"Trying to figure out which one is which/and what and where is home"
I just re-watched Naked, by Mike Leigh, for the first time in years, in aid of my current David Thewlis kick. (I'd have watched it sooner, but try finding a copy of it on DVD that doesn't cost the earth.) I think I was too young for it the first time around - I felt like I'd had the wind knocked out of me when it ended, but I didn't know why. Now I know why, and fuck, was that ever heartbreaking.
For some unexplainable reason, I'd forgotten how incredible Thewlis is in it. It's a generally accepted fact that he gives a visceral, highly complex performance as Johnny, but what I'd missed, despite having read the script a number of times since seeing the movie, and despite having picked up on the character's anger and wretchedness the first time around was how utterly nuanced and subtle and mobile Thewlis' facial expressions are. There's not one moment (possibly apart from the bit where he's in a coma), where his face is still - you can literally see Johnny's mind constantly working - Johnny might be a predatory nihilistic arse on paper, but Thewlis makes him so completely human that you can't help but feel for him. I've only ever seen a handful of movies where someone's delivered such a flawless dramatic performance.
The first time around, I was scared by Johnny's ferocity, this time around, I was appalled to realize how attractive I found him. It's partially Thewlis' physicality (tall skinny blokes with beautiful pianist's hands for the win, folks), but it's also the character's intelligence, wit, and moments of unexpected compassion in amongst all of the sound and fury and threat of physical violence. And the frightening bit lies in that I could see exactly how easy it would be to end up going for someone who damages you irrevocably based upon those particular moments - what does this say about my taste in men? Currently feeling unnerved, to say the least...
To boil everything down to internet-speak, I can only say 'I'd hit it - possibly with a baseball bat kept beside the bed.' And again, what does that say about me and my behaviour - responding to violence with violence?
In conclusion, I really shouldn't watch Mike Leigh movies before going to bed; they'll only make me anxious.
For some unexplainable reason, I'd forgotten how incredible Thewlis is in it. It's a generally accepted fact that he gives a visceral, highly complex performance as Johnny, but what I'd missed, despite having read the script a number of times since seeing the movie, and despite having picked up on the character's anger and wretchedness the first time around was how utterly nuanced and subtle and mobile Thewlis' facial expressions are. There's not one moment (possibly apart from the bit where he's in a coma), where his face is still - you can literally see Johnny's mind constantly working - Johnny might be a predatory nihilistic arse on paper, but Thewlis makes him so completely human that you can't help but feel for him. I've only ever seen a handful of movies where someone's delivered such a flawless dramatic performance.
The first time around, I was scared by Johnny's ferocity, this time around, I was appalled to realize how attractive I found him. It's partially Thewlis' physicality (tall skinny blokes with beautiful pianist's hands for the win, folks), but it's also the character's intelligence, wit, and moments of unexpected compassion in amongst all of the sound and fury and threat of physical violence. And the frightening bit lies in that I could see exactly how easy it would be to end up going for someone who damages you irrevocably based upon those particular moments - what does this say about my taste in men? Currently feeling unnerved, to say the least...
To boil everything down to internet-speak, I can only say 'I'd hit it - possibly with a baseball bat kept beside the bed.' And again, what does that say about me and my behaviour - responding to violence with violence?
In conclusion, I really shouldn't watch Mike Leigh movies before going to bed; they'll only make me anxious.