I saw this film again recently, the first time in a year or so, and forgot just how good it is. As far as movies about "odd couples" go, I think this is easily as good as the likes of Lost in translation and Harold and Maude (both great movies too though). It's just a shame that MFM isn't that well known. Leelee gives probably her best performance to date here, and Albert Brooks is also excellent.
shareRight on. I love how the man and girl sacrifice the romantic aspect of their relationship because it is not the right thing for both of them. Usually we see people falling prey to this in movies, and being held underwater by desire. We would have been distracted by their emotional bond if they had become physically involved.
I love how the girl has a hard time allowing herself to love someone that is not dying, such as the man's son. She is not apt to let herself bond with someone more permament then the father for most of the movie, until the end.
I also love how she dances in her room when she lights the candles! All these things are pieces of me. That's why I love and hate things anyway.
I've been meaning to see HArold and Maude, I always heard how great it was, but I personally thought Lost In Translation was completely horrible, and I even gave it 3 viewings! The acting was good, the screenplay almost non-existant, and overall it was like watching a really long commercial for sadass sob stories, imo.
MFM, on the other hand, is beautifully written, directed, and acted from just about everyone. Usually the punk and/or emo teens annoy the crap out of me (I mean, if they only knew how great life is at that age....I just want to slap them and be like "cry me a damn river, go talk to a single mom or a soldier in Iraq and THEN tell me you have something to be sad about), but J was a fleshed out, fully realized, REAL character, which is a refreshing change from the cardboard cutouts you usually get of teenagers.
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It took me a few viewings to appreciate Lost in translation, and now think it's brilliant. My Imdb even went from 7-to-8-to-9 after successive viewings! But if you're still not into it after 3 viewings then I guess it's just not your cup of tea.
sharei definately agree! i saw this movie on "lifetime" and i instantly fell in love with it. actually my sister saw it before me a while ago and she was telling me about it and how funny it was so i was dying to see it! ^_^
Rachael "the guitar is mightier than the sword."
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Indeed, it was on Film4 last night and it was most definitely very very good. It was funny enough, and very moving.
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i watched it on film four yesterday too, i was flicking through the channels, saw it and thought 'hey, i remember reading that desmond harrington is in that on imdb' so i watched it, it was a pretty good film actually
he exhales
a thousand black flowers explode
into butterflies as they're away
I agree. It's just had its UK terrestrial premiere - at 12.40 am, for goodness' sake - and I was both charmed and very moved. Did it get a UK cinema release, I don't remember it?
I've not seen Harold & Maude (must track it down), but the comparison with Lost in Translation is obvious. Both, of course - and I love this - accept the strange, untidy, and to some weird and uncomfortable idea that an older person may love and be loved by a much younger person on several different levels....AND one of those levels may be sexual, they may physically desire each other....AND notwithstanding the above one or both of the people involved may decide that it would be cruel or wrong or pointless or too painful to succumb to that sexual desire....AND if through that decision (or through fate), a sexual relationship does, indeed, not happen, then everything may still be all right, nevertheless, even if it's kinda hard to explain why in words.
And if you can understand what I've just written, perhaps you could explain it back to me?!
Ossie
I wish this had gotten a bigger push when it was first released. I didn't even hear about it until I saw it on a shelf at Blockbuster, and like you said, it's probably Leelee's best movie so far.
shareI agree. Beautiful film. The dialogue was brilliant, the characters weird yet engaging, the storyline excellent, and the situation poignant. As an old guy, I found this to be the ultimate feel good movie ...
shareYes, I enjoyed this immensely. The dialogue and the performances by the leads were first rate. I also loved Carol Kane and John Goodman as her bizarre parents. Even more than "Harold and Maude" (another good but quirky movie), I was reminded of "Ghost World" with Thora Birch and Steve Buscemi.
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