The Italian black comedy "Perfect Stranger" is really wonderful. It tells the story of seven couples and friends who know each other playing a game of text message and call content sharing similar to "True Adventure". Everyone's secrets were gradually revealed and quickly disintegrated, accidentally detonating everyone's most negative emotional reactions, and severely testing each other's love and friendship. This film depicts the most direct emotional reaction to the removal of the usually worn camouflage mask very blatantly. Coupled with the explosive development and the confrontation of fierce words, "Perfect Stranger" is full of tension and makes people unable to take their eyes off it.
Although more than 80% of the plot of "Perfect Stranger" focuses on the conversation at the dining table in the same room, it is not boring at all. Because every secret revealed is a flashpoint, a flashpoint is equal to a small climax, and the flashpoints are continuous, creating a plot with climaxes, and there is no room for the audience to play. In addition, the sparks of strong emotions such as jealousy, sadness, resentment, shame, and disappointment in the main characters in the film not only make the plot very fascinating, but also point out the unbearableness of intimacy after the inner world is seen by outsiders. hit.
In addition, some of the stalks of "Perfect Stranger" are also quite funny, such as the paragraph "Afraid of stealing food and being caught and deciding to swap mobile phones", which contrasts the contrast between "being smart but self-defeating" and "bringing the bullet and being wrong." The sense of absurdity created by the words of suffering is very hilarious! Moreover, some of the secrets are not independent of each other. In fact, they are interlinked, which makes the plot more tense. Therefore, it is possible to see the complicated relationship behind the apparent good feelings of seven good friends and couples.
In fact, when I watched "Perfect Stranger", I kept thinking of the "Theatre Theory" proposed by American sociologist Goffman. The theory assumes that human relationships are like the interactions between actors and audiences in a theater, and can be divided into "front stage" and "backstage". The "front stage" is the theater stage (= the current situation, such as a classroom or a hospital, etc.), when our interaction with others is equal to "role-playing" in a certain situation, so the people who perform on the "front stage" will appear compatible The role of the current situation requires such as a professor or a doctor, so that the communication with the audience in the foreground (= the interaction object in the situation) can be smooth, but this is not the real self, it is just showing behavior that conforms to the norms of the current situation. The ego has to be revealed in the "backstage" after leaving the front stage.
Although the three couples and a man in "Perfect Stranger" are friends who have known each other for many years, it is clear that everyone still interacts with each other in varying degrees of "front stage mode". In fact, this is also very reasonable, because from a psychological point of view, the "foreground" is where the "guest self" (the socialized, burdened self with other people's expectations and various norms) appears; "backstage" is the "master self" ” (the truest, most expressive self) where it is active. Therefore, in theory, the "backstage" where the "master" appears should be at home or any place where you can feel relaxed, but even the bedside people who are supposed to belong to the "backstage" come from an environment where different values are cultivated. Therefore, in dealing with things It is impossible to have no running-in, there will be pressure if there is running-in, and in order to maintain the tacit understanding of the harmonious relationship (= unwritten norm), so most of the "backstage" is kept in one's own heart, and instead, the "frontstage" is still used to interact with the lover ( albeit to varying degrees).
However, since there is a distinction between "front and back", the interaction is full of secrets and lies (whether good or bad), over time, each person's "backstage" will be the same as that of the other half, or even friends. The relationship has been pushed further, so once the secret is revealed, the impact will be huge, one can imagine. Those who have been exposed are eager to defend themselves or become angry, and the most direct stakeholders of the secret feel extremely betrayed and disrespected. This is also the most exciting part of "Perfect Stranger". In the seemingly gossip entertainment plot and elementary school-like quarrel, the human weakness is depicted vividly and realistically.
Therefore, "Perfect Stranger" gave me the greatest feeling, first of all, it is really impossible to have no secrets in interpersonal relationships, no matter who you are facing. The main characters in the film are hidden for different reasons, such as poor parent-child relationship, difficulties in getting along with husband and wife, interaction between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, sexual identity pressure and human weakness that is difficult to resist temptation, etc., and these are also catalyzed by external pressure (social Norms, moral expectations, and the unease of being spied on). When people interact with the outside world, in order to cope with these external pressures, it is necessary to hide part of their self, so the existence of secrets is difficult to avoid, which also confirms that our real life is full of lies. normal phenomenon.
Secondly, as mentioned above, secrets are easy to plant time bombs in interpersonal relationships, and we often think that interpersonal relationships should be "frank and open", but the truth is often difficult to accept, which is fundamentally contradictory Again helpless! "Perfect Stranger" has a "parallel universe" (another word is "hypothetical") stalk at the end; that is to say, the scenes that everyone exploded in front were all Nanke's dreams, but they had far-reaching meanings (whether good or bad) ), the fragility and complexity of human nature have been completely revealed. Everyone needs to maintain the mask of kindness. If it is forcibly removed, the result will be catastrophic and tragic.
However, I do have a "wonder" that many people should not agree with. If the ending of the film is changed to everyone knowing the facts, but in the end they still leave without incident, will the shock be stronger? There is a gentleman in the film who has realized that his wife is cheating, but he chooses not to tell the truth, because the truth often does not bring happiness. However, although "not telling the truth beforehand" and "pretending it didn't happen afterwards" are essentially the same, the latter can better highlight the human nature of "escape because of vulnerability", which is similar to the ending of "The Fantastic Drifting of the Boys". Not believing that the choice of the dark version of the story has the same effect.
If they can still "take it as the karma of the eyes" after knowing the truth, then "because we all lack the courage to look directly and bear it, it is better to live in a lie that deceives ourselves!" The implication will be stronger. ! Of course, I also admit that the plot might be abrupt or too dramatic if so arranged; however, the dramatic development is sometimes done to bring out a sense of absurdity, and that absurdity also points out that "we are the most reluctant in human nature. The essence of self-face. However, this is a personal "wonder" after all, and it is enough to say that the implication of the arrangement of the ending of this film is shocking!
In addition, I think the title "Perfect Stranger" is quite meaningful. If we can’t bear the weight of being completely transparent about everything in our relationship, then we are destined to be “strangers” in “handling certain things”, so that the other party cannot fully understand themselves, and mutual exchanges and relationships will be “perfect”. One point , because the other party will not be hurt by things they don't know, and they will not be hurt by the other party's reaction after knowing it; and vice versa. This is both absurd and helpless, but very human reality.
In short, the script of "Perfect Stranger" is creative and thick, and the secret disputes in the film cover common social issues. In the film, there are seven corners, everyone has a play, the interaction is full of sparks, it is interesting and impactful, and it can be timely to " The ambiguity of social relationships is more important than transparency.” The meaning is clearly conveyed to the audience, which is indeed a masterpiece of entertainment and reflection
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