Two Weeks
February 11, 2008 by sagefever
I am starting this review by something I rarely do~ giving the critics opinions first. At rotten tomatoes.com, the critics trounced this film ~a dismal 16%. However, filmgoers gave it a rousing 80%. For me there were some sloppy points, but as one who has lost my mother and two sons, there are also some moments of pure truth. The other caveat is my youngest birthday was Saturday, so my grief glasses are on.This film is loosely based on the writer/director, Steve Stockman’s experiences during his mother death. The cast highlights Sally Field as the mother, who does some of her best work here. The adult children arrive one by one and each has their own way of dealing~ or not dealing with their mothers impending death. The daughter tries to “self-help” her way by reading all the how to die books~ an excellent Julianne Moore. The Hollywood writer son tires to “Zen” his way through the loss, a portrait of denial by Ben Chaplin. Tom Cavanaugh portrays Ben, the workaholic with just the right pathos and comedic touch, especially when he finds work does not need him as much as he needs it. Mathew, Glenn Howerton, the baby and emotional heart of the family in the end, gives a portrayal of disengagement with much of life let alone death. The family dynamics of the siblings and their roles in a family structure ring true. These subjects are difficult to watch at times and at others beyond hilarious. Just like real life as one watches a dear one die.
I saw myself many times, in many characters and this resonated with me on several levels. There is a scene in the local grocery store that is so me, and a scene at a dining room table that had me rolling in laughter… and I confess a few tears to.
This is a subject we, as a society, do not like to discuss, let alone place ourselves in. Yet one will find oneself as a participant, observer or as object of dying eventually. If you have already had the experience of losing a parent, rent this movie. If your parents still live, rent it anyway. If you are older, younger, rent this movie. In human experience there are two events that are pure ~birth and death. They are equally important.
The DVD also has some resources for those who are ill or dying, a director’s commentary and an interview with the actors. I recommend this film.
Peace as always and in all ways~sage
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I’m putting that on my Blockbuster list
I’ll make sure I have a box of hankies with me, too.
My whole life, my family helped me and my siblings avoid death. I have actually lost two close family members in my adult life (my grandmother and my stepfather) and I was not there when they were at the end of their illnesses nor when they died (too far away to attend their funerals). When I was a kid, I actually had a playmate who died…of course, I didn’t know he died until I was grown…when my mother (finally) explained to me why he stopped coming to our house to play. When my paternal grandfather passed away, my maternal grandfather was also very sick, so us kids went with my mother to visit her family and my father when alone to see his family, so I never got to say good-bye to that family member either.
I have been to one funeral, in my life, and it was for an elderly guy whom I did not know (he was the grandfather of a man I was dating).
I had a miscarriage. Personally, that was as close to personally experiencing death as I have actually come and it tore me and my husband apart. It nearly tore up our marriage.
I am scared to death, to be honest, to think about death, particularly when it comes to my immediate family. I want to think that I will walk with my head high as I help that person anyway that I can to be comfortable, even though I am basically saying good-bye to them. But, I don’t think that I am as strong as all that. Right now, I am ashamed thinking that I really do have a good friend who may be dying from (another) bout of cancer and that I might begin practicing avoidance techniques so that I don’t have to be there for more than moral support. I know that’s bad. But, I don’t know if I am ready to face facts that will make me an emotional wreck, especially since right now, I don’t have anyone around to support me if I find that I can’t function.
It’s definitely something to think about because it’s true the most real things happening in life are indeed birth and death. It doesn’t get more real than that.
Dizzy I have the feeling that you are one strong woman.Do not beat yourself up,you have a lot on your plate right now.Death is scary,while I have been to so many funerals I have lost count,it is always a moving experience.
sage
I won’t give you a list but every movie I love seems to be a bust to the critics and the box office so I haven’t seen this one but i bet it is the case here to. So called experts seem to know nothing but how to get paid for their worthless drool.