[This article was first published on the public account: Duanmu Xu]
In almost all art forms, the simpler things are more difficult to describe in detail, and the simpler emotions are more difficult to fully express.
"Mr. Church" is narrated from the perspective of the protagonist Charlie, and the plot is unfolded according to linear time. The film revolves around the story between Mr. Church and the three grandchildren, depicting a love that exists. A beautiful picture, explaining the meaning and value of life.
There are no twists and turns in the film, and everything happens silently in a peaceful life, but under the calm water, more and more intense emotions are indeed surging like an undercurrent.
1. Food that saves loneliness
Mary lives with her daughter Charlie, and when Mary was diagnosed with cancer with only six months to live, her ex-lover arranged for a cook to take care of the mother and daughter and promised to pay the cook for the six months. With all their living expenses, the chef is Mr. Church.
Charlie didn't like the chef at first. Mr. Church's appearance destroyed the relationship between her and her mother to a certain extent. Their "secret life" was exposed under the eyes of Mr. Church, the intruder. Li didn't like seeing Mr. Church, and even asked her mother to resign him.
But food is a medium that transcends language and transcends national borders. It can not only bring people a sense of satiety and visual satisfaction, but also build a bridge for communication between different cultures, and can also serve as a connection between cooks and tasters. The link between the two ends.
Mr. Church's food is like a key, opening the door that was closed when the two daughters faced life.
It brought a breath of life to Mary's desperate life. She didn't tell Charlie about her illness, and Mr. Church became the object of her troubles.
It also brings hope and joy to Charlie's life. There is a scene in the film where Mr. Church went out to buy groceries, and little Charlie was standing on the balcony on the second floor and secretly watched Mr. Church return with a full load of ingredients.
From the instinctive rejection of Mr. Church at the beginning, to the expectation of Mr. Church's return now, although waiting silently in the dark, it means that Charlie's closed inner world has been opened to Mr. Church.
This expectation is not only on the taste buds, but also on the emotions. This is another important meaning of the image of "food" in the film, that is, a lack of emotional existence .
In life, when talking about family food, the first thing that comes to mind must be the warm picture of a family enjoying a meal together, and this is the life scene that mother and daughter lack.
The appearance of Mr. Church fills this gap, and the food becomes the concrete embodiment of this lack of emotion, and Mr. Church's role is not limited to a chef over time, perhaps in the performance of his film. Like a "nanny", taking care of the mother and daughter's three meals, but in this family that lacks male identity, Mr. Church assumes more of the male role of "pillar" and "father". He and his food are the healer and savior of two lonely souls.
Two, the warmth of two-way healing
In Charlie's eyes, Mr. Church is a perfect existence. "When Mr. Church is not cooking, he is playing the piano. When he is not playing the piano, he is painting. When he is not painting, he is reading."
Mr Church, who should have been there for six months, has been with the family for six years. The strong-willed Mary did not live only six months as the doctor said, but persisted until six years later, when Charlie was about to graduate from high school. During this period, Mr. Church, as always, did his best to take care of the family, which also made Charlie feel deeply dependent, but Mr. Church always showed them the perfect side, and about Mr. Church personally She didn't know much about it.
So one evening when Mr. Church was going home, Charlie asked him about his hobbies and address, but Mr. Church refuted it loudly. This was the first time Mr. Church had yelled at Charlie in six years. He felt that His privacy has been violated, the time off work is only his own, and he does not want to be disturbed by anyone.
No one is born perfect. Those who seem to be perfect just know how to hide their imperfections after experiencing the baptism of life again and again. The film deliberately blurs Mr. Church's past and what he did when he was not at Charlie's house, in fact, it tells the audience that maybe that part is Mr. Church's imperfect side.
When Charlie graduated from high school, Mary died, and Charlie chose a school far away from her hometown to attend college, but college life made her gradually lose herself. When she was about to graduate, she became pregnant unexpectedly, and her boyfriend fled like a biological father she had never met. So Charlie went back to the small town and found Mr. Church, wanting to cultivate at his home and prepare for her graduation thesis.
Here, Charlie discovers the other side of Mr. Church. Mr. Church was brutally treated by his father since he was a child, and his sexual orientation was also discriminated against. He started a family under the coercion of his father, but he failed to fulfill his responsibilities as a husband. The marriage was over, and these encounters also made him instinctively want to protect himself. He was only willing to let others know what he wanted the other party to know. Once the other party crossed the line, he would wrap himself tightly and prevent his privacy from being spied on by others.
Until the appearance of Mary's mother and daughter, Mr. Church's life changed, and the birth of Charlie's daughter Isabel made him feel the warmth of home. The company of three generations of Mary's grandparents gave him an unprecedented sense of security and made him no longer afraid. and face the hardships that have been suffered.
Finally, on the night before Mr. Church's death, Charlie was left by Mr. Church when she had finished reading to him and was about to leave the room to give him some privacy, and this time he didn't want to be alone.
The presence of Mr. Church healed the mother and daughter in despair, and the company of the Mary family also healed Mr. Church who was in fear. The role of force is mutual, and so is the power of healing. The bright moon decorates your window, and the clearness of the window also sets off the brightness of the bright moon.
3. The beautiful inheritance in the world
"People get weird in the face of death, some people talk about everything except the dead, some just talk about the dead, some try to comfort you, some just make you cry, and some People don't say anything because they don't need to."
This narration appears twice in the film. The first time was at the funeral of his mother Mary. Mr. Church and Charlie looked at each other and smiled among the relatives and friends who came to mourn. There was no encouragement or comfort. They had already understood each other, Mary was gone but each other was still there. The second time was at Mr. Church's funeral. Charlie and her daughter Isabel smiled at each other among the relatives and friends who came to pay their respects. There was no encouragement or comfort. After years of getting along, they had already understood each other. Mr. Church left but each other still.
Two people form a contrast to the funeral, passing different, different people participate in the funeral, but Charlie, the share of the warmth of her body was always there, but the objects replaced daughters from Mr. Church, which It is the inheritance of emotion.
The film can be divided into three parts according to the time point. The first part is Mr. Church taking care of the lonely mother and daughter Mary, the second part is Mr. Church taking care of Charlie's mother and daughter who have just graduated, and the third part is Charlie's mother and daughter taking care of the sick. Sick Mr. Church.
With the passage of time, the roles of the characters are constantly changing. We have forgotten that Mr. Church was only a cook in the beginning. We only remember that he is an indispensable presence for the family. In the company of Mr. Church Then, Mary walked out of despair, Charlie embraced life, Isabel thrived, and in the company of Mary's grandparents and grandsons, Mr. Church felt safe and no longer feared. This is the inheritance of companionship.
The morning after Mr. Church's funeral at the end of the film, Charlie hears the jazz music that Mr. Church often listens to in the kitchen and subconsciously thinks it's Mr. Church, but finds out that it's her daughter preparing breakfast for herself in the kitchen , My daughter has never cooked, but imitates Mr. Church's way of cooking to make breakfast, and learns the way of life under his subtle influence.
Although Mr. Church has passed away, Isabel, who represents the new force, is constantly growing. This is the inheritance of life and hope.
The film ends in plainness like this, but it is like a bowl of clear tea, it looks as crystal clear as water, without colorful colors, but when you feel the taste with your heart, you find that it is refreshing and unforgettable.
I hope this movie can bring a touch of warmth to everyone in the coming winter.
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