A few days ago, I watched an Indian movie, Three Fools. Although it is nearly three hours long, it is full of wit and fun, and does not feel lengthy at all. The film tells about the interesting experiences of three good friends, Rancho, Farhran and Raju, in a well-known science and engineering institution in India. Rancho is talented and intelligent, but does not like to follow the rules and script. He is dissatisfied with the existing education system. He is often opposed to the strict and rigid dean. He is an idealistic character. Radu's family is poor, and the whole family hopes that he will find a good job and prosper in the future, so he is under great mental pressure and has to be devoted to the gods. Fran is also the family's only hope. Like countless Chinese parents, his parents thrift and gave him the best material conditions, but they don't know that his son has no enthusiasm or motivation for what he has learned.
The contrasting characters of the three protagonists form the first set of contrasts. Rancho is a shining presence. The other two did not dare to let go of the burden in their hearts, and they still hoped to live according to the worldly standards. At one point Radu even thought Rancho was an unrealistic train guy and didn't want to associate with him. But in the end, under the guidance of Rancho, Fran and Radu gradually got out of their initial cowardice and began to face their lives bravely. Rancho had pointed out his friend's weakness in a sharp way. Fran is not enthusiastic and spends his life on things he doesn't like. Radu is too afraid of the future. "So afraid of tomorrow, how to live today?"
The second set of comparisons comes from the conflict between the dean, nicknamed "Virus", and the three protagonists. The concept of "virus" is very simple, life is a battle, everyone must go all out to kill their opponents at any time, only the first is meaningful, just like everyone knows that Armstrong was the first to land on the moon but not the first Who were the two people who landed on the moon? He was ruthless with his students, even his own children. In school, this Darwinian theory of survival of the fittest is based on grades. Like what Chinese children have experienced, scores are a sign of everything, and even the position of graduation photos is arranged according to the ranking. The appearance of the maverick Rancho became a thorn in his eyes. This kid is ashamed: "I want to teach you how to teach." "Virus" naturally does not allow others to despise his authority like this.
In addition to "virus", there is also a less positive character "silencer". He is a so-called good student, studying hard, wishing he could remember all the formulas in his mind, even buying medicine to eat, Unexpectedly, the side effect of this drug is stuffy fart, so he was given the nickname "silencer". He adhered to the "virus" philosophy of life, and took down all opponents as a pleasure. In order to be first in the exam, in addition to working hard, I also have to influence others, and put the playboy in the dormitory of other students on the eve of the exam. He and the "virus" are natural allies, and are naturally hated by Rancho and others, thus forming the third set of contrasts in the film.
At the beginning of the film, years after graduation, Fran, Radu and "Silencer" went to find Rancho. As soon as they graduated, they cut off contact. Fran and Radu are eager to get together with their friends, and "Silencer" is to show off his American mansion and sports car, in order to prove that his way of living is the most correct and brightest. The twists and turns of the search process, coupled with the constant interspersed past events on their campus, constitute the main structure of the film.
The film was extremely successful commercially. The characters are vivid, the details are full, and the various foreshadowings are seamless. Although several bridges are somewhat familiar, they are by no means abrupt, and they are organically integrated with the direction of the story. There are very few films like this that can make people fully immerse themselves in the situation of the film, experience joys and sorrows with the protagonists, and dance without knowing it.
During the viewing process, I experienced several emotional changes. At first I admired Rancho's lively wit and contempt for authority, and then gradually disapproved of his slogans such as "live for yourself" and "do what you like". Because this kind of truth that everyone knows can easily be reduced to empty preaching. Everyone says that, but everyone doesn't do it. That scary monster called "reality" can easily turn us into duplicitous beings living off self-deception. But as the story progressed, I slowly revised my thinking, and Rancho was indeed living out his beliefs. His reasoning is not pale, but has very substantial actions as the foundation, which also makes the people around him deeply inspired. At the end of the film, I even forgot that this is an Indian film with a happy ending, and I secretly sweated for him. The reason is very simple. It is a very difficult thing for an idealist to be defeated by reality.
The triumph of idealism is always exciting because of its rarity. Because we all know that in reality, ideals are the easiest to embellish, and once a choice is made, ideals are the easiest to sacrifice, and the process of assimilation with society is often a process of ideals shattering. Although we are reluctant to admit it, in reality, people like "silencers" often become the standard-defining success, and their success can be replicated, and new imitators will continue to follow. And a person's ideal is too pure, and often escapes into nothingness.
Fortunately, we still have movies to offer solace. The title of a commentary on the love of the hawthorn tree is written like this: The world is so chaotic, who can pretend to be pure. But I feel that since the world is so chaotic, we need purity, ideals, and reasons to live for it.
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