not thought about this. When I got home, the sharing plot of Sheila's view of marriage among the boarding sisters unfolded logically, "Of course I will remarry, so I go to that nasty dance every week, I want to have my own home, and there will be someone with a bad temper. The guy with all his hair exposed, sitting on a barrel and reading the newspaper. At that time, I wished I could come back here and chat with you", which prompted Alice to vomit to Tony Love the next day. Tony saw something wrong with Alice after dinner that night, but he must not understand a girl's ambivalence about marriage. But when Alice thought about it clearly and took the initiative to say I love you, Tony couldn't hold back the foul language, which was still so cute and true. And when Farrell read Alice's farewell letter, he was as calm as usual, but his face changed slightly. (Did Alice inform Farrell about Tony's existence? This is an open-ended blank) When asking Alice if she would like to live with him in the family house in the future, he was silent for a moment due to Alice's trance And anxious. He loves Alice passionately and straightforwardly, and longs for Alice to respond to his heart in the same way. But the quality of this man (only speaking) is not as good as that of Farrell. The five letters Toby wrote while anxiously waiting for Alice were all the same account (how are you, come back soon, I repaired a few today) The sewer at home, I miss you so much) that Alice only read one and replied. (Reminds me of Greenskin In "Book", the black male protagonist advises the driver's family letter and makes the driver's wife extremely happy. What did the black male protagonist do? It was nothing more than removing the complicated reports and adding some rhetorical devices full of imagery. ) and Tony also asked his younger brother (about 10 years old) to help him correct grammar mistakes. Alice ignored Tony's letter. In fact, the sameness of content was not the main reason. She was afraid of seeing Tony's letter. Alice was still immersed in the tranquility of her hometown, the progress of her career, and the gentleness of Pharrell. She feared that the American life that Tony represented would destroy her Irish serenity, which she knew would not last long.
(3) family
Jim Farrell: His mother set up an award at the club in Ruth's name, and as a child, both parents supported his choice. And Alice's mother is also eager to facilitate this marriage, because marriage is the best bond, and Farrell's family is well-off and a gentleman, "he is always by our side at the right time."
Tony: Ordinary family of Italian descent, parents have four sons, big family life. But it's lively and warm, loves Alice, and supports it.
(4) Section
Farrell is the ideal, Tony is the reality. Farrell is suitable to accompany Alice in her later years, and Tony is suitable to accompany Alice's daily life and adventures. Farrell represents the future at a glance, and Tony heralds infinite possibilities. Alice chose Tony, which doesn't mean she doesn't have Farrell in her heart. Farrell's image was only sealed deep in Alice's memory along with the tranquil beaches of her hometown.
Second, Alice's own changes
From a small town girl who yawned at an early morning mass and only washed her face with soap and skin care, she has grown into a confident and generous woman who knows what she wants, a woman with an American mindset. Before leaving for the United States, Iris and her sister's confession to each other was the second most moving scene for me. Sister Ruth said, "I can't give you a future, the life you want, I can't buy it". What does Alice want in life? A self-sufficient but brilliant life, freedom and independence. But this process of chasing the ideal life is not easy. The life on the boat gave Alice a blow at the beginning. The boat passengers knew that there was a Taiwan at night, so they did not go to dinner to prevent seasickness and vomiting. But Alice didn't know that after experiencing the nightmare experience of another sleeping warehouse grabbing the bathroom, she realized that she was so helpless in the face of an unfamiliar environment, and the relationship between people was not like that in a small town. as simple and clear. The next day, on the deck, the little girl asked weakly to the eldest sister on board, "How long does it take for the letter from Ireland to arrive in the United States?" The eldest sister's answer was intriguing, "At first, I felt that I would have to wait a long time, but after a long time, it would take a long time. I don't think so." Also included in the film is the cleaning of a Christmas meal, an annual event hosted by the priest to give Brooklyn's lonely Irish seniors a good Christmas, the priest chats with Alice Said, "It's these old people who built bridges, built railways, and no one knows what they rely on to survive now." I think this plot is not only to exaggerate Alice's unresolved nostalgia at this time, but also to reveal the difficulties of the world and the hardships of life, implying that the United States is not prosperous with opportunities, and poverty is always accompanied by opportunities Opposition exists.
