Day 2: Weekend

The film today has rather upset me. I don’t know how often people feel like a film has just captured something they couldn’t express before but that has happened to me with this film. Oh, it is so beautiful. I’m going to find it difficult to talk about this in a coherent manner but I’ll try my darndest.

The synopsis provided by IMDb goes like this: “After a drunken house party with his straight mates, Russell heads out to a gay club. Just before closing time he picks up Glen but what’s expected to be just a one-night stand becomes something else, something special.”

While it provides a straightforward summary of the facts it does little in the way of letting you know how wonderful this “something special” really is. We first see Russell with his straight friends, as the synopsis says, but it’s clear right off the bat that while he’s happy enough with them he wants something else. You get the feeling (later confirmed) that he doesn’t feel comfortable in himself around them, like he can’t be open about all aspects of who he is. I immediately cared for Russell here, I think because I saw a lot of myself in him. I’m fine enough with my friends but I don’t feel like I can really be open and talk about things as much as maybe I’d like to. Which is absolutely no fault of theirs and definitely my own thing but I just don’t really feel like I can talk about certain things. But I have trouble talking about a whole host of things so it’s not like that is a new or particularly special problem for me.

The men meet in a club but the first we see of their being together is the next morning. They’re awkward but quickly seem to overcome it, perhaps largely because Glen asks Russell to recount their meeting and everything after so he can record it for a project dealing with how people present themselves and who they actually are. They then, over the weekend, get to know each other. But really get to know each other. I absolutely love how their relationship developed. It seemed so natural and they were so adorable with each other. I just wanted to cuddle Russell the entire way through. The connection between the two men helped Russell come to terms with so many things in his life he had clearly decided to not deal with. It didn’t feel forced at any point, every interaction between them felt painfully genuine. And I say painfully because it made me think of how guarded and shut off people are and that actually getting to know someone and letting them know you is a painful process. And one I don’t think I’ve ever really done.

They really talk, which is something that struck me. That sounds so simple but it just never happens often enough, I feel. Oh, sure, people will yammer on and on about nothing in particular but who really talks? I want to know how you’ve got to be who you are today, I want to know all the mistakes you’ve made, everything you regret and all the things you’re proud of. I want to know the little things that make you smile, what gets you through the day. I want to know how you feel when you read a horrible story in the news, whether you’re desensitised to it or whether it still kicks you in the gut. I want to know how you feel in the rain, in the snow, in the sunshine; whether you hate it and run from it or whether you love it and want to dance in it. I want to know how you react when your favourite character does something embarrassing (do you blush? Shake your head and smile?). There is so much about the human experience that I just do not understand and haven’t, I guess, opened myself up to. Partly because I just don’t have anyone I really connect with on a level that makes me feel comfortable to share little things. Who would be interested? That’s usually how I feel. Who cares how I get through the day? But I care how you get through the day. And that’s all I want to know.

I want a connection. I want to talk and I want you to listen. I want you to talk and I want to listen. Really listen. Not the half-hearted listening when we’re just thinking of what we’re going to say next. I want to take on board everything you’ve said and I want to understand how you can exist within yourself, within your life, in every day. Want isn’t enough. I need to know how you manage to survive the days and how you survive the nights. I need to know how you survive because I’m not sure I know how I do it. I don’t think I really do and I want to learn. 

“All I ever really want to know is how other people are making it through life—where do they put their body, hour by hour, and how do they cope inside of it.”  -  Miranda July

The pacing of the film was spot on. At no point did it drag but I will say, if you're one for high-speed, action-packed films then this won't be for you. It was quiet and wonderful. You were given access to a side of relationships that you don't usually see; the intimate side and it was truly lovely. You were witness to one person connecting with another person and I just think that's beautiful. Brilliant film, I can't say enough good things about it. I want to watch it again right now. I might actually just watch it again now.

10/10