The first time I saw this movie, I was channel surfing, so I didn't know what I was in for. I did not even know the title of the show. But I now realize that Smother is a really apt title since the show tells of a overly-dramatic mother who has a really big hold on her son those around her, becoming quite a sMOTHERing influence.
The movie is quite comedic, and I really like how Noah (Dax Shepherd) reminds me of JD (Zack Braff) in Scrubs!
They have the same quality of being charming when making snide comments. While Sandra Hall of the Sydney Morning Herald reviewed the movie largely on Diane Keaton's acting, I shall not comment on the movie based on any one actor. Instead, I will concentrate on the plot and their characters. Her review is available at http://www.smh.com.au/news/film-reviews/smother/2008/05/09/1210131239494.html. I feel for Noah, who is going through an impossible 5 days in his life, where he loses his job as a physiotherapist, find his parents fighting, having his mother inviting herself into his home and getting a job with his mother, among others. I realise both his parents have quite a short attention span, especially Marilyn (Diane Keaton), who is probably the cause of the dramatic situation. Noah sums it up quite well when he says "I think my mother needs chaos in her life to function."
Also, Marilyn slowly winding the window up as Noah tries to talk with her is a classic example of how she is governed by her own perceptions and is not interested in what her rational son is trying to tell her. Later, it is revealed that Marilyn has been feeling unaccomplished in her life, which is not uncommon, I believe, for people as they go into retirement and begin to evaluate everything they've done, sometimes fearing their life has not been worth much. It was also quite heartwarming when she talked of her son as "an extraordinary person that comes out of your own imperfections". This struck a chord since Noah had been afraid of having a baby with Clare, feeling like he would be an inadequate father.
2 comments:
OMG, Liv Tyler is on this! must watch!
drooling aside, i find it interesting how you mentioned the mother feeling unaccomplished in life. this is a classic case of the Late Adulthood stage in Erik Erikson's Psychsocial development theory.in this stage, one looks back at the the life led, and asks 'what kind of life have i led?'
a positive outcome of this stage is achieved if the individual gains a sense of fulfillment about life and a sense of unity within himself and with others. a negative outcome of this stage causes the individual to despair and fear death.
Hi Zed!
Yes, I decided not to channel surf anymore after I realised Liv Tyler was in the movie! I suppose it's hard to say what the late adulthood stage does to people. Not everybody will have the ideal situation of feeling fulfilled, or having loved ones to reassure them of the life they've lived. But then again, this has to do with their perceptions also, how they see the life journey they've been on.
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