I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground.
So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind: Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely.
Crowned with lilies and with laruel they go;
but I am not resigned.
- "Dirge Without Music"
An excerpt of a poem by the American poet Edna St. Vincent Millay opens today's film review. Let us discuss two issues that must be faced in the journey of life - aging and loneliness.
American movie "The hero"
Type of work: Drama
Main cast: Sam Elliott (as Lee), Laura Prepon (as Lee's girlfriend Charlotte)
Story Overview: Telling the story of how a disease-stricken former "hero" (famous Western actor Lee) finds himself
Release Date: June 9, 2017 in the United States
As an elderly-themed film, director Brett Haley presents a story of Lee in the most unpretentious way to the audience, which is both realistic and dreamy, cruel and warm.
Not much chatter, let’s get to the point and discuss the highlights and connotations of the work in depth.
I, Companion to "I'll See You in My Dreams"
Following the self-written and self-directed female senior film "We See You in Our Dreams" two years ago, Brett Haley strikes again this year, presenting audiences with an elderly male as the protagonist of the companion film "Hero". Similar situations, the same background, and familiar plots, many plot designs in the new film seem to make people vaguely see the shadow of the previous part ("We See You in Our Dreams").
II, love interpretation
As the absolute protagonist of this work, Sam Elliott's performance is exceptionally good, and there is no trace of performance at all. His magnetic voice, sexy appearance, and lonely figure portray the outdated old western star Lee in three points.
The author is very curious, why Sam can grasp the role so accurately? So, I searched the actor's past on the Internet, and it was amazing to find that Sam's past is infinitely close to the yesterday of Lee, the character in the play! Because of the empathy, the performance is excellent.
III, truly touching
A few months ago, I heard a year-end friend say that during the release of this work in the United States, the audience was almost "uniform" elderly people, and the response was enthusiastic. I was a little curious and asked, "So what do you think of this film?" The friend laughed but didn't answer.
A few months later, I was fortunate enough to get the source of the film, read it carefully, and finally realized the "overtones of friends".
The reason why this work can be recognized and praised by many elderly people is entirely due to the authenticity of the film itself. Lee's experience (once brilliant, but now bleak), Lee's current situation (twilight, sickness), Lee's emotional journey (divorce, estranged daughter), these life states are the true portrayals of many elderly people in the United States today. Because it is real, it is touching!
IV, Aging and Loneliness
According to the law, people will gradually grow old! "Aging" brings not only the degradation of physiological functions, but also the loosening of psychological dams. Therefore, as people get older, various negative emotional factors begin to rise, the most obvious of which is "loneliness". Here, I take the character Lee in the play as an example to talk about "aging" and "loneliness".
In scene 1, Lee is staring at the unknown person hanging from the tree.
This scene appears twice at the beginning and end of the film. The decaying and aging Lee stares at the western cowboy dying in the tree, the desolate and lonely style of painting makes the audience unforgettable.
Scene 2, Lee is standing by the sea, watching the ebb and flow of the tide.
There are many similar scenes in the film, looking at the tide, looking at the side of the sea, and the back of Lee alone. This group of pictures perfectly interprets the meaning of "the sunset is infinitely good, but it is only near dusk".
In the first part, the excellent and crazy acceptance speech made Lee on the Tweet hot search list.
Lee, who has been silent for decades, unexpectedly became the focus of attention due to an impromptu acceptance speech. From no one caring to being sought after, this 180-degree change made Lee fall into confusion and hesitation.
Bridge two, two dialogues. (Lee and daughter, Lee and girlfriend)
The two dialogue scenes at the end of the film are unbelievable.
1. Lee and daughter.
One is a father who is eager to get his daughter's forgiveness and hope to repair the relationship with her.
One is a lingering daughter who can't let go of the past.
A dialogue between two people, a theme of "release" - understanding.
2. Lee and his girlfriend.
One is an old man with nowhere to go and is dying.
One is a person who is full of energy and looks forward to the future.
A dialogue between two people, a theme about "tomorrow" - hope.
Let's put these scenes and bridges together and experience them carefully. Do you seem to have seen the journey of "aging" and "loneliness" that Lee (even every old man) has gone through? !
Lee in the film is lucky. Because his daughter and ex-wife forgave him, his girlfriend Charlotte supported him, and his friend Jeremy took care of him. But what about more and more elderly people in reality? What is the last journey of their lives...
My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends-It gives a lovely light!
——《First Fig》
Director★★★★☆ (self-written and directed the second part of the "Senior" series, both reality and ideology are online)
Actor ★★★★☆ (Sam's performance is impeccable, the rest are above the basic level)
Plot ★★★★☆ (play steadily, the narrative structure is great)
Visual effects ★★★☆☆ (there are a few western scenes that are very handsome, others are average)
Sound effects★★★★☆
Recommendation ★★★★☆ (A must-see movie for middle-aged and elderly people)
More movie reviews + recommendations are first published on the WeChat public account " The Journey of Floyd and Helen ", thank you
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