MovieChat Forums > Eastern Promises (2007) Discussion > Anyone else laugh when

Anyone else laugh when

posted 11 years ago by enigma-lake
56 replies | jump to latest

The father is kicking Vincent Cassels ass and he's delivering those lines like "what is it? Christmas" haha
Much needed comic relief for a serious movie

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

Well, it wasn't comic, and you aren't supposed to laugh at it. It was intended to show a father's brutality and a son's drunken acceptance of it and of his place, plus his embarrassment in front of his driver. You might also have been watching Nikolai's reaction, which would have told you something. Think of it as if it were real. It's ugly, not funny.

David Cronenberg has an unusual sense of humor. The most comic scenes are between Nikolai and Anna as they try to find a meeting of their different senses of humor, or between Anna and her mother and uncle. The most comic line is, "For poetic reasons, I suggest you take his blood."

[–] Rayvyn 9 years ago

I didn't think it was funny. I agree it was showing the father's brutality and the son's stupidity and his acceptance as a sniveling punk. I had been wanting to see this film for years and I just finished watching it not 10 minutes ago.

[–] SamMalone07 11 years ago

Who the *beep* are you to tell someone what they can find funny or not?

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

You can find anything funny you want, but that doesn't make it funny to anyone else. Your comment is just juvenile. You missed completely what that scene was about.

Kids find all sorts of things funny when they are kids -- and mostly lack any sense of compassion or realistic view of the world and human nature -- but some of them at least learn to look at things from a more adult perspective. It's a bit more complex way of looking at the world.

Maybe one day you will learn that, too.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

How sweet of you to say so, child.

Some day when you grow up you might learn to insult someone in a more adult manner, but of course by then you will, I hope, have grown out of the need to do so in a case like this one.

Why, you might even change your opinion of me. But I won't hold my breath.

[–] enigma-lake 11 years ago

That cracked me up. I suppose me laughing is juvenile and my perception of the world is now held in some lower regard to you up on the mighty chair of allmightyness. Sam Malone and I are going to Boston for some beers with woody

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

Emjoy your beer. Drive safely and live to grow up and think like an adult.

It might happen, after all, in spite of your fear of it. Adulthood, I mean. I suppose it does look like a very high chair to you, but with luck and work you will one day get to sit there, all grown up. Does take luck and work, though.

There were things to laugh about in the film. Just not that scene.

[–] enigma-lake 11 years ago

Uhhh what's with your comebacks? Every time it's about growing up and you acting like you're high and mighty and a full fledged adult even though you resort to childish tactics. The beer reference was to the posters name. Sam Malone. From cheers.

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

I know your reference. You seem to have missed mine.

I have been a fully-fledged adult much longer, probably, than you have been alive. You keep sounding like a kid, I call you a kid. "High and mighty" seems to mean that I know what I'm talking about and am not gentle -- as your teachers probably were to you in school -- with silly ideas. I'm not a teacher. And I don't subscribe to the notion so prevalent on IMDB that teenagers and their adolescent opinions should rule the board, without any negative input from adults. Negative input, after all, makes some folks think. Who knows, you might be one of them.

This may be a sandbox, but not all of us are kids. From the high and lofty heights of what is simply ordinary adulthood -- and maybe you will get there one day -- I simply commented on the fact that you have a juvenile sense of humor and missed the meaning of a scene in a film.

Get over your wounded ego. Think about what really might have been funny in the film, and see what you discover. Or keep attacking the messenger, if you would rather. Wouldn't surprise me.

[–] enigma-lake 11 years ago

I'm not a teenager and I'm not even in my 20's and I see the weight and emotional impact of the scene and also find humor in Vincent Cassels delivery. Something can be ugly yet funny. Telling me to grow up from finding a scene humorous sure is mature and humorous in itself.
Maybe one day you'll look in the mirror and learn to laugh or maybe you'll keep sitting on your mighty throne telling me what I should feel while watching a film. I'm sure you're a joy to watch a movie with.

