電影 Sideways 通過兩個中年男人的酒鄉 (wine country) 之行徐徐展示了他們的精神和心理。 Miles 和 Jack 是一對性格迥異的好朋友。 Miles 以寫作為業，盼望著作品能出版，正有一部作品被出版社考慮。從他住公寓開舊車能看出他的生活並不富裕，甚至要從老媽那裏偷錢。他兩年前離婚，仍對前妻抱有複合的幻想。 Jack 是一個過氣的電視明星，將要孤注一擲地娶一位富家女，籍此扳回失意人生的棋局。這次旅行就是 Miles 為將要成為新郎的 Jack 準備的禮物，帶 Jack 品美酒嚐美食。可是 Jack 賊心不死，頻頻露水偷歡。
我覺得這兩個中年人是不是其實是人到中年心態的兩個側麵？一個側麵是精神上的失落，象 Miles 表達出來的悲歎，漂泊半生一事無成 （ “Half of my life is over, and I have nothing to show for it, nothing.” ）。另一個側麵是生理方麵的，仿佛覺得時不我待，拚命要抓住青春最後的尾巴，抓住一春又一春，好象越臨到要失去越覺得不夠，怎麽也填滿不了欲望。這兩個人互相鬥爭，卻又互相幫襯。
我第一次看懂中年危機的影片是《美國玫瑰》 (American Beauty). 那裏麵 Kevin Spacey 演的中年男人也是體現了中年精神負擔（家庭和事業的煩惱）和身體欲望（對青春少女的迷戀）的交織。不過，是通過一個形象完成的，同樣深沉尖銳。看來探討中年危機大抵要從這兩方麵入手。大概因為一個人有兩麵性，精神與肉欲，互相角力，是我們凡人掙不脫的魔咒。
電影有兩個線索，一個是 Miles 的書。一個是酒。
Miles 的書實際是他事業的代名詞，而男人的事業實際是男人麵對世界的名片和坐標。所以影片中人們問到 Miles 是做什麽的時候，十次有九次是他的好朋友替他作答“ Miles 是個作家，他的書就要出版了。” 不是實情，不這麽說又能怎麽回答呢？世人是不會接受“嗯，我一事無成” 這種回答的。也正因為這不是實情，所以他甚至覺得自己沒資本追求女人。在麵對一個有魅力的女人時候他膽怯，他退縮。事業，成就，金錢象繩索一樣纏在男人的脖頸上，越想掙脫它就纏的越緊。出版社決定不出版他的書，他做了三年的夢破碎了。他低聲的說“ So you see I’m not much of a writer, I’m not much of anything really. ” 被命運接連揍的鼻青臉腫，在最後一個大嘴巴扇過來以後，他爬不起來了，男人不得不認輸了。書的出版與否是一個懸念，也是最後壓倒駱駝的那根稻草。
影片成功的塑造了一個同樣離婚人到中年的女人 ， Miles 的 love interest, Maya. 她成熟，善解人意，自尊，自立。沒有因為中年失婚而沉淪，一邊作飯館侍者，一邊攻讀種植業碩士學位，她對酒也有很深的領悟。從另一個角度提出中年人隻要精神不倒一樣有精彩的人生，或許也說明在應對中年危機的時候女人比男人韌性更好？
演 Miles 的演員相貌普通，禿頂圓肚，掉人堆裏絕對找不著的那種普通中年人。可是他眼神中有豐富的東西傳達出來，有時遊移不自信，有時怨艾，憤怒，有時沮喪可憐。當他抱著香豔雜誌 Barely Legal 頹然入夢的時候，我簡直笑暈過去。
Writers (WGA):Rex Pickett (novel) Alexander Payne (screenplay)
Cast:
Paul Giamatti ... Miles
Thomas Haden Church ... Jack
Virginia Madsen ... Maya
Sandra Oh ... Stephanie
*Pragmatism: Most of the thinkers who describe themselves as pragmatists consider practical consequences or real effects to be vital components of both meaning and truth. (Wiki). 一種極端重視結果的哲學理念。
qsnfj 發表評論於
i left a message on your "Somewhere in Time" critics. I recommended a movie there. I have one more movie to recommend, it is called "Passion of the Mind" starred by Demi Moore, very interesting. you will like it.
sad but it is true, that the society doesn't give anybody a break, the stronger survives, and the weak extinguishes. that is why many of us are trying so hard, we are like rats in the "rat race", keeping on running everyday.
during the constant "rat race", maybe we ought to give ourselves some breaks sometimes, allowing us to rest a little, even though some of us may fall short of the society's "standards" for success. but success is a relative thing, having it all doesn't mean one is successful, and not having it all doesn't mean that one is total loser, besides we can never "have it all and have it enough", there is always more to it.
Harry Potter's author was a single mother living on social welfare, but she kept her hope high and kept on writing, so to the end, a great novel "Harry Potter" was born.
a good spirit and a hopeful heart are more than anything else in the world.
Wish Miles had somebody to tell him that.
acme 發表評論於
回複qsnfj的評論: Good question. I guess it more depends on what she or he deems as important things in life rather than the gender of a mid-aged person.