Not long after the excitement of receiving her first letter from home, Alice falls in love. The significance of the incident is as Alice wrote to her sister, "Tony made me feel like I had a new life in America that I didn't have before I met him". Women in love always change a lot. I still remember at the beginning, facing the cashier brother's approach, "I hope that when I walk into the kingdom of heaven, you will greet me and pay me with that lovely Irish accent", Alice is at a loss; at work Backstage, in the face of chatting with female colleagues, she just nodded like a wooden man; while waiting for the cashier, Alice was in a silent and awkward atmosphere with customers due to her lack of experience. Under the reminder of the supervisor, she was stiff and passive. Looking for a topic, "Is it still hot outside? I haven't been out since this morning, but I guess maybe, it's hot... just as it looks", she spoke very fast, as if she was talking to herself. Speaking to ourselves, we can also see the disappointment of the customer in the close-up of the camera. But after falling in love, Alice seemed to be a different person in the eyes of the supervisor. She chatted with customers like a good friend, "but you have heating, everywhere, you are only cold outside." Alice has a certain understanding of life on the same topic "weather", and knows how to think from the perspective of others, and her tone is relaxed and pleasant, successfully avoiding the embarrassment and depression while waiting, and shortening the distance between each other. At this time, Alice's dress began to mature, and the colors became brighter, which reminded people of the bright dress of Sheila, a good Italian neighbor in the recent American drama "Deadly Woman".
Just when Alice succeeded in her studies and gained love, her sister Ruth died suddenly. This was nothing short of a bolt from the blue, and it also paved the way for the mother to try to force her daughter to stay in Ireland through the pressure of work and love. In this way, Alice returned to Ireland to express her condolences and re-acquainted with Pharrell who was different from her imagination. "If only I did this before I left, I have a good job", but Alice was content with the status quo and temporarily forgot what she wanted. Just when Alice seemed to be reluctant to go back, a figure - the grocer Kelly appeared again. When Kelly told Alice that she knew she was secretly married, Alice responded angrily, "I forgot, I forgot what this town was like. What the hell are you fighting? idea, to keep me away from Jim, or to prevent me from going back to the United States, I'm afraid you don't even know about it", and said "My name is Alice Fiorello", (Fio Laylo should be Tony's family name). "Forgot what this town is like" in the sentence is a key point, marking Alice's awakening. As Farrell said, "We don't know what's going on anywhere but here, you must think we're locked in right now," she thought that there were people in the town like Kelly? Narrow, she didn't want to be imprisoned In the small town, she was gradually assimilated, and she saw that the small town was not her pursuit, she longed for independence and freedom. So Alice booked a ferry ticket to leave the next day without hesitation.
3. The bustling and quiet towns of New York and Ireland in the United States and the United Kingdom
Regional differences in thinking are evident as Alice returns to Ireland again. Facing Alice's question, "Do you want to reply to these condolence letters one by one? What if the other party sends a thank you letter again?", the mother's "Then reply one by one" shows the slow life of Ireland. Complicated etiquette. Alice didn't want to "spend the second half of her life sending and receiving letters".
Americans go to the beach and wear their swimsuits in advance, and the townspeople, including Alice, were very surprised at first. Nancy's doubts about "when did they think of it" further highlighted the difference in thinking patterns. Everyone thinks that freedom is always related to ease, but it is not the case. The price of pursuing freedom and independence is sacrificing slow rhythm, because the slow rhythm in a closed environment allows people to have enough time to repeatedly put on and take off swimsuits. This tedious thing, Also let them get used to it.
The differences between the United States and the United Kingdom due to historical reasons will not be repeated again.
I’m running out of words to write here. I realize that love and life are really difficult, and I don’t dare to criticize other people’s lives privately. You never know how complicated the reasons for a decision are, but this can’t be a problem for some people. Excuses, that's what I'm sure of. Things don't always exist in opposites, which is what I firmly believe, so the elimination of the law is not superficial. My mind starts to drift haha
The above is my point of view. It's not easy for you to read it hhh
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