when i say, "you don't understand how much this movie means to me," i mean it. i loved this as a teenager, back when i still took pride in my art and my craft. now, as an adult, i found myself drifting back to this movie again, finding the same hope and comfort it once gave me.
watching it during my worst creative block and anxiety was truly the best choice. the heartfelt moments never fail to make me cry. i thought i already loved this movie to the limit, but turns out i could love it even more during my lowest. not only is it wholesome, but it is also incredibly witty and hilarious.
back then, i used to focus on the daughter; how she loved her mother unconditionally and how she tried to be the best student despite a dysfunctional home. this movie taught me so much, from its writing to its music. it served as a vision board for a family and a life i will never have, a dream for a daughter i'll never be.
but in hindsight, i could relate more to the mother. bernadette is destructive and dislikable, but she loves her daughter. she is a brilliant artist, and a mind like hers needs to be put back to work. i understand her crippling anxiety so much, and i love how this film laid out her story.
this movie is infused with tv show and documentary style storytelling. and it works. some critics point this out as one of the movie's weaknesses, but it's actually very fitting for the character. when you are an artist going through unbearable anxiety, you will most likely suppress the memories that trigger the restless part of your brain that wants to create but can't. the only way for us, the audience, to unlock those memories and learn about bernadette is to go through existing media discussing the events, hence the video essays. this movie is proof that sometimes breaking the "show, don't tell" rule makes sense.
this movie is comfort to me. this movie is my very soul. i could quote it scene by scene and never get tired of it. every frame is well thought out, every line is important, and every character feels so alive to me. this movie says, "people like you were born to create, so create. or else you'll be a menace to society," and i'm glad to have that reminder now.
i will forever defend you, bernadette fox.
when i say, "you don't understand how much this movie means to me," i mean it. i loved this as a teenager, back when i still took pride in my art and my craft. now, as an adult, i found myself drifting back to this movie again, finding the same hope and comfort it once gave me.
watching it during my worst creative block and anxiety was truly the best choice. the heartfelt moments never fail to make me cry. i thought i already loved this movie to the limit, but turns out i could love it even more during my lowest. not only is it wholesome, but it is also incredibly witty and hilarious.
back then, i used to focus on the daughter; how she loved her mother unconditionally and how she tried to be the best student despite a dysfunctional home. this movie taught me so much, from its writing to its music. it served as a vision board for a family and a life i will never have, a dream for a daughter i'll never be.
but in hindsight, i could relate more to the mother. bernadette is destructive and dislikable, but she loves her daughter. she is a brilliant artist, and a mind like hers needs to be put back to work. i understand her crippling anxiety so much, and i love how this film laid out her story.
this movie is infused with tv show and documentary style storytelling. and it works. some critics point this out as one of the movie's weaknesses, but it's actually very fitting for the character. when you are an artist going through unbearable anxiety, you will most likely suppress the memories that trigger the restless part of your brain that wants to create but can't. the only way for us, the audience, to unlock those memories and learn about bernadette is to go through existing media discussing the events, hence the video essays. this movie is proof that sometimes breaking the "show, don't tell" rule makes sense.
this movie is comfort to me. this movie is my very soul. i could quote it scene by scene and never get tired of it. every frame is well thought out, every line is important, and every character feels so alive to me. this movie says, "people like you were born to create, so create. or else you'll be a menace to society," and i'm glad to have that reminder now.
i will forever defend you, bernadette fox.
