on a river runs through it

my friend dennis recommended this movie, a river runs through it, and i of course immediately went out and bought it after a few weeks when i saw that it was about 3900won -$3.40- at kyobo.  :)

i’m very happy i did, it was a good film.. thank you dennis.  but then again, i would probably say anything involved with robert redford is good.   and he’s the director here, so clearly, it was wonderful.

and.. here is when i shamelessly try to get people to actually click the ever-so-elusive READ MORE button:

it worked.  hi girls.

and for those of you who like stalk joseph gordon levitt (cough heejae)…..

a river runs through it stars a young brad pitt, age 28, a pre-gwyneth, pre-aniston, pre-jolie brad pitt in all his glory.. not to mention often wet and dripping from fishing.

it also features a young joseph gordon levitt (age 10).

you might also recognize english actress brenda blethyn (who played the mother of keira knightley and james mcavoy in the 21st century.. in different movies of course, that would have been an odd situation in atonement).

so that was the “hook” (as they drill into you in english class) to this post, and i suspect in selling this movie as well… fortunately the body of this film was really worth seeing, featuring wondrous montana scenery and an earnest story.. unfortunately, i don’t think i can say the same for this post.

a river runs through it follows the story of the two maclean brothers growing up in montana in the early 1900’s, the elder the stoic and scholarly norman (played by craig sheffer), and the younger, the roguish but sweet paul (brad pitt).  growing up with a presbyterian minister as a father, you would think the boys’ family relationships would be strained, but their shared joy of fly fishing in the nearby blackfoot river keeps them close throughout the years.  norman remarks how he and his brother had only ever fought once, and they had always resolved their differences at the river. and i must say, regardless how dashing brad pitt is, he is no match for the true stars of this film: fly fishing and the river running through montana.

favourite scenes.

norman returns home after six years of college at dartmouth (most of the film takes place during that one summer he’s home):

double date:

paul’s masterpiece:

the beauty of this film was perfectly summed up by a friend who saw it: “I dont quite see what the movie is trying to tell me tho..”.  like any other film, but especially in one that’s slightly ambiguous like this, you put your trust in your own interpretation, what you want to take from it.  the meaning might be the quiet acceptance of the unexpected kinks of life, trusting in the words of god that lie beneath the mud and the founding stones of the river.  if you’re like paul, it might be milking life for all it’s worth, demanding the wildest thrills and the deepest joys and knowing no fences, but also giving out as much as you take, as earnestly and as purely as a child.  the meaning might be the simple joy of the river.  or it might be witnessing a second of perfection that, as much as you want to stretch out forever, will not last.  or if you’re my eight year old sister, the most important part of this film might be that the trout caught in fishing scenes were closely monitored by the montana humane society, no hooks were used, and no blood was drawn.  the meaning might be montana itself.

a river runs through it is based on the true memoirs of norman maclean, a river runs through it and other stories, published in 1976.

best watched at sundown with girls*

*optional, depending on how much squealing you want.

-angie

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