We heard some of you laugh at this moment—many moments, actually. It definitely has its heart on its sleeve. The colors, the music, the action, the characters, all feel bigger than life. The movie is like its characters: full of huge emotions.
The film was directed by the well-regarded Nicholas Ray, who had a well-earned reputation as a industry rebel; was written by Stewart Stern from a story by Ray; the swelling music is by Leonard Rosenman; and stars the legendary even in his day James Dean, a disciple of Marlon Brando, and who would die in a car crash before the film was released, as Jim Stark; 17-year-old Natalie Wood as Judy; and 16-year-old Sal Mineo as Plato. The film was a critical and commerical success. Look at the trailer for it below.
A few questions for you to answer by 9 tonight:
1. Reaction to the movie? Like? Dislike? What scene or moment stayed with you—and why?
Yes, it's old and over-the-top; the films you love today will probably seen the same way in 60-some years. So you can comment on it as a fifties film, critique it even, but only here. For the next questions take as a given that Nicholas Ray was deliberate in his choices; they are not open for critique or dismissal.
2. "Rebel Without A Cause"—or is there a cause that Jim and Judy and Plato and Buzz and Goon and Crunch and all the kids have? If so, what? If not, explain?
3. Do you find anything(s) true to your experience in this movie? If so, what—and how? And if not—make a case that this not an accurate portrayal of being a teenager? Think before you answer.
200 words. And here is a preview of our next film.
ReplyDelete1. Reaction to the movie? Like? Dislike? What scene or moment stayed with you—and why?
I've enjoyed the movie (so far). Cinematographically speaking, the knife fight really sticks with me because of those shots filmed from below that show Buzz and Jim’s upper bodies against the bright blue sky. The contrast and simplicity of those shots is energizing and suspenseful. There was a bit of a lull in the middle of the movie where I lost focus (my fault), but, once Jim leaves his parents house to go to the police, the action really picks up and I became very invested in the intertwining stories of Jim, Judy, and Plato’s retreat to the mansion and the kid’s hunt for Jim.
2. "Rebel Without A Cause"—or is there a cause that Jim and Judy and Plato and Buzz and Goon and Crunch and all the kids have? If so, what? If not, explain?
I think that Jim is definitely fighting a cause. Based on his intense conversations with his father, I think Jim is rebelling against the idea of having to constantly prove your masculinity as a teenage boy. Jim seems to feel stuck at a crossroads between being safe but called a chicken and being manly but risking your life. Based on the first scene with Judy in the police station, I think Judy could also deep down be fighting the same expectations of boys to be manly as well as the expectations of girls her age. We see a glimpse of Judy’s home conflict when her father doesn't want to kiss her because “girls her age shouldn't behave like that,” which shows that Judy is struggling with what her role is now that she's 16.
3. Do you find anything(s) true to your experience in this movie? If so, what—and how? And if not—make a case that this not an accurate portrayal of being a teenager? Think before you answer.
I think that this movie does a great job of portraying the realistic issue teens face of trying to find your place amongst your peers with a romanticized edge that makes it intriguing to watch. I at first thought it wasn't accurate because I don't know anyone who goes around picking knife fights, but then I realized that if the movie were overly realistic, it would be so relatable it would have been boring. The underlying issues of peer pressure and identity are very present, but the plot has enough unrealistic action surrounding these issues to make it exciting and enjoyable for an audience.
1. I really liked the movie, even though it was over the top. I thought that the movie's over-the-top aspects made it more emotionally realistic. Sometimes being a teenager feels as intense as what the characters in the movie are going through, and I think the exaggerated circumstances that the characters are in can help communicate this intensity. Part of the reason I was laughing during scenes like the one above is that I recognize the feelings of the characters in that scene, and I identify with them even though I know they, and I, can be ridiculous. The scene that most stuck with me was the scene where Jim is trying to go to the police and his parents are trying to dissuade him from turning himself in. This scene illustrated just how disconnected Jim is from his parents and how disconnected Jim's parents are from each other. Jim's parents are so caught up in trying to protect him and provide for him they cannot see that what he really wants is someone to be a parent and set boundaries and rules.
ReplyDelete2. The kids in the movie all want more love and guidance from their parents, but their parents do or cannot give them the love and guidance they want. For example, Judy asks her Dad if teenage girls cannot love their fathers anymore, and Jim asks his parents to stop moving and let him face consequences for his actions. This is not so much a cause as a cry for help. The kids are rebelling in hopes that they can be better than their parents and get help from their parents. For instance, Jim does not want to be a coward like his father so he fights for honor, and he wishes he could be locked up so that someone would pay attention to and enforce rules for him. The rebellion is for something, but a cry for help is not a cause.
