No he didn't cry at the 'brilliance'. What makes the film - and that moment - so poignant is that what they did, together, was walk beyond the point any friendship can last.
They had achieved the impossible, yes, created a moment in history that would never be replicated. And for what? For what?
You hear how he 'changed'...was famous now. Feel that, that only lasted for a little bit, before he was viewed as some exotic Zoo Animal. They muse on maybe, perhaps, another caper...but not for his friends. They've been banned from America.
You know that they understand. Had he fallen. What were they DOING?! How could he have led them there? Why did they go? HOW could they have done something like
that?!
O.K. Fantastic. But why? And now, how does a friend, look at a friend they almost killed? With their permission! And beyond that, the poor, innocent, brilliant Phillipe, now just a party piece...and certainly so thrilled that the next caper...the next caper would be what? WHAT! And you walk with him AGAIN?!
Oh no! That's it! Finished! You're mad. Beautiful but mad, and I can't go with you anymore.
It's monumental and heart-breaking all at the same time.
And then at the end, Phillipe. He's done it. Now the rest of his life spent re-living this moment. Just this one. Over and over and over. The one time he was free. Loved. He doesn't even realise that he is alone. His friends. All of them.
One by one. You see the deepest loss in their eyes. What cost, freedom?
Ak. I wept.
P.S. And I agree. It is impossible, today, to watch this film and NOT think about the twin towers and 9/11. Anyone who suggests they can is being disingenuous. The whole reason Phillipe walked the twin towers, became the very reason the terrorists brought them down.
I marvelled at the extraordinary photo of the towers, him on the tight rope, and the jet plane, high above...looking so familiar...
reply
share
Marmotte123
16 years ago
I'm the French one of this board I guess. I saw the movie last night and I think that Jean-Louis broke into tears because it was the end of their friendship but maybe because he had no other purpose in life at that time too: he had spent several years in a very stressful position, helping his friend not to kill himself, whether it was at Notre-Dame, in Australia or in NY. And then, he's 24-25, that's the end of an adventure that started when he was a teenager and he has a whole life in front of him, a life to fill.
As for 9/11, I'm going to speak for myself only: I've been to NY several times over the past 2 decades and in '91, I was 21, and I spent 2 weeks there in a penthouse in Greenwich. Every night, I was falling asleeping watching the flashing light at the top of the towers with a feeling of... security. Every morning, I was waking up with the sun dancing around the towers, feeling secure again: the towers were inaugurated the year I was born and they would be still there long after my death. I was young and for me, they represented something that was meant to be eternal, hence the feeling of security. 10 years after...
Nevertheless, I agree with the idea that French is general don't care at all for 9/11, a large majority of them even think that Americans got what they deserved... it's pathetic and sad.
reply
share
pizza_cheese
10 years ago
Well put.
Those photos are indeed magnificent -- but when one comes to think of it: there was a huge price to pay to walk on that extraordinary wire of freedom and insanity. Too bad PP failed to see it.
reply
share
shurbanm
8 years ago
you were on track until this one
The whole reason Phillipe walked the twin towers, became the very reason the terrorists brought them down.
reply
share