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

I love all this "mighty throne" talk. Can't take a little criticism, eh? Sounds like a teenager to me. And as I said, your humor is juvenile. Actually perfectly appropriate for your age; you are juvenile. Wait until you reach those distant shores of your twenties (or maybe even thirties) and maybe you will begin to see things as an adult. But until then, do try to chill when someone says you aren't yet as adult as you might one day be. Nothing personal, you know. Just an observation that, as you say yourself, fits.

I'm an old lady. I know how to laugh, thanks, and at my age I find plenty to laugh at. At you, for one thing, being silly. But far more important, to appreciate at least some of David Cronenberg's kind of humor and kind of seriousness. He hasn't been juvenile either, not for a long, long time.

Remember now, nothing personal. How could there be, when all I know of you is that you are young and a bit silly?

[–] enigma-lake 11 years ago

You think Cassel getting kicked and saying "hey papa, what is this? Christmas" wasn't supposed to have any comedic draw to it?
Maybe that's Tradition. Swift kick to the abdomen.

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

Nope.

What it was was sad, brutal, revelatory of two people's characters and, because of his reaction, telling you something about a third. There is nothing whatever funny -- except maybe for people who love to watch others' pain, or kids who don't understand yet what pain is all about -- in this scene. The most painful part of it is Kiril's laughter.

Try this one: watch Nikolai and Anna when they are talking over the motorcycle, trying to find some common ground in their very different senses of humor.

Or this one: watch Anna, her mother, and her uncle at the table when he brings up her lost baby. The subject of the baby isn't itself in the least funny, but the reactions of the two older adults, one racist, one classist, to the race and occupation of her lover, is hilarious -- and a commentary on human nature at the same time.

Now those are a couple of examples of D.C.' sense of humor.

And of course my favorite: "For poetic reasons, I suggest you take his blood."

Etc.

[–] enigma-lake 11 years ago

Thanks for showing me what DC really meant. Now I feel shameful for laughing. Before I think anything is funny I'll consult you.

Anyway, what made it funny to me. (And stop calling me a kid. Because I'm not. I said not to before but the respect you've given is horrid) Was how Cassel is getting kicked and still making jokes. That's all. You might be older but how you're trying to talk down to me (as if I don't know what pain is) is immature.

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

You may not realize it, but you just made a completely typical kid's response. Did it ever occur to you how tiresomely adolescent and clueless you sounded in that first post? As I said, I'm not a teacher. I don't have to put up with your ideas in polite silence or talk gently to you about thinking more carefully. And nobody in this forum has to "respect" you when you are silly. That may be the way they run things in your school, but hey, this is still grownup country until they close the doors on us. In any case, it's not you I don't respect -- as I said, I don't know you. It's your ideas. There really is a difference, and if you were older and had had more education you might recognize that.

You yourself told me you were a kid. So why get upset when I tell you that explains your kid's ideas? After all, time, if you keep thinking, will cure this problem. And maybe when you are older you will understand better what I am talking about. If not, so be it. But you really could learn something from the examples I pointed out.

Why do you want to talk to someone who doesn't treat your ideas with kid gloves, anyway? Is it that you just can't bear what you see as insult, or is it maybe that you realize you might have something to learn but just don't know how to have a discussion without personalizing it and looking for insults where none is intended?

[–] enigma-lake 11 years ago

I've finished school.
I have to think more carefully because I found something in a film humorous?
I'll be more careful smiling too, I mean what's next? Right?
As Sam Malone said "Who the **** do you think you are to tell someone what is funny or not?"
Which in itself was funny because you thought it was me, instead of you know...being more observant. Something you think I should be.
I told you I was a kid? I don't remember that and if so, it was surely sarcasm.
If I was older and had more education? You really like talking down to people don't you? Must make you sleep better at night. Not really sure I have something to learn, I found something that made me laugh and posted about it, I understood the scene, I've seen the film many times. I find it funny. Then you came in ramming your idea of how people should think and when they should laugh down my throat.

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

"Not really sure I have something to learn"

Oh, yes, I do know that.

"Then you came in ramming your idea of how people should think and when they should laugh down my throat."

