Today's Movie review(s) are about movies that are very very poignant and emotional carthetic for me. The trick is whether or not I can adequately articulate so that you readers can relate. The only way I know to do that is to try. :)
If any of you had been on hand Saturday, I would like to say that you would have heard some quiet sobbing. I would like to say that, but it isnt quite true. Imagine closer to sobbing loudly with mascara running down my face. Ok, so I wasn't dressed en femme at the time, but that kind of gets the point across. The reason for all this sobbing, and emotional upheaval? The cathartis of remembering one movie and watching another one. I am speaking of The Crying Game, released in 1992, and Big Eden released in 2000. They have some very powerful things in common.
The first is a movie that I havent seen in a long time, however, I saw it at least twice--once at the theater and once on video. It feels like part of who I am in a sense. The music track supports the story line very well. Just reading the lyrics to the haunting song composed for the movie by Boy George brings tears to my ears. I cant hear "I know all there is to know about the crying game. Ive had my share of the crying game" without finding it very deeply touching, partly because of the words, but also because of the music underlying as well. Then you add in the story itself and there is no hope for my having dry eyes.
The story of "The Crying Game" in summary is that of a Irish Republican Army solder (Fergus played by Stephen Rhea) with a unit that has been given the task of capturing an English solder (Jody played by Forrest Whittaker...I can never see him in anything without "flashing back"). Fergus is put in charge of Jody, one senses, because he is the only one that can stomach being in close proximity to the "enemy". They develop a relationship, Jody naturally tries to escape, Fergus is unable to shoot him in the back, and the whole plot comes crumbling around the Irish teams' heads. Fergus has to flee.
Altought this would seem to be enought drama for most movies, it is not even the beginning. The REAL drama, and pathos comes into play in London where Fergus ends up. He starts out innocently enought trying to honor his last promise to Jody and let his girlfriend know he was thinking of her when he died. He was unprepared for what ensued. You see Del (played by a actor Jaye Davidson who only appeared on one other movie and in Stargate on television), is not exactly what he was expecting. Nor was he expecting to get as involved as he did. The story moves thru various twists and turns, and ends with "Stand By Your Man" being on the end of the sound track.
My reason for loving this movie so much is that it speaks to what happens when you find yourself either in love with, or being loved by, someone that you wouldnt ordinarily think about choosing to have a relationship with. In this case, it addresses the person not even having started out as the GENDER one would normally be involved with romantically. At the end of the movie it is hard to say whether Fergus is romantically involved; however it is obvious, at least to me, that he loves Del.. And you learn a lot about Fergus, and what his "nature" is...a theme that runs throughtout the movie.
The second movie that I want to review today, brings it a bit closer to home for me as it deals with small town American. Of course Big Eden is unlike any of the towns I know about in the United States, with one possible exception, but that is the charm of the movie. While it is perhaps accurately called "unrealistic", it nevertheless gives one hope, and that is what I love about it the most.
Henry Hart (played by Arye Gross), is the lead character in this hopeful look at acceptance and love. He is a gay man who fled Big Eden, Montana because of a love gone wrong, gets counseloring and becomes an artist in New York City. At the beginning of the movie, however, his grandfather, still back in Big Eden, has a stroke and Henry is called to come home. He goes home, despite the fact that his best friend and agent wants him to wait till after his art showing in 24 hours. He doesnt want to be an "ophran" so home he goes.
The rest of the movie looks at what happens in Big Eden when he returns to find, in addition to his grandfather, a town full of people glad to see his return and, the "lost love's" recent return as well. The comedic aspect is greatly enhanced by an old "busy body" who sees it as her job to pair people up. Her biggest frustration with Henry is that "he wont say anything" As is noted on Amazon it is a quantum leap to consider the idea of a bunch of old coots hanging at the country store, trying to get two guys to get together. The acceptance of this small is something that one wishes were possible, but which is rarely seen, even in big cities.
The biggest part of the struggle inherent in this movie is within Henry. His lack of self-acceptance in the face of the obvious love and acceptance of all around him. He, like Fergus in The Crying Game, has to come to some level of acceptance of the fact that who he wants to be with, may not be the one he ends up with, but that true love and companionship is available from another quarter and that it is only by accepting this that his life becomes enrichened more than he ever could dreamed possible.
So now we know what I was crying yesterday....the beauty of such love and acceptance, despite all "obstacles" is always a moving event. May I never lose that understanding. In case it isnt totally clear already, if you havent seen either of these two movies, I strongly recommend that you endeavor to do so.
