The general feel of the intro of this movie is a bit hectic. Things that occur occur loudly and a bit unexpectedly. The events that actually occur are really random and a bit obscure, with a violent car crash, the dropping off of a small "piano", and a nice woman asking for our protagonist Barry's help. The score alone, brilliantly done by Jon Brion, is convoluted, overbearing, and somewhat frightening, with tons of drums and synth work. I think all of this busy work goes against Barry's tendency to stay in comfort zones, mainly not going anywhere, not talking to many strangers, and not really wanting much. The guy doesn't even want sex. It seems like he just needs a friend who doesn't want much from him, which is rare. Overall, he's ridiculously indecisive. He can never choose what he wants, because something would tempt him, but then he would find something to counteract that, and then he would reconsider his actions. But, he's just like any one of us, feeling ashamed about what is said about him, what he says, and so forth. He feels. What I really think he wants is something worth fighting for; something that is worth all of his emotions.
As well, I get the sense that he is a bit of a paranoid, considering how he responds to stimuli. As he stares at the random piano that confuses the hell out of us and him, another vehicle rushes by ridiculously fast, as if screaming at us, "PICK UP THE F*CKING PIANO." Barry is scared by this, and it somewhat shocks us too. This also seems to fill up Barry's anger meter, which eventually goes over the top later in the film, mainly when Philip Seymour Hoffman's Mattress Man character comes into play. It builds up after a while, and all these small things just continue to add to his suppressed rage. His sisters continuously insulting him and not making anything better, his business not coming off too well in front of these customers, et cetera. It's strange, and puts us in the same mood as our friend Barry, keeping us in check and in touch with the emotions we're supposed to experience and feel in these moments.
My question, is about the symbolism of a few of these key moments. Of course it may seem like I've mentioned the symbolism behind them already, but I would like to hear some of your guys' opinions, as well as about the rest of the movie. Being that the beginning of the film makes a lot of viewers think "WHAT THE FUCK?!" to theirselves, I'm aiming this at the plenty who got it, or simply picked up what it put down for us to play with.
What was the symbolism of the car crash and the piano? Is it just to get Barry going somewhere? Do something? Or was it a message to Barry or to us about Barry?
And what about that colorful and strange montage after our introduction to Barry? What was it's purpose? The music's mood changes, almost as if it was bi-polar, which is how I felt this movie was. For example, in the first few scenes in Hawaii, Barry is screaming at his sister, and it's really frightening, but considering the situations, kind of freeing and comedic. This is mainly because the music in the background is so the opposite of what should be playing; a smooth slow jazz song with a woman singing softly to us, almost to comfort us. How can we stay comforted? Barry is threatening to murder his sister. It's an excellent juxtaposition, as well as a liberating one, as Barry finally bucks up and fights back against his sister. That is how we can accept the scene. We shouldn't be comfortable with it, but rather we should be all for Barry's actions, because his sister is a bitch, and we also get mad. We're straight in the thick of it, and that's a bit beautiful to me.
There's another small thing I love about this movie, and it just happens to be Adam Sandler's complexion. I don't know if this was purposeful, but the dude is basically pink in this movie. I know it's funny to say, but it's funny to see, yet I feel that it was almost done purposefully. Maybe it's my television? I don't know, but I'm going to go along with it. At the beginning, he's pink; shy, mellow, and kind of depressed. He needs something in life, and he can't find it at all. As it progresses, he gets filled with a bit of rage, that has been built up inside the entire film. He is pink. He punches walls, destroys bathrooms; he's ultimately sad and is venting. Then he falls in love; he is pink with excitement and happiness. He's traveling, he's got a new person who is so worth all of his time and love. And then radio waves distort, and someone tries to hurt him and his girl. He is pink. He is a calm ball of aggression, and this new found courage that love gave him. He fights back. He tells the boss man, "I have so much more strength than you, you can't even imagine. I have a love in my life, and that makes me stronger than you'll ever be." He wins the fight, and the war. He is pink. He is pink with the happiness he's been wanting this entire time. Again, I don't even know if it's just my TV or something, but damn, the man is pink!