Well, it's called stating an opinion. You stated yours, I stated mine. Reach way back into your throat and pull it out, and you will find that all it was, was a grownup talking from far greater experience with life, and with films. No one says you had to swallow it, after all. I'm not trying to teach you anything, just let you know that your point of view was a kid's. And then I suggested where you might look instead, for something actually amusing.

Oh, and you were offensive, you know. Nothing is funny about the brutality of the scene. But I didn't say that, because I gave you the benefit of the doubt: not a nasty little brute, just a kid who doesn't yet know better about pain.

[–] enigma-lake 11 years ago

Well I know about the pain of life. The ups and down. The agony and the ecstasy. Thus why I thought Cassels humor in the face of getting kicked by his father after a nights drinking humorous. Yes that's your opinion that you have over what's funny and what's not. You've made that clear. I still think it's humorous. You shaking your finger at me isn't going to change what I think. I've thought it was funny since the movie came out. People can have different senses of humor. You don't need to call me a kid again. I'm past my 20's.

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

With a juvenile sense of humor. And here I thought maybe there was hope for you.

Not "shaking a finger," you know, just stating an opinion you can't seem to bear reading.

Too bad. Life is likely to be full of opinions you don't like, and some of them might be yelled in your face. You might want to think about how better to deal with them.

[–] Aborawatabinost 10 years ago

“Critics who treat 'adult' as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” -C.S. Lewis

[–] bombertallica 11 years ago

Could you be any more of a pompous, self righteous wank?

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

I don't know, could I? Any suggestions?

Not that I agree with your terribly astute assessment, of course.

You might, if you want to be an adult about it, look at what I actually said, when I tried to point out some of the humor in the film and say why this scene wasn't funny except to those with a childish or brutish sense of humor. But I suspect you won't do that. So be it.

[–] fede_4488 9 years ago

You sound like a pretentious, stuck up bitch

If I don't reply, you're most likely on my ignore list

[–] enigma-lake 11 years ago

It was my comment and Cassel laughing and saying what is it Christmas when getting kicked (like hey this ass whooping is a gift) is quite funny. I've shown 3 different people this film and it gets a chuckle every time. Sorry I missed the entire point of the scene in your book. One can't grasp the weight of what's going on and still laugh.
It's a great film.

[–] A_Concerned_Critic 11 years ago

Every single post in this thread from Samantha is giving me douche chills. She is clearly completely out of her mind, so there's no point in trying to argue with somebody with a stick so far up their ass. Although I assume she's going to call me a child now, too.

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

Gosh, what are "douche chills, anyway?" That's a new one to me. Sounds pretty sexist. And the stick? Ever hear of the mote and beam analogy?

No, it's an insult to thoughtful kids to call you one. You're just a foul-minded fool, whatever your age. At least if you're a kid there's hope you will mature, but I know some putative adults can be just this foul-minded, irrational, and childish, so...whatever.

Is all of your "criticsm" of this quality and rational restraint, on topic and factual? Or wait, you appear to have either just signed on or changed your screen name simply to insult me. How sweet of you!

Fascinating place, IMDB.

[–] enigma-lake 11 years ago

It's not me. I only have one account. Maybe all the children are ganging up on you. Since you're the only adult, you would know Right? There's been 4 people telling you to basically get off your high horse and you still go on and on with your thesaurus laden comebacks and emoticons. Acting like its "everyone else".

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

Nothing "high horse" about sticking to one's opinion, you know. It can equally be called thinking for oneself and refusing to be bullied.

And as for being told by four posters that they think I'm wrong, just how much do you think the opinion of 4 anonymous posters, who sound adolescent, on a site that attracts a lot of kids, might count for an adult who doesn't care for juvenile humor? I did, after all, point out early on that there really are funny things in the film. Just not that one.

That's one of those thesaurus laden emoticons, whatever you mean by that. The only one I generally use, BTW, to point out that I don't think remarks here can be taken very seriously. Mine, for instance, are mainly light. In your presence, I might actually be smiling.

If you don't like what I say, why not just ignore me, and stop wasting all this silly hostility ? And here's that again.