3. The moment in this movie that rang truest to me is Jim's fight with his parents after Buzz's crash. Jim yells that his dad is not listening to him, and feels as though his parents refuse to actually parent him in the way he needs. As a teenager, I find this feeling of not being listened to and being talked out very relatable. This movie accurately portrays the difficulty of being a teenager and feeling misunderstood. All of the teenage characters want something different than what they are getting from their parents which is very realistic.
1 ) I have enjoyed the movie so far. I like the characters even though they can seem unrealistic at times. I found the scene where Buzz drives of the cliff to be very memorable. This scene signaled a definite change in the tone of the movie. The death of Buzz was shocking and it affected many character relationships in the film. Jim and Judy were almost brought together over the shock of the death.
ReplyDelete2 ) I think that the teenagers in the movie are rebelling because they have to much power. None of the adults in the movie ever really punish their kids for their bad actions. An example of this is shown during the knife fight. There are two adults shown watching the fight and they do nothing to stop the kids from fight. I think that Jim in particular is tired of his parents being pushovers all the time. I think he wants more repercussions for his actions.
3 ) I don’t think that the movie very realistically shows the life of a teenager. In my experience people do not usually have knife fights for no reason or play games of chicken. Maybe both of those things were more common in the fifties. There are a lot of generational differences between teenagers in the movie and teenagers now. It is possible that the movie portrays the lives of teenagers in the fifties more accurately.
1) I really enjoyed the way the movie was filmed. It was very pleasing to watch. However, I found the actual plot to be boring and slow-paced. The climax occurred way too late into the film. I enjoyed the over-the-top-ness and wish that the film could have taken that further. A scene that stuck with me was the one where Jim, Judy and Plato were wandering through the abandoned mansion pretending to be a newlywed couple and a realtor. It felt really genuine to me and it gave off the feeling like these three actually had a connection.
ReplyDelete2) I think in the case of Jim, Judy and Plato, there is a cause but it isn’t explicitly stated. I think these characters all have daddy issues and crave a strong and affectionate father figure to watch over them. Jim wants his father to stand up to his mother. He wants a father that he can really look up to and admire, not a “chicken”. Because his father does not fulfill that role, Jim rebels by going out of his way to cause trouble so that he can be as different from his father as possible. Judy wants love and attention from her father but he only disparages her. She rebels by instead seeking love and attention from “the kids”, particularly Buzz. This makes her fall victim to peer pressure throughout the film. After Buzz dies, she seeks love and attention from Jim, claiming that she’s always been looking for people to love her, but now she loves Jim. Plato was abandoned by his parents and that abandonment exacerbated his terrible mental state. He just wants loving parents and looks to Jim as a father figure, but his bad mental state causes him to rebel by acting violently and irrationally. In the case of Goon and Crunch, there is an obvious cause; they want to get back at Jim for having gone to the police. This is ironic because Jim never actually told the police anything. However, Buzz would be the true rebel without a cause. He took it upon himself to harass Jim for no reason at all and this ultimately got him killed.
On the surface level, this movie appears to be what the adults of the time thought teenagers were like; shallow, reckless, dramatic, unstable, irresponsible. However, there are a lot of underlying themes that are even relevant right now. I can relate to some of the problems that Jim faces. A scene that really affected me was the one where Jim was arguing with his parents about whether or not he should go to the police. Jim is dramatic in the way that he initially reacts to his problems and self-sabotaging in the way that he deals with his problems long-term. But I like how he decides in that moment that he wants to face his problems instead of running away from them and sort of breaks away from his parents.
The last paragraph was meant to be labeled as #3
Delete
ReplyDeleteOverall, I enjoyed the movie. The emotion felt real, and I could see how kids could find themselves caught in the void Jim was in. I liked the relationship Plato and Jim had, because it showed how difficult it can be to find people that you fit in with. The scene that stuck with me, was when Jim was trying to keep himself from fighting Buzz. You could feel the ethical struggle he was facing: whether to pick the knife up and fight, or to be dishonored.
