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MOVIE: Parked
I swear that I didn't mean for my LJ to turn into a "Carolina reviews things" blog, but I've been out and about lately and I like to have thinky thoughts. (This is part of my unofficial "Find Some Damn Culture" project).
Last Thursday I went to the opening presentation of the Boston Irish Film Festival because they were screening Parked! I guess it won best film, or something. idk. Since it was a Thursday, I had to haul myself after class to get there before 7pm and nearly walked right by the building. Oops. I am not familiar with that area of the city. As soon as I got there, I felt woefully under-dressed for the occasion. Mostly because I'd been on campus all day and had dressed for comfort and there were all these people looking nice with the various film directors milling around in suits. Also there was beer, which I was really tempted by.....
So yes, film! Before I start with a more complete summary under a cut (I know there are people on my feed who might not want to be spoiled? Maybe?), I will say.. If you have a chance to see this film, I definitely urge you to take the chance. The cast is fantastic. Obviously, I mostly went because of Colin, but everything was wonderful.
RE: Colin. There are movies that change your entire perception of that person as an actor. With JGL, that movie was Mysterious Skin. Parked has done the same thing. Outside of some short film-y stuff, I have only ever seen Colin as Merlin. And now I have that layered over Cathal and just.... eep. So good.
So, Fred lives in his car in a lot on the Dublin Harbor because when he returned from London, his country denied him aid. Then one day Cathal pulls up in his car and becomes his neighbor. The relationship they strike up is sweet, but carries that inevitable sense of "this is going to go to shit soon, isn't it". There are several scenes where they go to the community pool together (Colin in a bathing suit, the world is good to me. Yes it is. /shallow) and here we meet Juliana, who Fred takes a liking to.
The movie continues with this really gentle give and take between the two of them. They share food and help each other get by. Cathal tries to help Fred get aid from the office that keeps denying him. It's sweet, but it always comes back to the hovering spectre of Cathal's drug addiction, which he has gotten into way too deep. The scene where he is confronted by the dealer is honestly terrifying and the way the Fred jumps to his defense is honestly touching. And then of course, I was sitting and sobbing when he gets beat into a pulp by his dealer (again) outside of his car and Fred basically gives the dude all his money (which is not enough). Seriously, levels of life-scarring on par with a lot of what happened in Mysterious Skin to JGL.
Likewise, the friendship that is built up between Fred and Juliana is just sweet. At his core, Fred is just a man who came back to his country and has been left lost and alone. He drifts through his life, making do with what he has. And honestly, until he meets Cathal, it seems like he would have just continued to drift. Where Cathal helps him in one way, Juliana helps him in a gentler sense through their time spent together.
So eventually, it's clear that Cathal is in way too deep. And the final straw comes in the final scenes. One of the first things Cathal tells Fred is that he doesn't inject, only smokes. He shows Fred his arms that are clean. Except then one day, Fred catches Cathal injecting between his toes... And then I sat and sobbed through the rest of the movie. Because this is my life.
Like... the smashed up his car! His cute little yellow car! and his cute little face! And and....... /trauma.
And then Juliana moves away and Fred lives in his new place and life goes on. (IT'S THE CIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRCLE OF LIIIFFEEEEEEE)
So yes. Excellent movie, but depressing, but also.. not totally soul-crushing? I will say that the cinematography was A+ (Shut up, Carolina. what do you know about film?). There was a lot of use of yellows and oranges. And of course, some LOVELY closeups of Colin, mostly when he was smoking, which should not be hot. BUT FINGERS AND LIPS AND TONGUE AND I AM SHUTTING UP NOW OKAY. The way it was filmed just.. matched the pace of the film, I guess.
So yes, there are my thoughts. I am still partially processing, mostly to get over my "oh god Colin you are killing me why did you die", but I recommend it!
After the screening, they had the director and producers answer some questions. They said that they want to try and get it out on a wider release. They also said some lovely words about Colin! The said he lost a bit of weight for the role (HOW?!) and that he was lovely to work with. They also said to expect great things from him in the future! YES! I am full of joy.
