The first time I saw this movie on DVD around 1999, I watched it alone. When my husband came home from work that night I tried to tell him the plot of the movie but I kept breaking down in tears. I couldn't even speak I was so moved by the movie. I couldn't find the words. No movie had ever done that to me. I made him and our other guy friend watch this movie that night. The 3 of us sat bawling like babies. To this day, I get weepy just thinking about watching it.
shareMy husband and I shared tissues while watching this film - I think there's something in this film that could touch everyone - from the father's guilt over being highly successful/smart and his son feeling not as 'good as him', to him having to feel the need to ignore his own suffering/mourning after the children died to be strong for his wife (or as an escape?) - to the mother's guilt feelings over not driving the day the kids died - blaming herself for their deaths and then blaming herself again for her husband's death (If I had just left work you would have not been coming to help me)....the fierce and strong love people can have for each other - but also the ways we can destroy ourselves with our own fears and misfortunes.
I loved the film - I loved the use of color, the cinematography, the writers' obvious belief in true love and the endurance of people and fragility of them at the same time. There is a duality in this film in almost everything that makes me happy to be a human being - not a perfect one - but a loving one and one who tries. Isn't that what it's all about?
Peace.
-LeLu