I believe that the cause of rebellion for the kids is based on the childlike need to disobey. When Buzz tells Jim that they race because they have to do something, he proves that the kids feel a need to have conflict. The kids are rebelling against form, and the normal lifestyle. Breaking away from the average life makes the kids feel more important, and meaningful. In my opinion, this cause is not a serious or reliable one, because any second you could feel drawn back to the safe and secure way of life. This cause does not compare to those fighting for civil rights or their lives. The kids just feel like they have to do something.
My experience as a teenager does not relate to this movie, because I rarely feel pressured to do something. Jim is caught up on honor, and what people think about him. I, personally, do not care if someone was trying to get me to do something I knew I shouldn’t. I have not had much experience feeling disconnected with my parents, and that is an immense part of the disconnect I feel with Jim. I have not had to go through the same issues that he has had to endure. I do not think that this is an inaccurate portrayal of a teenager, because I know many people who feel pressured to fit in and be respected.
1. I personally really enjoyed the movie, it is very over the top and dramatic, but it’s well made and I like that. One issue I have is that the plot seems to move very slowly, though the whole story only happens within a day or so. All the actors seem to be a great deal older than the age they were meant to be playing. My favorite scene was the part when Jim, Judy, and Plato were messing around and just having fun in the abandoned mansion. The best parent of spending time with your friends can be the innocent and pure fun you have with them. One part I found incredibly confusing, that almost immediately after Buzz’s death Judy seems to fall in love with Jim. Relationships are very confusing for teenagers, and it didn’t seem that Judy even really liked Buzz that much. Other than that I really enjoyed the movie thus far.
ReplyDelete2. In my opinion, the kids do have a cause for their rebellion in contradiction to the title. The main characters all struggle in their relationships with their parents (particularly with their fathers). Rebelling seems like a chance for them to do what they want and gain the attention of their fathers. The biggest issue seems to be with Plato who has a complete lack of a father in his life. It affects him so severely that he even tries to find a father figure in Jim.
3. I feel that it relates in some ways it relates. If you were to take a teenagers life and add a lot more drama you’d get something fairly close to this movie. I think that the main part in which it relates to a real teenager is strife with parents. The state of a person’s relationship with their parents shape the rest of their life. This movie shows what a negative impact a negative relationship with a parent can have on their child (especially teenagers).
I am really enjoying Rebel Without A Cause. Although many parts of it are unrealistic, the film and its never ending drama is very entertaining to watch. It feels timeless with its romance and danger. A scene that stuck with me was when Judy’s dad told her that she was too old to kiss him anymore. I felt as though it fit well with that idea of adolescence. Judy is not old enough to make her own decisions, yet she is expected to remove herself from the comforts of childhood. I feel as though every teenager has had a moment like that in their life. It is heartbreaking to be told by someone that they are suddenly too old to do something that brings you comfort and happiness. This scene displayed a very universal teen experience in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI believe that their cause is being a teenager. Each of the teens in this movie are going through their own sort of teenage rebellion that comes along with their age. I feel this intense need for rebellion myself at times and can relate with this feeling of needing to do something to escape your parent’s, teacher’s, or other adult’s grasp. Although their rebellion is more intense than those of which we see in real life, the main characters in this movie are all trying to find themselves and their identity through these rebellions.
I found many things in this movie relatable to the actual teen experience. I spoke about this before, but the scene of Judy kissing her father and being rejected is a true experience that I believe all teens can relate to in some way or another. Although this exact scene may not occur for everyone, a moment of the same caliber can most likely be found. Everyone has probably faced a moment in which they are told that they can no longer enjoy the fun, comforts, or happiness that come with childhood. Another moment that I found relatable was the scene with Jim and his dad. Jim is questioning his father about when he will be allowed to be happy and truly himself. Like many teenagers, Jim is struggling with his identity and how his actions correspond with it. On top of all that, he is unable to do what he truly wants because of the control his parents have over him. He wants to do things his own way in order to discover his true identity and yet he can not because of his dad. I personally have felt this same struggle many times in the past years. Knowing what I need and want but not being able to do it because of my parents is a difficult thing to deal with. Lastly, I think that, although dramatized, Jim and Judy’s sudden love for each other is close to realistic for teenagers. Everyone around me, including myself, is filled with hundreds of ever changing emotions. Because there are so many hormones running through teenagers at all times, they feel everything with a certain special intensity. I, personally, go through many mood swings throughout the day and feel everything as if it were the worst thing ever or the best thing ever. Judy and Jim’s sudden love for each other depicts this wild and crazy emotional side that all teenagers share.