[–] Hiverhythm 11 years ago

Nothing "high horse" about sticking to one's opinion, you know. It can equally be called thinking for oneself and refusing to be bullied.

You have no idea what high horse means, do you? You refuse to consider other points of view. It has nothing to do with your opinion. When you arrogantly believe yourself to be superior to others, you are on a horse that is high.

You are without a doubt on a very high horse. He is absolutely correct, you can find behavior ugly and funny at the same time, and it doesn't make you juvenile. It can make you juvenile, but that's not always the case. Russian behavior is often a combination of ugly and funny.

I would stop denying that you're on a high horse already. Google the definition at least.

refusing to be bullied.

You think people are trying to bully you? Have you no scruples? You're the one resorting to ad hominem and proclaiming yourself supreme.

Playing the age card just to try and win an argument is quite low (at least for someone who considers themselves educated and mature.) Have you no shame?

It is your style to force your opinion on people even when you're blatantly wrong. Like "Spetznaz does not sound like a Russian word." Why are you giving your two cents when you have no idea what you're talking about?

I know the word babushka I am an authority on Russian!

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

Hive,

How long did it take you to research and then write that screed? Do you really think you should get so upset about posts from an anonymous stranger on a chat board for a film?

Why, even I had forgotten old Spetznaz. And I don't really see why you found my failure to recognize it as worth mentioning. But I guess you were really digging for nasty comments. I have to say, though, that I still don't think it sounds particularly Russian. And it didn't bother me that I failed to recognize it; I'm not Russian, after all. Why should you think you were being wounding? Seems like a kid's taunt, and it means no more than that. Sue me.

You aren't alone in seeing my behavior as bullying ahd "high and mighty," and a friend who deals with adolescents a lot says your responses are typical. Cheer up, you'll likely grow out of them and recognize how juvenile they are once the real world bites you a few times. The sheltered life of school seems not to give most kids any idea of how ideas can be discussed without deference to the hearer's delicate self esteem, how they can be defended vigorously, and held to in the face of criticism, silly or otherwise. Apparently school was tougher back in the Dark Ages when I was a slip of a girl. Now defense of a position is called bullying. I know about real bullying, and it is quite different. You probably do, too, if you stop to think about it.

But learning might come with age and experience, and even thought. Wait for it. Meanwhile, feel free to write another book or two of juvenile attack; it's good writing practice despite its silly content. But I'm done with you. I'll just go on thinking and possibly expressing my high and mighty thoughts, and you know what? They won't hurt anyone, even you.

[–] enigma-lake 11 years ago

Anyways. I thought it was a funny scene.

[–] Hiverhythm 11 years ago

Sammy,

How long did it take you to research

I had already happened upon it. I found it funny then too.

I have to say, though, that I still don't think it sounds particularly Russian.

I mean that's fine but if you know very little Russian you're going to be saying that every time you learn a new word.

It's an abbreviation of special forces. Spetzalney (special) Naznacheney (purpose). That's why it doesn't sound Russian, but who are you to say what doesn't sound Russian? Maybe you know quite a bit of Russian, but then its weird that you've never heard of spetznaz.

Now defense of a position is called bullying.

You don't even stick to the god dang discussion. Well. I'm sure you do if you are correct, but when you start losing the argument you call everyone adolescent, and start bragging about your age as if that has to do with anything. It's a clever tactic. Did they teach you that tactic in school?

The defense of your position is running a marathon of 'I am old, you are young, therefore I am right.' And that was only because you couldn't justify your opinion. You don't need to justify every opinion, Sam. But you had to win the argument so you took the low road. I am sure the low road was quite beautiful on your high horse.

Next time agree to disagree because you came off as petty and juvenile (ironically.)

a friend who deals with adolescents a lot says your responses are typical.

Yeah, I'm sure your friend is totally impartial and would only take your side if you were absolutely correct.

I bet he read all of your passive aggressive unprovoked bitchy posts too for the complete context.

How long did it take you to research and then write that screed?

I'd rather not say.

