Heaven's in the Details
The premise of 50 First Dates is really fun: boy meets girl, boy meets girl the next day and she can't remember him, boy must keep meeting girl for the rest of their lives. This one's right up there in the high-concept department, particularly for a rom-com.
Sometimes a film like this trailers well but turns out to be lifeless or thin. 50 First Dates remains entertaining and full because of its carefully chosen details. Case in point: the mural Drew paints every single day (and that her father and brother paint over every night, so she has a clean slate in the morning and remains unaware of her condition).
The mural fulfills many functions: the painting and repainting of the mural is very visual, and it's a device that reinforces the concept-- we see those white walls bloom with colour time and time again, and have to watch as Drew believes she's doing it for the first time. We feel both drawn to her and sad for her... not unlike the bittersweet feeling created by the film's favourite song, "Wouldn't It Be Nice". The mural painting is also perfect for her character and the theme-- Drew's an artist who throws herself at life and who, along with our hero Adam, creates the world anew every day.
It's worth figuring out not just suitable details for our scripts, but the best story details.
Also, I understand people love penguins, and there's a penguin in this movie.
The premise of 50 First Dates is really fun: boy meets girl, boy meets girl the next day and she can't remember him, boy must keep meeting girl for the rest of their lives. This one's right up there in the high-concept department, particularly for a rom-com.
Sometimes a film like this trailers well but turns out to be lifeless or thin. 50 First Dates remains entertaining and full because of its carefully chosen details. Case in point: the mural Drew paints every single day (and that her father and brother paint over every night, so she has a clean slate in the morning and remains unaware of her condition).
The mural fulfills many functions: the painting and repainting of the mural is very visual, and it's a device that reinforces the concept-- we see those white walls bloom with colour time and time again, and have to watch as Drew believes she's doing it for the first time. We feel both drawn to her and sad for her... not unlike the bittersweet feeling created by the film's favourite song, "Wouldn't It Be Nice". The mural painting is also perfect for her character and the theme-- Drew's an artist who throws herself at life and who, along with our hero Adam, creates the world anew every day.
It's worth figuring out not just suitable details for our scripts, but the best story details.
Also, I understand people love penguins, and there's a penguin in this movie.
posted by Jennica at 4:27 p.m.
1 Comments:
I'm so glad you appreciate this film! I really like it, but am generally laughed at for saying it...
The mural also shows why people, including Adam, are drawn to Drew and willing to do so much for her - colour blooms wherever she goes. How sad would a day be if she didn't paint over that white wall?
Post a Comment
<< Home