The release of "New York, New York" in 1977 was not very successful, and it can even be said to be a "Waterloo" in Martin's directorial career. The original budget was $7 million, but the final overrun was $2 million, and the four-hour version was made. Martin brings his love of music and his homage to the great musical era into this film. During the shooting process, the on-the-spot performance continued, which also made the commercial success not so good at that time.
But now it seems that the film incorporates the virtues of musical and genre films. De Niro used his individual improvisations to create an image of a musician who dares to love, dare to hate, and is confident and reckless. Only with such a personality can he catch up with the stable and introverted heroine. Along with the passionate music, the two gradually warmed up their relationship, drifting touring the United States together in a band. This passage is very similar to Jia Zhangke's "Platform", enthusiastic young people bring music to various places, and use the torch of music to light up one star after another on the map.
Just as the band's reputation continued to rise, the two had completely different ideas about the birth of their child. De Niro thinks that if he loves Lisa, he must also accept this child. His love seems self-sacrificing, but it is also selfish, trying to trap the other person by surrounding him with his love. So, when the child was about to be born, the contradiction completely broke out.
De Niro's style is flamboyant and changeable jazz, and he can't go for others without caring about his own inner thoughts. And Lisa's style is gentle and firm singing, she seems weak but has sufficient strength and assertiveness. The two types of music can complement each other, but they cannot be completely integrated and are destined to be separated.
But the confession after the long journey to meet, the hasty marriage proposal in the snowy night, and the tacit cooperation time after time, all made us feel sorry for this relationship. The director understands our thoughts very well and arranged a wonderful "play within a play" for us: HAPPY ENDING! Lisa's perfect singing and clever scene design let us simply immerse in the joy of audio-visual. Finally, through a song "New York, New York" co-created by the two as the end, let us choose to forgive the bad boy who abandoned his wife and children in the moving.
View more about New York, New York reviews