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

And another one. What energy! Too bad the result is so feeble and misguided, but I'm sure it was good practice for you.

One day you will probably grow up. Sorry it hurts you so much to be reminded that the day hasn't arrived. "passive aggressive unprovoked bitchy posts " indeed. You really need to learn how to learn to use language to argue effectively. But don't worry; I'm sure it will also come one day, if you work at it.

And I still wonder why you bother to take my posts so seriously and get so angry. It seems such a young reaction.

[–] Hiverhythm 11 years ago

You are the last person who should be giving lectures on growing up.

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

[–] Hiverhythm 11 years ago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humility

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

[–] enigma-lake 11 years ago

You smile in the face of harshness. As did Cassels character. Perhaps now you understand my humorous reaction. A laugh doesn't mean there isn't some pain hidden within it.

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

Well, there's no pain hidden in my smiley. Sorry, but the "harshness" of your posts doesn't upset me. This is the Internet, after all.

[–] enigma-lake 11 years ago

I still find it funny that you didn't read the correct SN from the third post and then thought I was making fake accounts to team up on you.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

Well, I didn't think that. Or care. I frankly didn't notice the change in posters, since the ideas were the same. Sorry about that. But I can't imagine caring enough about attacking someone to set up a new screen name to do it. Do you do that a lot? It seems a bit pointless, on an anonymous chat board.

And as for your finding it funny, well -- this entire thread is about your juvenile sense of humor, isn't it? I rest my case.

[–] enigma-lake 11 years ago

I hope your case has come to a rest. Twas annoying.

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

Glad to hear it.

[–] enigma-lake 11 years ago

Still smirk when thinking about the scene. Shoot me.

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

Nah. I still have hopes you will grow up one day and learn what adults might think is funny.

In ten years or so, ask me again.

[–] anhedosa 11 years ago

Samantha, I sincerely think you are mentally ill. I hope that you are able to get help for yourself, but in the meantime, I think you should stop treating people so passive-aggressively and disrespectfully.

[–] samantha3 11 years ago

Thanks, Bianco. I always appreciate the professional, insightful analysis of my problems on IMDB.

Now for you: what, exactly, makes you attempt such an analysis of an anonymous stranger whose posts you obviously can't even read with comprehension?

Hmmm?

[–] enigma-lake 10 years ago

A year later. Still a funny scene. I hope your next post is in a mental hospital with posters of a naked Viggo all around as you tell the psychologist that you aren't crazy. It's everyone else.

[–] SergeantElias 10 years ago

Just picked up on this discussion/argument. I have to say that I find it so funny that you guys have kept it going for so long. Enigma, I agree completely with your post, it was a funny scene. I love dark humour!

And Samantha3, I've never read more condescending crud from a person. You seem to treat everyone who has a differing opinion to yours as 'childish', ironically acting childish yourself. You also seem to misunderstand that if someone doesn't appreciate being spoken down too or insulted, their responding to that behaviour is not "bullying". If anything, your tone and remarks smack of bullying far more than any comment made to you.

You state that Enigma-Lake has a 'juvenile' sense of humour, yet you can't grasp the simple concept that it's just a movie, it's not real life. I find the scene where Viggo Mortensen asks for a hairdryer when looking at the frozen corpse funny. That doesn't make me juvenile, I'm just adult and educated enough to understand and enjoy black humour (as is enigma-lake).

[–] enigma-lake 9 years ago

Haha thanks. Yea I never expected all that when I posted it. Her delivery of blind crudeness cracks me up. I wouldn't believe it if it wasn't real.

[–] enigma-lake 9 years ago

Another year and this whole thread still is very funny. But scruples screedy mcgreedy is probably busy demeaning children on her front lawn.

[–] MrSiegal 11 years ago

Enigma, I understand your point without necessarily agreeing.

How do the angels get to sleep when the Devil leaves his porch light on?

[–] fede_4488 9 years ago

Yeah, it made me laugh too. 😅

If I don't reply, you're most likely on my ignore list

[–] julianwiley 8 years ago

This entire thread has made my Sunday morning. Thank you, all!