When I watched "The end of the tour" for the third time, I still misremembered the Chinese title of the film as "The End of the Tour", and the nuances may reflect a different understanding of this film.
"The End" is most often seen at the moment when the big screen in theaters dims. It represents the end. The beginning of this film is also the end of a person's life. David Foster Wallace - for the long-term masterpiece "Infinite Jest Joke)" is an American writer who has made a name for himself in the literary world.
His death is also an opportunity for the film's other protagonist, David Lipsky, to start writing "Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself". Lipsky promoted his new book with Wallace more than ten years ago, and the conversation and interview achievements in a short 5-day trip The book was adapted into a movie in 2015.
It is conceivable that readers bought that book mostly out of adoration or curiosity for Wallace. They might put themselves in, imagining that they and Wallace walked into a drink shop together in the freezing state of Illinois, lighting a cigarette and chatting.
It may not be fair to Lipsky, who is also a writer, but in the eyes of the audience of this film, the two Davids are absolutely equal. Even if they look up, the important thing is that Lipsky himself has been included in the painting.
This leads to the multiple observational relationships in the film: Lipsky's observation of Wallace, Wallace's counterattack and reflection on Lipsky, and the observation of the two by other supporting characters in the film. In the complex and interlaced mutual gaze, people will unconsciously begin to act. Different from disguise, acting seems to be a choice similar to "wearing a blue shirt today", awakening a certain part of oneself, real and coexisting.
No one wants to stay in obscurity, Lipsky always says his last name letter by letter, subconsciously flirts with girls (compulsively flirtatious), or worries Wallace saying "my girlfriend seems to be in love with you...she appreciates it more." your work", he clearly hides his anxiety.
Wallace seems to be wary of being noticed, but when he finds that Lipsky is more comfortable in the crowd, his desire to be noticed has surfaced, and he has made a childish, almost demonstrative call with Lipsky's girlfriend for nearly half of the time. For hours, he was vigilant, more like a struggle with his own desires.
The discussion of the nihilistic and absurd of the middle class in the film is extended by Wallace's self-talk, his books and life: even with a good education and a good job, why is it spiritually empty, day after day Day to live with loss.
Wallace naturally has no answer, otherwise he would not have chosen suicide 12 years later. But he is good at analyzing his confusion, showing his despair without reservation. Whether it's promiscuity, addiction to alcohol or TV shows, it's just a means of paralysis. Even he himself knows that this can't solve the problem, and he doesn't even enjoy the process of paralysis. After all, losing control itself will bring pain.
So working hard and living will be good? On the plane, Lipsky reminds Wallace, look at you, you're promoting her new book, which is not bad. But Wallace replied "it's good, but it's not real", yes, because sooner or later it will end, he will eventually go back to his small room, bump into his own nothingness and loss again, and continue to be at a loss.
Lipsky understands him, but he doesn't get caught in the vortex himself, but he realizes that Wallace's confusion is both a curse and a blessing, which leads to another wonderful aspect of the film: Lipsky and Wallace's relationship.
If you've ever been "unfortunate" to be called a confidant by someone you don't consider to be your own kind, you know how delicate such a relationship can be.
There is no doubt that Lipsky appreciates Wallace, but from questioning to appreciation, he has a process of accepting the rationality of the praise of Wallace by the people around him, which is essentially different from his spontaneous praise of Wallace at the beginning, which means that his appreciation still has a little rationality. , and this only rationality gave him the illusion that "we can be friends".
But the resonance of the two's spiritual world is always one-way. Wallace's language is like a sharp silver needle, which penetrates into the deepest part of Lipsky's thoughts - "he said my thoughts". But at the same time, Lipsky is constantly feeling pushed away as he creeps closer, and Wallace has twice mentioned that he is hard to be around, both for himself and for others. Lipsky listened to Wallace's description of himself on the other end of the phone as a "Rolling Stone guy". Before he left, he gave Wallace the book he wrote, expecting to receive some short reviews, but when he opened the express box, he was the only one left behind. of a shoe.
It is true that people can maintain sincerity without pouring out their sincerity. The moments of self-disclosure are from the heart, and they enjoy the relaxation of body and mind during the conversation, but in the end, they have never been friends.
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