Author: Fang Hanjun
The famous Australian director Bruce Beresford made a major contribution to the Australian film revival of the seventies.
In 1979, he directed Morant the Horseman, which was well received. After that, he directed business cards such as "Tender Mercy" and "Driving for Miss Daisy" in Hollywood, and "Driving for Miss Daisy", which won four Oscars in 1989. It seems that this old director, who is over 76 years old, has a healthy body and a quick mind, and is still full of confidence in his creation.
This "Mr. Church" (2016) directed by him, like his previous films, is affectionate, delicate, long, funny and vivid. In explaining multi-dimensional emotions, he is extremely precise and unique. Eddie Murphy, who played Church, has a serious love this time. The post-90s Britt Robertson, who plays the heroine, has previously appeared in films such as "Tomorrowland", "The Longest Journey" and "Cake". It can be said that she experienced the joys and sorrows of life in the film, but there are Mr. Church Covered, the sweet taste always haunts her, helping her to survive a personal difficulty.
The voiceover in the film is just right, and the dialogue doesn't feel rambling. Charlotte Brooks, known to her mother as Charlie, is an illegitimate son whose biological father, Richard, has died. Mother and daughter depend on each other. In 1972, when she was 10 years old, she welcomed the black chef Church on this day, but she suddenly resisted, because her mother was the red sun in her heart, for fear that her mother would be snatched away and take away her love for her. Cold noodles, but he was not taken seriously by this Church, he was still cooking his specialty.
That's the way things are. It's better to be cold first and then hot than first to be hot and then cold. Gradually, Charlie was also captured by these delicacies. Facing all kinds of fancy food, it was simply irresistible temptation. In this world, who would have trouble with their own mouth and stomach. She brought Mr. Church's carefully prepared delicious food to the school to share with the female classmate Poppy and the boy Owen. She hated taking the bus, but had to, and often met Eddie Larson, a nice guy who didn't say a word.
Gradually Charlie became interested in him, but Mr. Church remained a mystery to her, a mystery as hard as a walnut. Every morning, he came over for a busy day, went shopping in the supermarket, and then came back to cook three delicious meals. After finishing his work, he left in the dark. As he said, I am with you all day, please allow me to keep a little private space. But Church, who loves to read, lent her literary books, such as "The Three Musketeers", "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "Wuthering Heights", which brought her incomparable nourishment and pleasure.
In fact, what little Charlie didn't know was that her mother was unfortunately suffering from breast cancer. The doctor said that in only 6 months, Church was commissioned by his Brooks family Cannon to pay him "a lifetime's wages" and came here to take care of him. Their mother and daughter. Charlie managed to survive these 6 months under the care of the taciturn Church, which is a miracle. Time flies, Charlie grew up, and she didn't realize that in 1977, when she was 15 years old, her good classmates were still Poppy and boy Owen.
Originally, Mr. Church, who had only been working for 6 months, was at her house as always, but his work was heavier. Except for Charlie bathing his mother, all other care was Church, and he continued to share his Delicious, as well as his silent efforts, all family expenses, including Charlie's school expenses, are all borne by Church.
Without relatives and no reason, is it possible that Church is a visitor from heaven who made a special trip to earth to be a living Lei Feng? Of course, this is a mystery, just as Charlie has always wanted to dig into Church's unknown life, but has no way of understanding it.
Because her mother's love for Charlie was too fiery, as she said, at this time, her mother was the scorching sun in her heart, and she was afraid that if she got close, she would get burned. Church delivered her food and water, and read with her. Charlie outside the door listened quietly, and there was always a burst of emotion. It may seem a little sensational, but sometimes real life is like this, and everyone seems to experience it. Fortunately, Charlie understood her mother's love for her, and her mother encouraged her to go to the party with Owen.
Finally, the unbearable mother left, but she left with love and no regrets. The attitude of the living to the deceased is always different, there is care, comfort and nostalgia, and even more silent like Church, always silently doing what he can do. With graduation season approaching, Church is still taking care of Charlie, cooking her delicious treats. When Church said please respect my privacy and lent her Tess of the D'Urbervilles, she said I had watched it three times.
Yeah, Charlie is always trying to solve this mystery. As soon as Church left this night, she followed quietly. She didn't expect to meet Owen halfway through. Before, Owen invited her to the party and sent her home, but timidly said "bye", making her think he didn't love her, but this The next time he got into his car, he kissed her, and that's all, because he's going to college tomorrow. She's also going to college in Boston, and Church pays all her expenses.
Before school, the good Eddie Larson taught her how to drive, and interestingly, this Larson was banned from driving for life because he had been in a car accident before. So she drove three thousand miles to Boston.
