As an avid moviegoer I follow a few film critics, most
notably Mark Kermode of BBC Radio 5 Live with his sidekick Simon Mayo. Please don’t
think I’m being unduly disrespectful of Simon… half the fun of listening to the
ranting and ravings of Kermode is hearing the verbal ‘blows’ exchanged between
the two of them. In any case, we suspect they kiss and make up at the end of
their show!?
There’s much to agree and disagree with Kermode’s film critique.
How can anybody say they loved Hudson
Hawk..!!!? But we all have our weird likes and dislikes so I was intrigued
recently by his remarks for the film Up in the Air starring George Clooney. Just
so it’s clear I thoroughly enjoyed this film and whilst I haven’t had time to post
a film review it easily scores 4 stars.
Essentially his view was that the film was on a course which
towards the end lost its way, or as he suggested as an alternative viewpoint,
found a heart. His argument was that it should have stuck to its guns (ie., its
direction) and been bold to see the lead character continue on his journey as a
self obsessed loner with little or no baggage.
But I ask, would that have made it a better film? Would
there be a film in that story for today’s audience? Surely this film was always
going to be about a man, his work, his life and how circumstance gave him
reason to see a different direction. So, it got me thinking about Compass. Without
wishing to give away too much about my story I began to think that my script is
almost entirely driven down one path - a bitterly sad subject that could be seen
as overly depressing with little comfort as was finally, I might say thankfully,
realised in Up in the Air. A shift in expectations and hope was found, albeit
short lived.
There are classic storylines, more so from characters, that stay
on a chosen path, whose films have even been criticised for their unrepentant conclusion.
Take the best of them all, It’s a Wonderful Life. When the rich miser Henry F
Potter kept the Building and Loan money, unwittingly passed over by Uncle
Billy, he saw an opportunity to ruin George Bailey. This continued even when
the town stood behind George. Fine you say, Potter stays in character, what’s
wrong with that? Many Americans at the time however didn’t like the fact that
in the film you don’t see Potter caught or punished for his wilful act. As such
the film stands firm in real life where baddies and arch villains (an apt
description at the time) are not always brought to some kind of justice.
So where do I stand with Compass. A script that was first
conceived as a means to help me find my direction..?
Well, I am fine with it as it is. And I take ‘heart’ from a
comment also heard when Kermode interviewed Lee Daniels, director of Precious. When
discussing the nature of Precious and whether it could be seen as too depressing,
too sad and hopeless, showing a life of misery and abject cruelty they referred
to a comment from director John Hillcoat (The Road) who said there are no
depressing films, there are either good films or bad films. I have a way to go before anyone has a chance
to judge Compass but for the time being I remain firmly on track and have no
desire to change lanes least of all my direction.
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