Doctors, Chicks Flicks and other Really Important Things

We finally cracked the 50 follower barrier and I like to think that the Dancing With The Stars running journal is what put us over the top. It got a surprising amount of feedback ranging from "you're a sick person" to " I couldn't get enough"...so by my standards that a great entry.

And now we must build on that strong performance and kick off June with an even better performance.

As you know The Pauper began his weekly segment of reviews last week with his piece on Robin Hood. And ladies and gentleman it is obvious why the Pauper is going to be a doctor. I had dubbed his entries "Ask a Doctor" and hey, that's not bad. But it's not doctor quality. So the Pauper suggested we call it "Trust Me, I'm A Doctor" and quite frankly there hasn't been a better name change since Gordon Sumner started calling himself Sting.

I asked the good Doctor to weigh in with his opinion on an interesting matter. I was involved in a conversation about "chick flicks" when a new twist to the same played out argument came to my attention. A chick flick that guys can enjoy. Most guys are thinking..."not possible", just like its not possible to find a low fat supreme nacho platter or an entertaining Tyler Perry movie. But a movie was suggested and I asked the Pauper to weigh in on the matter and here's what he had to say......

"Trust Me, I'm a Doctor" 


Relationships are messy and manic.  They more often need a vacuum cleaner rather than a wine opener.  It is a frappe of emotions, tics, childhood baggage, insecurities and utter unmitigated humanity.  They hurt.  They inconvenience our sports fanhood.  They frustrate our need for order and comprehension.  They come with a side order of late night phone calls smothered with placation.  Yet we nevertheless willingly dive into these tepid pools of confusion for various reasons - maybe to experience love, maybe to find the better man inside ourselves, more likely for sexual gratification.  Like Jerry Seinfeld, I don’t think I’ll ever understand but I probably wouldn’t want it any other way.

(500) Days of Summer is an exercise in this misunderstanding (I am going to start with why there are parentheses in the title) in the same family as Annie Hall.   It shows us the gap between our expectations and reality is never small (in a painfully stilted, unsubtle way in one scene).  The film, starring Zooey Deschanel and that dude that spread his arms at Angel Stadium and single handedly saved Tony Danza’s career, was presented to me as the “chick flick that guys can watch”.  After all if there is one thing that guys have a tough time doing its watching movies designed by and for females.  We would much rather be running grueling 90 degree road races, or attempting to eat a single chocolate cupcake with sprinkles in under 10 seconds.  We pull the trigger at 2 AM after 3 consecutive white zinfandel in bud heavy shots so we can drink 3 more.  There is an inherent action over contemplation in our lives. 

Nevertheless, this clever and original film is effective at showing the beauties and pitfalls of a modern love in a manageable way (Buuut I try, I try…  f#&$ you david bowie get out of my goddamn head).  One reason it is manageable is that we are told that this relationship fails in the first 10 minutes.  I would much rather see a train wreck and figure out why than see it arrive at the station and smile at its punctuality.  One of my favorite parts is the soundtrack.  The music is contemporary and skillfully in tune with mood, alternating between effervescence and morose adeptly.  Another is the lack of full-on sentimentality and mushiness, for lack of a better word.   Lastly, there is a definite non-RomCom sense of humor. 

[500] is the deconstruction and study of relationships and relationship movies in general.   It is that uniquely rare self-aware film that knows where you think it’s going in the genre scheme and plays with that.  Traditional gender roles are reversed.   It uses clever little cues to make us aware of this.  It makes fun of our need to frame our lives and relationships in neat little packages and cards – the backdrop of the movie is a Hallmark-type card company.   Tom, the main character, needs order and consistency in his life – holds a Steven Koren-esque passion for architecture, metaphor much??   Moreover, the two best friends of Tom (one is not the little JP that almost gets gipped out of the singular privilege of having Sgt. Murtaugh as a father) offer vignettes of alternatives to dating – one monogamous since 7th grade and the other haplessly non-dating.  

The film is not without shortcomings.  These include the ending (non-first row Yankee coliseum Minka Kelly sighting) and its occasional need to try too hard – see the narrator, massive quantities of Bass Ale being drank in a certain bar scene or the IKEA sequences.  It may be a bit of work for the chronologically challenged as the audience jumps back and forth in time in the relationship.  When all is said and done, the affection we have for this film may be a factor of the level of cynicism we are willing to look at love and relationships with.  So for all the guys in the ether world, I would say that if you are inclined to watch a movie about relationships this should be the one.  And please, when your girlfriend says, “How’s your rigatoni?” don’t just say good, offer her some.  

---------

ETC: "So is it worth seeing? or is it only if a lady friend requests? And as always...where does it rank on the Nic Cage Movie Review System?

Pauper: "3 out of 4 Cages...the review states it all, def worth seeing"

The Pauper is wise. If he wasn't going to be a very successful doctor, it's evident that he would be a very good writer and critic. Remember this segment will be going all summer long, so if you want a doctor's opinion on something, just send in a request on the blog, facebook or email and he will share his thoughts with us.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm about to watch a chick flick. (It's doctor's order)