Apparently, I’m ‘the movie guy’ wherever I go. After Saturday morning step aerobics class I walked into the YMCA locker room. My buddy Paul said, “Jon, I just saw the worst movie of my life.” He watched Writer and Director Darren Aronofsky’s “Mother!” I said, “Yeah, it’s narcissistic bullshit.” He said, “Yes, thank you!”
Unaware that the movie was directed by Aronofsky, Paul and his wife had checked out the DVD from their local library. I didn’t know you could rent DVDs from the library. Paul has at least 10 years on me in age.
Paul absolutely hated Aronofsky’s “Black Swan”. He said that he would not have watched the movie had he known. I hated “Black Swan” too. Apologies to those passionate fans of the film. Natalie Portman well deserved her Oscar for her tragic portrayal. However, the movie far eclipsed darkness. It was ‘black’. Aronofsky’s tale of the innocent ballerina’s death spiral into madness was just not my “cup of tea”.
My e-mail friend Michael from the Chicago Tribune had said that a lot of people hated the movie, but he kind of liked it. That was good enough recommendation for me. So I saw “Mother!” in the theater. I thought: WTF?
Please keep in mind that “Mother!” is by no stretch of the imagination a great movie. I would avoid it on cable, satellite or streaming. Much like Michael, I actually kind of liked “Mother!” I admitted that to Paul.
Ultimately, “Mother!” movie takes itself oh so seriously. I discovered a sense of humor for the movie that had none. That’s despite obtuse dark narrative and grotesque imagery. Without going out on a long limb: “Mother!” was the worst movie of 2017. Yet, it perversely amused, albeit unintentionally.
I described the movie’s backstory for Paul: What I got from reading Michael’s movie review. “Mother!” tells the self-indulgent story of the artist’s lost muse. Aronofsky made the movie after his wife Actress Rachel Weisz divorced him. Rachel soon married James Bond’s Daniel Craig. So Darren was extremely distraught and angry. While filming “Mother!” he engaged in an affair with star Jennifer Lawrence. The romance abruptly ended after filming completed. Jenn moved on. I don’t know about Darren.
Another guy overheard our conversation. He said that “Mother!” was the worst he’d seen, too. Movie dudes lurk everywhere, especially at the YMCA.
We then talked about the movies that we actually liked. He really liked “Three Bill Boards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”. I really liked “The Shape of Water”. Although, he thought “The Shape of Water” was beautiful superficially, the love story of the woman and the water Creature lost him. Spoiler Alert: I reminded him that at the end of the movie the woman revealed breathing gills. So they were kind of the same. He said, “Oh, that’s right.” Perhaps, now the love story worked for him? Or not.
I walked out with Paul to go downstairs and stretch. On the upside, I said to Paul there are great movies in theaters. He might want to see “Hostiles”, “Lady Bird” or even “The Shape of Water”.
After stretching downstairs in the workout area, I went back to the locker room for a shower. I caught the other dude leaving. We discussed “Three Bill Board” in depth. He saw it twice. He loved the movie that much. On his second viewing, the story really resonated. Francis McDormand was awesome. So I shut up. I just listened.
My reservation for “Three Billboards”: The movie occurs as the depressing story of the Mother whose daughter was raped and murdered. Francis McDormand’s character sought either justice or revenge for her beloved daughter.
He said, “There’s no doubt it’s dark.” He said the movie worked for him, because it was profoundly about redemption. Okay. I got it. I got him.
I’m accustomed to and welcome this kind of locker room discussion, unlike the other kinds of “locker room talk”. The locker room has the bizarre dynamic of standing naked while saying, “Daniel Day-Lewis is amazing in ‘Phantom Thread’.” I’m actually proud of my self-expression.
Yet, another nice guy overheard our conversation. He asked if we saw “Get Out”. He loved the movie, because Writer and Director Jordan Peel reinvented the horror-thriller genera scenario. Again, I just listened. Another movie possibility arose.
The world seems to open when I just listen to others, when I listen for what’s possible in whatever that might be. Even watching movies. In the bigger picture, my opinions are all relative. It’s more valuable to get what others have within themselves. Others have a lot they wish to contribute when I’m open to letting them, when I shut up and really listen.
Have an empty mind. Listen without judgment. Don’t fall in love with your own opinions. Listen for the greater that’s within others. That way we get along together in the world.
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