...the last 20 minutes or so felt so rushed. I watched it for the first time last night and the ending and everything leading up to it just didn't match the pace that the first part of the movie had. Does anyone else feel this way?
I've never fooled anyone. I've let people fool themselves.
Beginning with the scene where Joe visits Kathleen at her apartment, the movie completely changes feel. For one thing, it's like they sent all the other actors home, none of the other credited characters appear anymore. (except Brinkley)
It culminates in Joe's "He waited until you were primed ..." statement. Joe might tell Kevin or his father that, but not him telling Kathleen. Similarly, I could imagine Birdie or Christina telling her that, maybe George or even Frank during a chance encounter.
Those scenes are merely fillers leading to the great encounter.
I did not save the boy, God did. I only CARRIED him.share
Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.
I've never fooled anyone. I've let people fool themselves.
It feels like a different movie to me from the time Joe decides to pursue Kathleen, but in a good way. Joe's animosity towards Kathleen is behind him and he's determined to show her he's a better person than she originally thought. Kathleen has a brighter outlook on her future and Joe's companionship helps her with that. I don't need to keep seeing the other characters in the movie at that point. I know they're still there.
Mag, Darling, you're being a bore.
Yes, I would agree that the ending scenes felt a bit rushed. If you read the story timeline on this site, quite a bit of time went by between the time that Joe went to Kathleen's apartment and the Riverside Park meeting. A lot of movies have that <2 hour run time target and I have seen many that seem to conclude way too quickly.
shareI watched this movie yesterday for the first time, and I felt exactly the same. Many scenes of the first parts should have been cut, so that the last didn't feel so rushed and forced. But I enjoyed it anyway.
shareI think somewhat, but it did take its time leading up to the big reveal. I think perhaps it felt somewhat off pace before was because I wanted something more to happen during and/or after they embraced. Maybe because I didn't want to see it end. I wanted to see more and more of them because they were so much fun to watch.
But when I really, really thought about it.. its ending was suitable enough. I smiled. 😊
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My thoughts precisely. I am not sure if the problem is with the movie's editing or the script, but the last 20 minutes were rushed. Kathleen and Joe's transition from foes to friends felt slightly artificial. I think it would have helped if the audience had seen them in different scenarios where they didn't just talk about Kathleen's infatuation with NY152 (e.g. passing each other by on the street and saying hi, bumping into each other again at Zabar's but this time standing in line together and chatting). Also, it would have been nice to see Kathleen be responsible for some of their encounters (e.g. she sees Joe on the street and calls his name) -- to demonstrate her growing sense of fondness and trust. As it is, Kathleen's words "I wanted it to be you so badly" feel a little forced. For all we know, she saw him three times and only briefly after his visit to her apartment. That's hardly enough time for romantic feelings to develop.
Similarly, I thought that the movie would have benefited from having a scene where the audience saw Joe deciding to go back to Cafe Lalo. Even on this forum some people are confused about the reason why Joe returns back and is so flippant with Kathleen. Of course Tom Hanks is an actor of extraterrestrial talent and delivers Joe's anger and disappointment with deadly precision. (There is Tom's old interview with Charlie Rose where Tom mentions that Joe's primary motivation in the movie is his fear of ending up like his father and grandfather -- with five unhappy marriages and no faithful and loving partner. So it's easy to see why Joe is angry and upset when he realizes that Shopgirl, "the most adorable creature" he's ever encountered, is this pill Kathleen Kelly who hates his guts. His dream of finding a kind and understanding companion is quickly crumbling.) So it still works. But I thought that it would have helped the story flow more smoothly if the audience could have witnessed Joe making the decision to go back.
I LOVE this movie but totally agree with you. Would've loved to see more of them building their friendship and eventually developing romantic feelings. Those scenes where Joe is "guessing" the meaning behind "152" in "NY152"'s screen name were the funniest and best scenes in the movie, but wanted to see more like it where the chemistry between them becomes obvious.Perhaps I wasn't as convinced as I wanted to be that Kathleen reciprocated Joe's feelings. And when did Joe decide he was interested in her? What made him suddenly see her in a new light? She was still the same person, but a conversation he had with his father in the boat somehow turned everything around. His dad says it will be easy for him to find a new woman. Joe replied "Yes, because finding the one person that fills your heart with joy is so easy". Then his dad came back with "Have I ever been with anybody that fit that description? Have you?" And then we see Joe bringing a sick Kathleen daisies. I just wondered what it was about Kathleen up that point that made him think she was the one person who could fill his heart with joy. Or maybe she already made him happy, but I don't understand how when she's been nothing but hostile to him up to that point.
shareto tie up loose ends.
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