Watched the movie this Monday. It's not your typical comedy, definitely not a typical chick-flick.
Laughed, almost knocked out; shed tears, touched by the friendship; tired, after such emotional roller coaster; and chewed it over when relaxed.
It's directed by the same person who did "40 year old virgin", "knocked up", and "superbad". All very funny movies, but I think this movie being the most realistic and having the best substance, yet the fun came in totally unspoiled.
We probably all have acquaintances in life somewhat resembling Annie, Helen, and other ladies in the movie.
Annie, the protagonist, was failing everything in life : "I am in my 30s, I am 40,000 in debt, living with a weirdo (roommate)", in a non committal relationship although she was longing for a real one, lost her job, no friend, car accident, had to move back to live with her mother which was what she disliked.
With sympathy, I think she largely created the whole situation herself.
She had a job but she sabotaged it with her negative attitude. She could have a good, honest relationship where she would be understood, respected, cherished, and her passion would be supported, but she was after the gorgeous guy despite being mistreated, and she was pretending like "I am ok, everything is ok" in the relationship. She had a car accident which she could have avoided by simply having the taillights fixed, instead of blaming busy schedule, nemesis, and unfair life.
"Where there is a pathetic person there are scornful characters", as Chinese saying goes. If one does not help oneself, does not put a lid on one's destructive emotions, one is doomed to misery even she/he if is a royal princess/prince.
Life knocks us around, which happens to everybody and is ok. The difference is some get up and fight, and others give up and blame the world. And that's the moment that separates the pros from the amateurs and the winner from the loser. When Megan, the biggest and toughest bridesmaid, pushed Annie to fight back as Annie's dwelling miserably at her "bottom" in life, tears came in earnest for me.
And we surely see Helen's around as well. They maintain a perfect facade (always well-kept looks, the most polite smile, socially adept), they are snobbish, yet with a fearful inside. Eager for friendship, but do not know how other than trying to "buy" it with the ample resource they have : money and power. To be honest, I still kind of liked Helen in the movie - good looks do have an advantage on me :-P, and she was not really doing much harm to anybody except being annoying in usurping Annie's duties as the maid of honor.
Other characters are interesting too such as the frustrated wife and mother who sees Lillian's wedding as an escape. One interesting side aspect is how the movie depicts kids - it's definitely discouraging population growth. :)
I like this type of movies : funny on the surface, and have some substance for me to take away as well, just like my favorite movie "the groundhog day", which, by the way, still remains my favorite so far.
Laughed, almost knocked out; shed tears, touched by the friendship; tired, after such emotional roller coaster; and chewed it over when relaxed.
It's directed by the same person who did "40 year old virgin", "knocked up", and "superbad". All very funny movies, but I think this movie being the most realistic and having the best substance, yet the fun came in totally unspoiled.
We probably all have acquaintances in life somewhat resembling Annie, Helen, and other ladies in the movie.
Annie, the protagonist, was failing everything in life : "I am in my 30s, I am 40,000 in debt, living with a weirdo (roommate)", in a non committal relationship although she was longing for a real one, lost her job, no friend, car accident, had to move back to live with her mother which was what she disliked.
With sympathy, I think she largely created the whole situation herself.
She had a job but she sabotaged it with her negative attitude. She could have a good, honest relationship where she would be understood, respected, cherished, and her passion would be supported, but she was after the gorgeous guy despite being mistreated, and she was pretending like "I am ok, everything is ok" in the relationship. She had a car accident which she could have avoided by simply having the taillights fixed, instead of blaming busy schedule, nemesis, and unfair life.
"Where there is a pathetic person there are scornful characters", as Chinese saying goes. If one does not help oneself, does not put a lid on one's destructive emotions, one is doomed to misery even she/he if is a royal princess/prince.
Life knocks us around, which happens to everybody and is ok. The difference is some get up and fight, and others give up and blame the world. And that's the moment that separates the pros from the amateurs and the winner from the loser. When Megan, the biggest and toughest bridesmaid, pushed Annie to fight back as Annie's dwelling miserably at her "bottom" in life, tears came in earnest for me.
And we surely see Helen's around as well. They maintain a perfect facade (always well-kept looks, the most polite smile, socially adept), they are snobbish, yet with a fearful inside. Eager for friendship, but do not know how other than trying to "buy" it with the ample resource they have : money and power. To be honest, I still kind of liked Helen in the movie - good looks do have an advantage on me :-P, and she was not really doing much harm to anybody except being annoying in usurping Annie's duties as the maid of honor.
Other characters are interesting too such as the frustrated wife and mother who sees Lillian's wedding as an escape. One interesting side aspect is how the movie depicts kids - it's definitely discouraging population growth. :)
I like this type of movies : funny on the surface, and have some substance for me to take away as well, just like my favorite movie "the groundhog day", which, by the way, still remains my favorite so far.
No comments:
Post a Comment