The Missing Link
As part of my screenwriting group's annual festive celebration known as Owen Wilson Day (which seemed less sad six years ago when we started...) we watched You, Me & Dupree.
Now, I know this movie isn't trying to be Schindler's List. It's not even trying to be 1941. But as I was watching it, and occasionally laughing, and loving Owen Wilson even in moments when he seems to be dialling it in, and thinking Kate Hudson really is very pretty, and feeling badly for Matt Dillon in those moments when it's clear he thought he was going to be in a better movie...
...I was still distracted by what I think was a story gaffe. An avoidable one.
The story follows the evolving relatinships between:
My problem? There's zero time given to Kate & Michael: the father and daughter.
Not only do these two character not have a credible relationship... the movie seems to go out of its way not to let them have even a single verbal exchange. At one point, they're sitting next to each other on a couch, and they've got nuthin'.
You might say this is a missed opportunity. I'd argue it's even more than that-- it’s integral to the story. Because as Matt is being manipulated by his brand new father-in-law, we NEED to know whether Kate is a) as sweet as she seems, and therefore nothing like her father; or b) a lot more like him than she seems, and would defend him against her husband. Ultimately, is Kate the kind of person to make room in her life for the Duprees of the world, or not?
The lesson: be sure you're exploring all the implied relationships in your script!
Now, I know this movie isn't trying to be Schindler's List. It's not even trying to be 1941. But as I was watching it, and occasionally laughing, and loving Owen Wilson even in moments when he seems to be dialling it in, and thinking Kate Hudson really is very pretty, and feeling badly for Matt Dillon in those moments when it's clear he thought he was going to be in a better movie...
...I was still distracted by what I think was a story gaffe. An avoidable one.
The story follows the evolving relatinships between:
- Matt & Kate (newlyweds)
- Matt & Owen (childhood best buds)
- Owen & Kate (rivals, then allies)
- Matt & Michael Douglas (son-in-law working for father-in-law)
My problem? There's zero time given to Kate & Michael: the father and daughter.
Not only do these two character not have a credible relationship... the movie seems to go out of its way not to let them have even a single verbal exchange. At one point, they're sitting next to each other on a couch, and they've got nuthin'.
You might say this is a missed opportunity. I'd argue it's even more than that-- it’s integral to the story. Because as Matt is being manipulated by his brand new father-in-law, we NEED to know whether Kate is a) as sweet as she seems, and therefore nothing like her father; or b) a lot more like him than she seems, and would defend him against her husband. Ultimately, is Kate the kind of person to make room in her life for the Duprees of the world, or not?
The lesson: be sure you're exploring all the implied relationships in your script!
posted by Jennica at 4:33 p.m.
1 Comments:
%$*U($@$! Back to check my missing links.
This just keeps getting easier and easier.
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