For women, most cases, if she doesn't have a good family, a man who loves her, she would feel the stress of mid-age crisis because most women think that is they life goal (which by no means is). But for a woman who cares about her career a lot failed on achievement will feel beaten too.
The socienty, sadly, doesn't give any break on anybody. I am sure you are aware of how divorced women was judged negatively (especially in Chinese culture).
The rule of thumb, for whatever one cares, when one failed to attain it when hit mid-age, one would feel stressed. Unfortunately, men are very goal / career oriented, so they get the most hit.
qsnfj 發表評論於
very good analysis, i will need to rent the movie to watch.
got a question here, a hypothetic question, what if, all that happened to Miles such as his underachievement, his loss of self confidence and so on, happened to a woman of his age, do you think a woman will pull together and bounce back better than a man does? I believe women go through mid life crisis as well, such as divorce, loss of job etc, will the society give women more of a "break" or "double standards" from that required of a man?
just for discussion purpose, i find this topic very interesting.
電影 Sideways 通過兩個中年男人的酒鄉 (wine country) 之行徐徐展示了他們的精神和心理。 Miles 和 Jack 是一對性格迥異的好朋友。 Miles 以寫作為業，盼望著作品能出版，正有一部作品被出版社考慮。從他住公寓開舊車能看出他的生活並不富裕，甚至要從老媽那裏偷錢。他兩年前離婚，仍對前妻抱有複合的幻想。 Jack 是一個過氣的電視明星，將要孤注一擲地娶一位富家女，籍此扳回失意人生的棋局。這次旅行就是 Miles 為將要成為新郎的 Jack 準備的禮物，帶 Jack 品美酒嚐美食。可是 Jack 賊心不死，頻頻露水偷歡。
我覺得這兩個中年人是不是其實是人到中年心態的兩個側麵？一個側麵是精神上的失落，象 Miles 表達出來的悲歎，漂泊半生一事無成 （ “Half of my life is over, and I have nothing to show for it, nothing.” ）。另一個側麵是生理方麵的，仿佛覺得時不我待，拚命要抓住青春最後的尾巴，抓住一春又一春，好象越臨到要失去越覺得不夠，怎麽也填滿不了欲望。這兩個人互相鬥爭，卻又互相幫襯。
我第一次看懂中年危機的影片是《美國玫瑰》 (American Beauty). 那裏麵 Kevin Spacey 演的中年男人也是體現了中年精神負擔（家庭和事業的煩惱）和身體欲望（對青春少女的迷戀）的交織。不過，是通過一個形象完成的，同樣深沉尖銳。看來探討中年危機大抵要從這兩方麵入手。大概因為一個人有兩麵性，精神與肉欲，互相角力，是我們凡人掙不脫的魔咒。
電影有兩個線索，一個是 Miles 的書。一個是酒。
Miles 的書實際是他事業的代名詞，而男人的事業實際是男人麵對世界的名片和坐標。所以影片中人們問到 Miles 是做什麽的時候，十次有九次是他的好朋友替他作答“ Miles 是個作家，他的書就要出版了。” 不是實情，不這麽說又能怎麽回答呢？世人是不會接受“嗯，我一事無成” 這種回答的。也正因為這不是實情，所以他甚至覺得自己沒資本追求女人。在麵對一個有魅力的女人時候他膽怯，他退縮。事業，成就，金錢象繩索一樣纏在男人的脖頸上，越想掙脫它就纏的越緊。出版社決定不出版他的書，他做了三年的夢破碎了。他低聲的說“ So you see I’m not much of a writer, I’m not much of anything really. ” 被命運接連揍的鼻青臉腫，在最後一個大嘴巴扇過來以後，他爬不起來了，男人不得不認輸了。書的出版與否是一個懸念，也是最後壓倒駱駝的那根稻草。
影片成功的塑造了一個同樣離婚人到中年的女人 ， Miles 的 love interest, Maya. 她成熟，善解人意，自尊，自立。沒有因為中年失婚而沉淪，一邊作飯館侍者，一邊攻讀種植業碩士學位，她對酒也有很深的領悟。從另一個角度提出中年人隻要精神不倒一樣有精彩的人生，或許也說明在應對中年危機的時候女人比男人韌性更好？
演 Miles 的演員相貌普通，禿頂圓肚，掉人堆裏絕對找不著的那種普通中年人。可是他眼神中有豐富的東西傳達出來，有時遊移不自信，有時怨艾，憤怒，有時沮喪可憐。當他抱著香豔雜誌 Barely Legal 頹然入夢的時候，我簡直笑暈過去。
Writers (WGA):Rex Pickett (novel) Alexander Payne (screenplay)
Cast:
Paul Giamatti ... Miles
Thomas Haden Church ... Jack
Virginia Madsen ... Maya
Sandra Oh ... Stephanie
*Pragmatism: Most of the thinkers who describe themselves as pragmatists consider practical consequences or real effects to be vital components of both meaning and truth. (Wiki). 一種極端重視結果的哲學理念。