During college, Charlie received weekly letters from Church, as well as literary books. In 1980, before completing her studies, Charlie returned to Los Angeles with a stomach full, and finally came to Mr. Church's home.
He, alone, still cooks delicious meals by him, but never asks about her pregnancy. Every Wednesday and Saturday, Mr. Church would go out, and he would always come back drunk and full of nonsense, sometimes swearing at people, a man named Jack. At least, she guessed how much. But she still went against his advice and went to his room to search for something, let him see it, and drove her out. An all-round Church, a Church who never gets angry, a Church who is silent and loving like a father, why is he so angry with her this time.
With a big belly, she drove the car and didn't know where to go. When she saw Larson with a bag on her back, she came down to say hello to him who was dumbfounded. Unexpectedly, when she turned around, she was hit by a flying motorcycle. Larson hugged him. He took her into the car and boldly drove her to the hospital, but he was banned from driving for life.
Church also came, just as the doctor said he needed a guardian, and he said I was her family. Church, who blamed herself, hugged the little cutie she was born with, and loved her like her granddaughter. The mysterious Mr. Church still paints, plays the piano, listens to jazz, and still doesn't speak much.
In 1986, little Izzy was 6 years old, and her friend Poppy was already a fashionista. Charlie was very angry with her when she was in a shopping mall. Poppy said that Church was her servant. , Charlie said, you know, he paid for our expenses from the age of 10 to the present. He is our relative, the dearest person. Poppy regretted telling this, and bought little Izzy a super expensive toy she liked.
The good guy Larson finally got married, Charlie thanked him for saving her, and he said you actually saved me that day because I was going home to kill myself, and you stopped my thoughts. Things are both weird and wonderful.
People always get sick, but I didn't expect that such a tough Church would get sick too. During the treatment, he met Owen, who had graduated as a doctor. She said that when she met a boy in college, she fell in love with him, and when she got pregnant, he was so scared that he retreated, that's all. Owen said, you are still as beautiful as ever. As for whether they went on or not, I can only say that it will be natural. But one thing's for sure, now it's Charlie's turn to take care of Church, just as he used to take care of her mother.
Church, who occasionally got up from the bed, went to the yard to bask in the sun, and told little Izzy stories about his childhood. Sometimes, playing the piano with Charlie. Life is like flowing water, it seems bland, but it is very clear and refreshing. Once lost, life will only be missed.
Finally, one day, Church quietly left. Just as when Charlie's mother died, she felt that the attitude of the living towards the deceased was only her own silence. She became Church's living avatar.
Jack, who never showed up, also came. The optimistic Jack said with a smile, Church is his friend and has been playing the piano in his bar for 30 years. Church likes jazz, and I don't know that he can cook well. He is a good person. All the people who paid their respects were gone, just as her mother had died, the difference was that there was no one like Church around anymore. Only she and her daughter Izzy.
The mystery that has been haunting Charlie's heart is finally solved. This is love. Although it is inexplicable, it is real. It is often said that there is no love for no reason in the world, and there is no hate for no reason. In fact, it is only half right, there is love for no reason in this world, and there is hate for no reason. As often heard, even in the face of a stranger, there are "eyes" that are right and wrong, we will all hear that I like her, and I hate him. This is human nature.
Of course, in reality, there is another type of person, lies and hypocrisy, which are their two golden signs. In public, they wrap themselves up tightly and are used to speaking grand and beautiful words, but in private they are extremely despicable. In the eyes of this kind of person, he only has his own flies and dog, and everything has to revolve around him, so he feels more face. Of course, this kind of person will never empathize, let alone the kindness and true love of being a human being. Fortunately, Charlie in the film did not encounter such a snob.
In this world, is there a kind of transcendental emotion, it doesn't count for more or less, or even complete selfless dedication, it is comparable to beautiful love and family love that blood is thicker than water. It seems that this is a utopian feeling, I think, this kind of sincere feeling of the ideal country, there must be. This can also be said to be a kind of human nature.
This stems from the purity of human nature and the refuge of the soul. Only in those truly rich and pure hearts can such unparalleled pure love be produced. This is a love that transcends the hustle and bustle of reality, and it is destined to be a deep emotion that travels through time and space.
As if Church had never left, Charlie carried Church's mission, and all the bits and pieces of his life, like a clear spring, had already been integrated into her life. This silky aftertaste is wonderful and restrained.
I remember when I was a child, Poppy said to Charlie, you must be a writer when you grow up, no, she started writing her and Church's story, the novel is called "Mr. Church", is it true, of course, this is just creation , even if it is real, it needs to be created. If you don't write it, who will know. As Church has read: "Love comes suddenly."
2016, 11, 10
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