I recently watched Speak; a Kristen Stewart movie recommended by famed movie critic Chris Stuckmann. Stuckmann had said he doesn’t usually cry in movies but having watched Speak twice before speaking about it, found himself weeping at the same point both times. Just like Stuckmann, I think that Kristen Stewart is a terrific actress, once again getting her dues in the mainstream spotlight after being maligned for Twilight and private indiscretions, so I wanted to check out this movie, and I also found myself crying at one particular moment too.
Chris Stuckmann went on to post a second video on Speak, this time interviewing the director of the movie, Jessica Sharzer, and talking over the finer points of production. He let go that the moment that had him weeping concerned Stewart’s character, Melinda, showing her art teacher, Mr. Freeman (Steve Zahn), the work that he had inspired. Without thinking, I was taken aback – that wasn’t the same moment that had me crying. Chris went on to say how he hadn’t always fit in at school and connected to the Mr. Freeman scenes because art was always the subject where he felt most comfortable, so when Melinda shows Mr. Freeman the artwork, he understood the connection generated through the art that had inspired them. I thought that was interesting, and forced me to reflect on the moment that had me tearing up – it was a moment where Melinda starts finding herself gaining a bit of confidence, and is able to connect with her somewhat distance father. It’s a small moment; Melinda asks her Dad how his day went and hugs him, much to her father’s surprise. My father is a lovely man, I love him to bits and we hang out a lot, but we both agree that sometimes we have trouble connecting on an instinctual level. In this movie, Melinda is carrying a heavy personal burden; there’s an earlier moment in the film where she is almost feeling comfortable with her parents, after they give her a thoughtful gift, and is literally about to let her colours out of the box, but her parents don’t recognise the moment with their daughter and, unfortunately, Melinda shrinks back into herself. Moreover, the moment that got me is about Melinda feeling powerful enough in herself to meet her father in the middle emotionally, and prop him up equally supportively as he wants to be for her. Speak is a YA movie with a lot of care. There’s a definite build-up of empathetic moments stacked together to evoke a compassionate response, and its revealing to compare the moments that tip us over the edge.
I don’t want to be a one-note reviewer, and if I think about it objectively then I don’t think I am, but going by my top ten list of last year I think it’s safe to say that there is a clear pattern of movies that resonate with me – Brittany Runs a Marathon, Judy, Ad Astra and Frozen II; personal struggles to fit in to the circumstances and world surrounding. Objectively again, taking my personal feelings out of it, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it; there’s a reason these movies get made and are successful, and there must be many more people who connect like me and are buying tickets. I simply wanted to write this as an example of how we enjoy different movies based on our opinions and personal tastes, but also connect and interpret different moments based on our own experiences. The movies that are usually regarded as the best are the ones that connect and resonate with all people; they explore universal conditions of the human experience. Yet, the human experience is so varied and personalised, that it only makes sense that different audience members will gravitate to alternative material. I’m always glad when somebody gains something out of the art of a film, even if it doesn’t work for me. And I’d hope the same in return; some stories aren’t told with the intention of resonating with everyone equally. We are one, but we are many – being kind and respectful is all we are permitted to do.
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