Just back from the USA road trip, and will shortly be compiling pictures and thoughts into some kind of content. In the meantime - to make productive use of the 04:30 GMT jet lag that pits the robotic octopus of my leaden-limbed body against the malfunctioning sleep centre and French toast brunch craving brain - I'm watching movies and here's an interim post.
Broken Flowers movie review
Journeys, like gap years and career breaks, can generally be viewed two ways - and this movie is decisive in just the same fashion.
A retired successful businessman resides in comfort and elegance in neighbourly suburbia, and is left by his younger, attractive girlfriend for failing to commit. A pattern we come to see has repeated itself throughout his life, and which leaves him nonplussed.
An intervention is staged by way of his good friend next door and wannabe private eye, when an unsolicted and unsigned note is dropped through the letterbox the same day.
Whether you see an indulgent piece of artistic piffle where nothing happens, or a man who might be changed by revisiting his past, probably depends on what kind of movies you like. Does experiencing a connection of which he was previously indifferent to or unaware of make a better man? Or is it just an inevitable delay to carrying on with living life?
There are great characters - the detective neighbour, the trashy ex- and her jailbait daughter, the astute cat - and the acting is top draw across the board, but this is mostly about the protagonist and his demons. It delivers on that premise, but you could look and see a wolf in buddy-movie clothing and come away disappointed.
If you happen to be the indulgent artistic type, maybe there's a comment on what it means to get what you want in life easily, and the nature of success if you are never left wanting. I really enjoyed this gentle film, and it has a great score too - check out The Greenhornes.
Movie trailer and details here.
Image published to web by StarDustTrailers.com