Though I am a bit concerned with how realistic this movie is, I really like what we have seen so far. The movie is engaging and dramatic, and I like the fast-moving plot. I think that some of the characters are a bit over-the-top in their portrayals (for example: I think that Judy’s angst towards her father is a bit excessive given the knowledge we have of their relationship thus far), but overall the issues seem to be similar to that of a teen, regardless of the era. Scenes showing the tensions between Jim and his father really stuck with me because of the intense amount of emotion Jim exhibited whilst arguing with his father.
ReplyDeleteI think that these teenagers do have a cause in that they all seem to have experienced some sort of neglect from their parents. Jim experiences abandonment in that his parents try to dance around his issues by moving around a lot and ignoring the facts of his life, Plato feels neglected in that his parents do not live with him, and Judy struggles with the fact that her father is growing apart from her as she matures. The apparent abandonment many of these kids feel leads to angsty behavior that is unchecked by their parents who do not have any concern for their kids’ well being. They rebel against the lack of attention they consider necessary for their own stability going into adulthood.
Judy is a universally relatable character in this film. She cares a lot about what other people think of her, and her character changes dramatically depending on what crowd contains her in the moment. I think that wanting to fit in is an experience most teens have, regardless of what time period they live in. I have always struggled with wanting to be considered ‘normal’ and part of the crowd, so Judy’s social experiences hit deep with me. Another thing I felt I could relate to were the tensions between the kids and their parents. There seems to be a great divide between parents and children, and many heated arguments seem to take place because of this fact. My parents and I tend to have our great deal of differences, as most parents and children do, and I deeply sympathize with Jim and Judy for their struggles.
1) Even though the movie was kind of ridiculous at times, I really enjoyed it because through the over-dramatization of the teenage experience, it was able to perfectly capture the angst that almost all teenagers deal with, which I could very much relate to. A moment from the film that stayed with me is when Jim sees his father in a feminine apron, cleaning up the dinner that he was about to bring to his wife. This moment exemplifies the nature of the relationship between Jim and his father. Jim feels disconnected from his father. He feels that he can’t relate to him and that his father doesn’t understand the pressure he is under to be tough, to not be a “chicken.” Jim feels like he can’t look up to his father. His dad is not able to give him the guidance that Jim needs as a teenager who is trying to find his place in the world. All Jim knows is he wants to be nothing like his dad. Jim does not know what he wants, but he wants to escape going down the same path as his dad, which is part of what makes him want to do rebellious, irresponsible things.
ReplyDelete2.) The teenagers in the film don’t know what they want, but they know that they feel lost, and they feel like they don’t know what they want out of life, and they aren’t getting any guidance or help or attention from the adults in their lives. They need help, but the adults don’t know how to help them. Rather than listen to him and give him love, Jim’s parents simply keep moving away and try to hide and ignore that he is having problems no matter how clear he makes it that he needs help. Judy’s parents don’t listen to her and don’t offer any help. They expect her to be a certain way, and they don’t accept her if she is not who they want her to be. Plato’s parents completely abandon him and ignore that he is obviously very troubled (if shooting puppies is not a surefire sign that you have some psychological problems, I don’t know what is) and leave it up to him to figure things out on his own. The teens act out because they are lost. They are rebelling because they don’t know what else to do. In this sense, they don’t have a cause, but in a sense they do have a cause because what their rebellious acts are saying is, “Hey adults, we clearly don’t know what to do, and you are not being very helpful.” Even though they don’t have any goals to achieve through their rebellious acts, in a sense their cause is to ask adults to be better at helping teens find their way in the world.
3) I know my parents do their best to help me figure things out, and at times they can provide a lot of guidance, but a lot of this time it feels very hard to relate to my parents, and it feels like they don’t understand my situation as a teenager. I really related to the feeling of wanting love, acceptance, guidance, and attention from my parents and not always getting it, which this film captured. I really related to the feelings of teenage angst in general that were captured in this movie. I related to this sense of uncertainty about the future and just not knowing what to do and how to become the person I want to be. I related to the feeling of my parents not wanting to accept that I’m a flawed human being. I very much related to these feelings, but the thing that is very different between my relationship with my parents and the parent-child relationships in these movies is that in real life, in addition to all the disconnect, there is also so much love between parents and children. Even though the parent child relationships in this movie are very complex, parent-child relationships are even more complicated in real life. Even though I feel very frustrated with my parents often, I love them so much, which makes the relationship even more complicated.
