The following is a guest post.
A smart love story about smart people—color The Film Fatales astounded!
Words and Pictures film poster
Words and Pictures
2013
111 minutes
Starring: Clive Owen, Juliette Binoche, Bruce Davison, Valerie Tian, Navid Negahban, and Amy Brenneman
An art instructor and an English teacher form a rivalry that ends up with a competition at their school in which students decide whether words or pictures are more important. (IMDb)
Elizabeth: I got all giddy when I saw the trailer of Words and Pictures. A movie for adults, starring adults, about adults–who would have thought it possible? No car chases, nothing blowing up, and just the right amount of obscenities; I nearly fainted. But I’ve been fooled before; sucked into thinking this might be a movie that tells a story about two people not in their twenties, but I’m here to say this movie was a joy to watch. I was happy to see two imperfect souls make me believe again.
So, what is more important: words or pictures? As a writer and an artist, this concept appealed to me. How the students prepared their creative arguments made me long to be part of the debate. I liked how this movie was about love: love of the printed word, the brush stokes that bring a vision to life, and the love story of a man and a woman.
Nicole: I refuse to be accused of being the only romantic sap in the room. And, I really hate to do this, but I agree with you. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Warwickshire native Clive Owen in a leading role…and I must say, he was delightful. I had my fair share of great teachers, but I certainly would have enjoyed counting him among them. I sat thoroughly engrossed by this film. It was like a truly great symposium led by talented artists. I felt a deep connection with these characters, mainly with Clive Owen’s Jack Marcus, because he is a man of words. But Juliette Binoche’s Dina Delsanto resonated with me as well, because she spoke to the artist who resides within me. I left the theatre feeling inspired…awakened…and wanting more.
Elizabeth: English teacher Jack and art instructor Dina made for great sparring partners on the screen. Both dealt with something huge blocking their happiness and finding love alone wasn’t going to make it all better. I related so much to Delsanto’s condition, since it reminded me of my own. She was the sympathetic fighter and Owens’ Jack was the powerful and passionate deliverer of words. (He is quite easy on the eyes, too.) At other times, I was a little disappointed when it seemed he was reading off cue cards. Or was his inner demon slowly killing him? Acting or the bottle? I’m not sure.
Nicole: I think his delivery was a choice to reflect his alcohol dependency issues. Plot wise, the fact that Jack is an alcoholic is a bit of a cliché – so many famous authors suffer the same lot. And, the “Jack and Dina hate each other, but really love each other” thread is anything but original. Although one can argue that it’s a well-used cliché for a reason. Moviegoers and novel readers do love a passionate couple who overcome their initial hatred for one another only to wind up falling passionately in love. (Lizzie Bennett and Mr. Darcy anyone?)
Elizabeth: All in all, this was a very enjoyable film and I’d love to see more movies like this. It is nice to see ourselves reflected–and not wearing sensible shoes, being coiffed to death, or killed off in the first scene. I have no clue who those people are. We, however, are strong, vital people who are still sexy and can teach a thing or two about living life to its fullest.
Nicole: Huzzah!
The Film Fatales give WORDS AND PICTURES:
The Film Fatales are two acid-tongued, sassy broads who rant and rave about the best and worst of modern and classic cinema. Elizabeth Cassidy is an artist, creativity coach for artists and writers, an award-winning blogger and the fifth Beatle. To know Elizabeth is to be slightly afraid of her. Avid blogger and smart-arse, Nicole Dauenhauer is an advertising copywriter by day and an aspiring fiction/non-fiction writer by night. She’s an incorrigible Anglophile whose inner voice speaks in a British accent and prefers her Earl Grey with milk and sugar – not lemon.