yunfei

14.1.07

		the squid and the whale
		you would expect tears from a story revolving the topic of divorce and its effects on the children involved. all i was left with, were smirks and a lingering query of how the metaphors of the squid and the whale of the natural history museum were of relevance to the film. an ordinary family set in the 1980s meets with a struggle and situations change drastically. and as you start thinking that it can't get more cliche than this, as most art films go, the plot was presented in a linear, matter-of-fact manner; no nifty camera angles or dexterous lighting. yet somehow, the familiarity of it all connects in a fashion that hollywood films do not, and you start smiling. as we have it, most untoward and awkward happenings in our lives often seem humorous in retrospect. and this film seems to aim to prove that. Dad: (calmly) Your Mom and I, we're going to separate. I've got you Tuesday, Wednesday and every other Thursday. Son: And what about the cat? Mom: (alarmed) The cat! Dad: (flustered) We didn't discuss the cat! Empire Magazine was right. this was one of the better films in 2006. Related Articles: Rotten Tomatoes - The Squid and The Whale Labels: film