ReplyDelete“Rebel Without a Cause” is a good film, I liked it. Despite this, there were some issues that kept it from being a movie that connected with me personally. The movie reminded me of one of the points of discussion that came up on the first day of class. Most of the class agreed that movies portraying teenagers are often portraying them in the way that the adults of that generation see them, and this movie exemplified that idea for me. I felt that the constant troublemaking, rift between the teens and the parents, and the double-sided lives of some of the characters are all traits expected of teenagers by their own parents. Although they do hold true sometimes, in many cases, they do not.
I feel like the cause that all the teenagers are rebelling for could even be something as abstract as feeling that each character owns their own life, especially when it comes to their parents. Jim was fed up with the lifestyle of his parents and he doesn’t want to be like them. Judy hates her parents’ ideals and leads a double life because of it. As for the gang members, we know less about them, however, the idea of being in a gang is equivalent to taking a position of power by rebelling and making independent or even group decisions.
I do find that I disagree with my parents at times and even think that their opinions are outdated and no longer relevant. However, the divide I our thinking never leads to anything extreme such as getting police involved or running away to planetariums. I think that my problem with the portrayal of the teenagers in this movie is more because of the dramatic nature of the film. It’s also possible that the director didn’t think that the normal problems and resolutions that teenagers face was screen-worthy, so they decided to up the stakes a little too high
ReplyDelete1) So far, I enjoy this movie. Even though it is very extravagant with its plot and music, this aspect makes me more interested in what will happen next. Although such dramatic plots don’t truly happen in real life, the sense of emotion and misunderstanding translates through time.The scene that stayed with me was when Jim explained to Judy that Plato was trying to make them his parents. As the relationship between Jim and Plato progressed, there were definitely some idoling going on from Plato’s side. Once Jim said it explicitly, all the pieces fell into place. Plato had been trying to find replacements for his parents that were not parents anmore.
2) There seems to be a very clear cause that the teens have. In each case, they seem to be misunderstood and sort of lost in their identity of themselves. Jim is having trouble separating having honor for yourself and doing dangerous things to prove yourself. He also wants his parents to understand that he his tired of running from himself. Judy struggles with her relationship with her father particularly since he starts rejecting her affection. She thinks that even though she is growing older, it is still acceptable to love her father, while he is totally against it. Plato is so disconnected from his parent he begins searching for someone to fill their role. Each kid is stuck between finding who they are and being oppressed by their parents ideas.
3) Although the film is very dramatic, I think this style relates back to being a teen. As a teenager, things sometimes seem way more problematic than they truly are, which results in our behavior being seen as hostile or “hormonal.” The struggles the children in the movie have with their parents and identity are very relatable to what it actually feels like sometimes, as if no one understands you and you are stuck between two opposing choices. One of the instances that is not a very accurate portrayal of a teenager in my opinion is when the children run away to the mansion. Although the point it is trying to make of children wanting to be independent and free from their parents is spot on, I do not know any teens who have run away to an abandoned mansion and then a planetarium.
1. I really like the 50s aesthetic and all the action and color in Rebel Without a Cause. It feels like a combination of Grease and Saturday Night Fever. I find the movie very entertaining, and I kind of like all the clichés. My issue with it, though, is that the characters seem very shallow and unrealistic. They don’t differentiate between the different issues in their lives. For example, Judy seems just as strongly affected by her father not kissing her on the cheek as she by her boyfriend driving off of a cliff. The most memorable scene for me is when Jim starts choking his father. It was so surprising to me, surreal, and seemed very unrealistic.
ReplyDelete2. I feel like the kids do have causes for their actions, but their actions seem really extreme based on the circumstances. The kids rebel whenever they begin to feel threatened by their insecurities, which is something hard that every teenager has to deal with, but the kids’ responses to their own insecurities seem crazy. All of the characters are willing to risk their own lives or the lives of others simply to prove their self-worth. These irrational responses to fear really drive the plot of the movie.
3. I do see some connections between my life and the movie, but all of the connections are blurred and surreal. For instance, I also have insecurities and I sometimes argue with my parents, but I don’t drive myself off of a cliff, get into a knife fight, or brutally attack my father just to “maintain my honor.” Ray addresses the strong feelings that all teenagers experience, but allows his characters to act on those feelings instead of pushing them down or letting go of them.
