"Me and You and Everyone We Know" (2005) - Movie Review

“Magnolia” is one of the movies which brought the purest form of art in a movie. It took the forum of reaching all genre audiences to feel the poetic depth in a motion picture. After “Magnolia”, “Me and You and Everyone We Know” directed by Miranda July who has also acted in the movie brings the purest form of art subconsciously attaching the attraction to all genre audience.

Richard (John Hawkes) is a shoe salesman, handling his separation while coping up with his kids. Christine (Miranda July) is fighting to find her place in the contemporary art arena while drives elderly people as her job. The motion picture flows in and around these two characters along with the people they know. Richard’s kids Peter (Miles Thompson) and Robby (Brandon Ratcliff) are in their strange childhood and the inquisition of the physical unexplained behaviour is haunting them. They handle it in their own strange way. Richard’s neighbour has a daughter, Sylvie (Carlie Westerman) who connects with one of the kids. There is Richard’s colleague, Andrew (Brad Wiliam Henke) who still is confused about what he wants. Christine’s friend and customer Michael (Hector Elias) is falling in love for first time in his seventy years with a female who is in her final stage of life. There are so many characters but there is no such instance wherein the viewer is overwhelmed by those. Rather it is a treat to encounter a wide varied people with respect to age, attitude, needs and fantasy.

The characters can be dissected and analyzed with brilliant precision to give the sweet moments of life. The movie is made up with amazing art style. “Broken Flowers” had the theme of pink colour which gave a fresh yet gloomy outlook while Miranda has used it only at very fine moments to get the appeal necessary for that frame. Richard is the complex and interesting character of all. He is clear and imaginative. He sees life as a straight plane with geometric angles of emotions, measured and calculated. It is perfect at times but shuns itself away from the risk which needs to be taken for attaining the love. He does not want to commit the mistake again of falling for instance attraction. He wants to take time to heal the wound. The blatant yet subtle sweetness of showing Richard’s burned hand healing when he realizes his option of driving himself towards what he wants is simply poetic.

The movie contains poetry in numerous occasions. It gives the thrills with simplest and most moving scenes. The initial sequence involving Gold Fish is the best example of all. Playing with the human emotions of caring and the frustration of helplessness is dealt with amazing movie making. The intense moments with the play of words in between Richard and Christine are the best romantic sequences which are impressive after “Before Sunrise” and “Before Sunset”. It sets its foot into the hall of fame where those movie lie in top. The film carries around with all the emotions of sadness, desperation, love, death, confusion, caring and art in all elegant way.

John Hawkes identifies himself with one of the best performances I have ever seen in recent days with respect to portraying an imaginative and submissive character. There is no doubt that he is going to deliver some more amazing performances like this if handled well. Miranda July participating in the movie as an actress is one more feather in her cap of cinematic talent. All the performances are top notch and especially from the kids since the content are very emotional and tough to express.

Three things I generally analyze individually and also which determines the film’s technical appeal. They are the soundtrack/back ground score, editing and cinematography. Excellence is the right word for all of those employed in this film. Direction and Screenplay are the captains of the ship which cruises without any problem.

This film is about the art. It is about the art of making mistakes. It is the art of second chances and the will to take something forward without hesitation. It is about being in a community wherein everyone is interrelated. Being unified by emotions of strangeness is something viewers cannot expect in a cine screen apart from their own life. The movie is the best example of how an art movie can be executed with wide range of different characters.

“Me and You and Everyone We Know” shoulders the art in a way how it should be. It is encouraging for movie goers to enjoy such a motion picture with subtlety written all over it. Subtlety is one of the best ways to communicate art. It is a movie of excellence in the field of contemporary modern classics. It is an art of an art.