Ok, hopefully I didnt make any awful typos.
Last Thursday I went to the opening presentation of the Boston Irish Film Festival because they were screening Parked! I guess it won best film, or something. idk. Since it was a Thursday, I had to haul myself after class to get there before 7pm and nearly walked right by the building. Oops. I am not familiar with that area of the city. As soon as I got there, I felt woefully under-dressed for the occasion. Mostly because I'd been on campus all day and had dressed for comfort and there were all these people looking nice with the various film directors milling around in suits. Also there was beer, which I was really tempted by.....
So yes, film! Before I start with a more complete summary under a cut (I know there are people on my feed who might not want to be spoiled? Maybe?), I will say.. If you have a chance to see this film, I definitely urge you to take the chance. The cast is fantastic. Obviously, I mostly went because of Colin, but everything was wonderful.
RE: Colin. There are movies that change your entire perception of that person as an actor. With JGL, that movie was Mysterious Skin. Parked has done the same thing. Outside of some short film-y stuff, I have only ever seen Colin as Merlin. And now I have that layered over Cathal and just.... eep. So good.
So, Fred lives in his car in a lot on the Dublin Harbor because when he returned from London, his country denied him aid. Then one day Cathal pulls up in his car and becomes his neighbor. The relationship they strike up is sweet, but carries that inevitable sense of "this is going to go to shit soon, isn't it". There are several scenes where they go to the community pool together (Colin in a bathing suit, the world is good to me. Yes it is. /shallow) and here we meet Juliana, who Fred takes a liking to.
The movie continues with this really gentle give and take between the two of them. They share food and help each other get by. Cathal tries to help Fred get aid from the office that keeps denying him. It's sweet, but it always comes back to the hovering spectre of Cathal's drug addiction, which he has gotten into way too deep. The scene where he is confronted by the dealer is honestly terrifying and the way the Fred jumps to his defense is honestly touching. And then of course, I was sitting and sobbing when he gets beat into a pulp by his dealer (again) outside of his car and Fred basically gives the dude all his money (which is not enough). Seriously, levels of life-scarring on par with a lot of what happened in Mysterious Skin to JGL.
Likewise, the friendship that is built up between Fred and Juliana is just sweet. At his core, Fred is just a man who came back to his country and has been left lost and alone. He drifts through his life, making do with what he has. And honestly, until he meets Cathal, it seems like he would have just continued to drift. Where Cathal helps him in one way, Juliana helps him in a gentler sense through their time spent together.
So eventually, it's clear that Cathal is in way too deep. And the final straw comes in the final scenes. One of the first things Cathal tells Fred is that he doesn't inject, only smokes. He shows Fred his arms that are clean. Except then one day, Fred catches Cathal injecting between his toes... And then I sat and sobbed through the rest of the movie. Because this is my life.
Like... the smashed up his car! His cute little yellow car! and his cute little face! And and....... /trauma.
And then Juliana moves away and Fred lives in his new place and life goes on. (IT'S THE CIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRCLE OF LIIIFFEEEEEEE)
So yes. Excellent movie, but depressing, but also.. not totally soul-crushing? I will say that the cinematography was A+ (Shut up, Carolina. what do you know about film?). There was a lot of use of yellows and oranges. And of course, some LOVELY closeups of Colin, mostly when he was smoking, which should not be hot. BUT FINGERS AND LIPS AND TONGUE AND I AM SHUTTING UP NOW OKAY. The way it was filmed just.. matched the pace of the film, I guess.
So yes, there are my thoughts. I am still partially processing, mostly to get over my "oh god Colin you are killing me why did you die", but I recommend it!
After the screening, they had the director and producers answer some questions. They said that they want to try and get it out on a wider release. They also said some lovely words about Colin! The said he lost a bit of weight for the role (HOW?!) and that he was lovely to work with. They also said to expect great things from him in the future! YES! I am full of joy.
Ok, hopefully I didnt make any awful typos.