Synchronicity fascinates me. I'm always wondering if there's some deeper "meaning" to it, especially when it happens a lot. I tend to get it in waves, where I'll go months without noticing anything, then suddenly there's all these different things happening that just happen to synch up or reflect or seemingly comment on something else that's happened in my life. Very strange, sometimes.
The other day, Dani & I were up in LA for an appointment and, rather than face the rush hour ride home, decided to grab a late lunch and a movie. We headed over to the Grove, since it has some of our favorite restaurants, a good theatre and lots of Dani's favorite shopping spots.
Killing time between lunch and the movie, I got dragged into Crate and Barrel, where I was subjected to (and asked my opinion on) patio tables, wine glasses, martini glasses, candle holders, candle stands… it was a full-circuit browse of the store.
Hanging out in one of the bar ware displays, was a bottle of Effen Vodka. I'd never heard of Effen before, but the bottle was cool. I told Dani I though the ad campaign was obvious: "Effen Vodka. For when you just want some f'in vodka!" We laughed and left to buy tickets to the movie.
Imagine my surprise then, when 2/3 of the way into The Break-Up, I see Vince Vaughn, swigging away at a bottle of Effen Vodka! F'in synchronicity strikes again!
As for the rest of the movie, I was pleasantly surprised. I'd read/ heard mixed reviews and wasn't sure what to expect. I like both actors, and got a laugh ever time I saw the trailer at his "why would I want to do dishes" line. But trailers are notorious for giving away the jokes, so you never know.
And my reactions, at first, were not promising. Fifteen minutes into the film, I realized I couldn't stand either character. He was obnoxious, self-involved and juvenile and, as I learned more about how she planned to get him back, I decided she was either delusional or an idiot. So I, frankly, couldn't have cared less about either one or their relationship and I was beginning to hope that getting to the end of the movie just wouldn't feel like the longest 90 minutes of my life.
But they managed to turn that reaction around. For a movie billed as a romantic comedy, it's rather light on the actual comedy, choosing to get its laughs more from uncomfortable situations and the realization that you've done, seen or heard whatever faux pas you're witnessing in real life. (In fact, the line that always got a laugh from me in the trailers wasn't half as funny in the film, once you put it in context.)
By the end of the film, each of them gets called on their failings, and my favorite scenes are all in that last half hour. The "you may have implied" scene, the scene between Jon Favreau and Vaughn at the bar, and the "I made dinner" scenes all bring a sense of closure for the audience and a recognition of their foibles and failings.
It was really refresing to see a movie that was smart enough and honest enough to give you some feeling of the reality of these people and what they're doing to each other.
The other day, Dani & I were up in LA for an appointment and, rather than face the rush hour ride home, decided to grab a late lunch and a movie. We headed over to the Grove, since it has some of our favorite restaurants, a good theatre and lots of Dani's favorite shopping spots.
Killing time between lunch and the movie, I got dragged into Crate and Barrel, where I was subjected to (and asked my opinion on) patio tables, wine glasses, martini glasses, candle holders, candle stands… it was a full-circuit browse of the store.
Hanging out in one of the bar ware displays, was a bottle of Effen Vodka. I'd never heard of Effen before, but the bottle was cool. I told Dani I though the ad campaign was obvious: "Effen Vodka. For when you just want some f'in vodka!" We laughed and left to buy tickets to the movie.
Imagine my surprise then, when 2/3 of the way into The Break-Up, I see Vince Vaughn, swigging away at a bottle of Effen Vodka! F'in synchronicity strikes again!
As for the rest of the movie, I was pleasantly surprised. I'd read/ heard mixed reviews and wasn't sure what to expect. I like both actors, and got a laugh ever time I saw the trailer at his "why would I want to do dishes" line. But trailers are notorious for giving away the jokes, so you never know.
And my reactions, at first, were not promising. Fifteen minutes into the film, I realized I couldn't stand either character. He was obnoxious, self-involved and juvenile and, as I learned more about how she planned to get him back, I decided she was either delusional or an idiot. So I, frankly, couldn't have cared less about either one or their relationship and I was beginning to hope that getting to the end of the movie just wouldn't feel like the longest 90 minutes of my life.
But they managed to turn that reaction around. For a movie billed as a romantic comedy, it's rather light on the actual comedy, choosing to get its laughs more from uncomfortable situations and the realization that you've done, seen or heard whatever faux pas you're witnessing in real life. (In fact, the line that always got a laugh from me in the trailers wasn't half as funny in the film, once you put it in context.)
By the end of the film, each of them gets called on their failings, and my favorite scenes are all in that last half hour. The "you may have implied" scene, the scene between Jon Favreau and Vaughn at the bar, and the "I made dinner" scenes all bring a sense of closure for the audience and a recognition of their foibles and failings.
It was really refresing to see a movie that was smart enough and honest enough to give you some feeling of the reality of these people and what they're doing to each other.
Comments