Sunday, February 24, 2013

Obsessions

"Get obsessed and stay obsessed" The Hotel New Hampshire

I love a really good family story. I've written here a bit about movies that feature patriarchy damaging or preventing positive relationships. Movies like The Descendants, Tree Of Life, The Shining, have in common with Silver Linings Playbook a family in chronic crisis by the oppression of male domination on cultures or microcosms.

When I first watched Silver Linings Playbook I was a nervous wreck, mostly that I felt something terrible was going to happen at any moment. The tension in the family and competing obsessions made me very nervous and uncomfortable. I thought someone was was going to get physically hurt, or die. I also laughed a lot as the characters are very funny. This movie had me on edge. As soon as it was over...I watched it again!

I really loved this movie and this family. And it has stayed with me for the last few weeks. One of the overwhelming feelings I got from the movie was that each family member had such intense fixated obsession and these shut out the other characters. These obsessions damaged intimacy and trust.

The movie to me is absolutely brilliant because it is when the obsessions are accepted and brought together as a whole for each part of the family...the obsessions benefit the whole community. It is a balance of allowing and tolerating these obsessions just enough...not to let one of them control or overtake the family. But when the family shares their obsessions and perspectives equally with each having a voice...magic!!!

10/10.

4 comments:

Stagg said...

Is the mom still making homemades?

Stagg said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Candy Minx said...

She was making crabbycakes last I heard lol

Underground Baker said...

Ha ha ha, no wonder you were stressed! I don't think I could watch it yet, it would just make me tired!

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