Someone mentioned The Dirty Dozen today and I was reminded of the following clip:
First off, I love this scene (if not the movie). The look on the kid's face as Rita Wilson is breaking down is priceless. And with its line about being killed by a terrorist and its commentary on blindly writing to someone they heard on the radio (as a parallel to internet dating), the scene is oddly foretelling. Also, Victor Garber is awesome (the guy in the scene not names Tom Hanks). Since Alias, I can only see him as Jack Bristow, and the thought of Jack Bristow crying at the end of The Dirty Dozen is hysterical.
But this scene also reminds me of a conversation/debate I had once at a time previous to now- is it ever acceptable for a guy to cry at a movie (The Dirty Dozen not included)? The girls in this conversation/debate argued that, yes, from time to time, its okay for a guy to cry at a movie. The guys disagreed. There are no movies where it would be acceptable. But sometime after this conversation/debate (but still previous to now), I came up with one. A movie where it would be okay if a guy were crying at the end. Not saying every guy cries at the end of this movie, or that a guy wouldn't endure some ribbing from his friends for it, but if he did, it would be understandable. The movie?
Field of Dreams.
You going to knock a guy for shedding a few tears at the end of this movie while he's thinking about having a catch with his father, especially if his father's passed on? A little, probably, but nothing like he'd cried at the end of Pulp Fiction. You get it if a guy's a little choked up after this one. James Earl Jones delivers a powerhouse speech at the end, and you're feeling all nostalgic about the baseball, and for many guys, that means playing catch with their dad outside on the lawn. Then Kevin Costner's Ray Kinsella has a chance to have one more catch with dad and gets the redemption he's been seeking. Yeah, its an emotional, sentimental scene at the end, but its not sappy or cheesy, so it works (its also one of the few books that's better as a movie).
So as far as I'm concerned, that's it, that's the list. Have I missed any others? Are they any others? Is there even a list to begin with?
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
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5 comments:
I am going to say that it Is okay for guys to cry during/after a movie, but only in very rare, limited circumstances.
There's certainly no crying during a happy resolution. There really should be no crying when someone dies. Definitely no crying at chick flicks.
Only if the movie pulls at a raw emotion and connects you to it is crying OK.
Field of Dreams is OK, although I didn't cry at the end. Then again, I played catch with my dad a few weeks ago, so while the scene was emotional, I didn't truly connect with it.
The only movie I've ever cried after was Flowers for Algernon. Here's a guy (<-- intentional) who KNEW that he was going to lose his intelligence and all the relationships he had developed. And at the same time, he knew that eventually he wouldn't know any better anyway. And he had time to process all of this information. AND the only true friend he had in his limited state he had to bury. Then at the end, there he was on the swing set... alone. I may be a jackass sometimes, but knowing and caring for the handicapped hits home for me.
It's getting dusty in here, so I better stop typing...
If you don't like field of dreams you can officially get you guy card revoked. It doesn't matter if you cry during field of dreams, the point is that NO-ONE questions you if you do cry during it. I think "Glory" would fit this bill as well.
Incidentally, "Flowers for Algernon" was not the title of the movie. The movie was entitled "Charly", and was horribly inferior to the novel (because rape always leads to a meaningful relationship).
I misspoke... when I meant FoD was OK, I meant it was OK to cry during. I LOVE the movie.
As for my addition to the list, I saw it when I was in high school (10 years ago) and didn't have the intestinal fortitude to see it again. Pardon me for botching the title. And I agree that it was inferior to the novel, but they did a good job visually portraying the end. Gut-wrenching, really. I didn't tear up from the book. Anyway, Charly was the victim and I thought the actor really sold the character.
I've never cried from any other movie.
Well, the actor who played Charly did get an Oscar for that role.
I honestly am glad that I know that.
Also, apparently you are a font of useless information like your brother.
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