There are many questions to be asked about as the film goes on, but that should be no matter. Punch Drunk Love is a beautiful movie, that will raise your eyebrow and have you feel feelings that it wants you to feel. The symbolism here is either strong, or non-existant. I suppose it's how we feel that matters, and not how it is supposed to be. There probably isn't a definitive answer. I'd just like to hear some of YOUR guys' opinions.
Also, it seems that Barry's coworkers are very incompetent. Shoddy lift drivers, can't replace broken equipment for demo, etc. Just a funny thought.
As well, I get the sense that he is a bit of a paranoid, considering how he responds to stimuli. As he stares at the random piano that confuses the hell out of us and him, another vehicle rushes by ridiculously fast, as if screaming at us, "PICK UP THE F*CKING PIANO." Barry is scared by this, and it somewhat shocks us too. This also seems to fill up Barry's anger meter, which eventually goes over the top later in the film, mainly when Philip Seymour Hoffman's Mattress Man character comes into play. It builds up after a while, and all these small things just continue to add to his suppressed rage. His sisters continuously insulting him and not making anything better, his business not coming off too well in front of these customers, et cetera. It's strange, and puts us in the same mood as our friend Barry, keeping us in check and in touch with the emotions we're supposed to experience and feel in these moments.
My question, is about the symbolism of a few of these key moments. Of course it may seem like I've mentioned the symbolism behind them already, but I would like to hear some of your guys' opinions, as well as about the rest of the movie. Being that the beginning of the film makes a lot of viewers think "WHAT THE FUCK?!" to theirselves, I'm aiming this at the plenty who got it, or simply picked up what it put down for us to play with.
What was the symbolism of the car crash and the piano? Is it just to get Barry going somewhere? Do something? Or was it a message to Barry or to us about Barry?
And what about that colorful and strange montage after our introduction to Barry? What was it's purpose? The music's mood changes, almost as if it was bi-polar, which is how I felt this movie was. For example, in the first few scenes in Hawaii, Barry is screaming at his sister, and it's really frightening, but considering the situations, kind of freeing and comedic. This is mainly because the music in the background is so the opposite of what should be playing; a smooth slow jazz song with a woman singing softly to us, almost to comfort us. How can we stay comforted? Barry is threatening to murder his sister. It's an excellent juxtaposition, as well as a liberating one, as Barry finally bucks up and fights back against his sister. That is how we can accept the scene. We shouldn't be comfortable with it, but rather we should be all for Barry's actions, because his sister is a bitch, and we also get mad. We're straight in the thick of it, and that's a bit beautiful to me.
There's another small thing I love about this movie, and it just happens to be Adam Sandler's complexion. I don't know if this was purposeful, but the dude is basically pink in this movie. I know it's funny to say, but it's funny to see, yet I feel that it was almost done purposefully. Maybe it's my television? I don't know, but I'm going to go along with it. At the beginning, he's pink; shy, mellow, and kind of depressed. He needs something in life, and he can't find it at all. As it progresses, he gets filled with a bit of rage, that has been built up inside the entire film. He is pink. He punches walls, destroys bathrooms; he's ultimately sad and is venting. Then he falls in love; he is pink with excitement and happiness. He's traveling, he's got a new person who is so worth all of his time and love. And then radio waves distort, and someone tries to hurt him and his girl. He is pink. He is a calm ball of aggression, and this new found courage that love gave him. He fights back. He tells the boss man, "I have so much more strength than you, you can't even imagine. I have a love in my life, and that makes me stronger than you'll ever be." He wins the fight, and the war. He is pink. He is pink with the happiness he's been wanting this entire time. Again, I don't even know if it's just my TV or something, but damn, the man is pink!
There are many questions to be asked about as the film goes on, but that should be no matter. Punch Drunk Love is a beautiful movie, that will raise your eyebrow and have you feel feelings that it wants you to feel. The symbolism here is either strong, or non-existant. I suppose it's how we feel that matters, and not how it is supposed to be. There probably isn't a definitive answer. I'd just like to hear some of YOUR guys' opinions.
Also, it seems that Barry's coworkers are very incompetent. Shoddy lift drivers, can't replace broken equipment for demo, etc. Just a funny thought.