And it's done before 9:30 😁
1. I do enjoy this film. The fantastic acting makes otherwise less frightening and dramatic situations much more climactic and interesting. Also, being a teenager myself, I can directly relate to a few of Jim's struggles. At moments, Jim is unable to communicate meaning to his parents and finds it ridiculous frustrating. This happens to me constantly. The "you just don't understand" line is a common one for my personal use. A scene that really stuck with me was the knife fight with Buzz. I found it amazing how they kept nicking at each other, lunging, but somehow know one ended up extremely hurt. I thought for sure someone was going to get stabbed. The intensity of that scene is what makes it so great.
ReplyDelete2. I definitely believe there is a cause. Plato, Jim, and Judy all have parental issues. Jim and Judy have a hard time connecting with their parents, conveying what they really want to them and having them understand it seems nearly impossible. Plato doesn't even have parents. He has no opportunity to even try and connect with them. He for sure feels unloved, and is desperately searching for someone to care for him. This is why he begins to see Judy and Jim as his parents, although they are around the same age as him. So, these kids definitely have something to rebel against. They need for their parents to understand them instead of just pretending to. This is why they decide to run away. They want to enjoy time together with people they connect with, with ought the presence of their parents.
3. Although, through dramatic acting, being realistic is kind of cast over board in this movie. But, on the other hand, the movie has parts that are definitely relatable to my life. As I mentioned before, at times, it can be hard to communicate to your parents and have them understand what your trying to say. Also, as Jim has to make a hard decision about driving a car full speed of a cliff because it's honorable, I have also been in situations similar to that. Although they did not involve driving something off a cliff, they where things normally no one would want to do, but because of pressure, and wanting to be honorable, I did them.
(disregard #3 above)
Delete3. Although, through dramatic acting, being realistic is kind of cast over board in this movie. The movie has parts that are definitely relatable to my life. As I mentioned before, at times, it can be hard to communicate to your parents and have them understand what your trying to say. Also, as Jim has to make a hard decision about driving a car full speed of a cliff because it's honorable, I have also been in situations similar to that. Although they did not involve driving something off a cliff, they where things normally no one would want to do, but because of pressure, and wanting to be honorable, I did them. These are things I rather not say, for they are extremely stupid.
1. So far I like this movie a lot. It is a little fast paced which can be good and bad. I like the action going on, but the serious things are kind of skipped over so it was hard to find this realistic. I wanted to be able to relate to it more which would have been easier if the characters weren’t so over the top, but I think that was what made the movie fun to watch. It almost represents how much teenagers’ emotions are heightened. Everything feels like the end of the world, and that was very much the case for these kids. One scene that stuck with me was when Jim attacked his father after confessing to his parents. It showed how much he was struggling internally. He doesn’t like to move and he has issues with how his father lets the mother push him around.
ReplyDelete2. I the kids definitely have a cause. They all are unhappy with something going on at home. Jim struggles with how his father is pushed around, Judy wants her father to treat her like his little girl instead of a grown up, and Plato desperately wants a pair of loving parents. They all would rather be together than be at home, so they fight for each other and avoid being taken home to their parents at all costs. I think they are generally just not happy with this time in their life which is how most teens feel.
3. I think there are parts of this that are accurate. I definitely do argue with my parents on occasion, and it makes me overreact but not to the point that I want to leave. Like I said earlier, the movie blows everything out of proportion which is what teenagers do with their whole life, so it is relatable on that part.
1. I really liked the movie. The exaggeration of every aspect of the movie was both hilarious and made it feel more emotional. The music complemented the exaggeration nicely. Unfortunately, the exaggeration was only on select bits of the movie. There were some important things that did not get enough attention such as: Plato's backstory, why Judy fell in love with Jim just minutes after her boyfriend died, and why Jim can't sit on a couch without collapsing onto it. My favorite scene was probably the scene where Jim, Judy were pretending to be married and buying a house with Plato as their real estate agent. I liked it because it was funny and it showed that the kids could still be kids despite all of the serious things going on in their life.
ReplyDelete2. The kids certainly have a cause: Jim wants his father to be more assertive, Plato just wants someone who he can call family, and Judy is struggling with her dad feeling that she is too old to kiss him. I do not think that these issues are serious enough to be considered "rebelling". I think that in order to "rebel" against something you have to be fighting oppressive authority which isn't something that Jim, Judy, and Plato are doing. They are unhappy with their home lives, but I wouldn't call that being oppressed. I guess this shows that even the title of the movie is exaggerated.
3. I think that the interactions between the characters can be very realistic. "You shouldn't believe what I say when I'm around the rest of the kids... Nobody acts sincere." I think this is very true for lots of people. Social cliques can make people act or do things that they wouldn't normally do.