tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6917634143872972680.post3149392791310398692..comments2024-02-19T08:20:10.456-06:00Comments on Public Transportation Snob: Outsiders Marathon: Hesher (2010)Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12351431577484530230noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6917634143872972680.post-83207430879475645702013-04-16T11:16:06.485-05:002013-04-16T11:16:06.485-05:00I will say that the connection between Hesher and ...I will say that the connection between Hesher and the grandmother (Catherine from Twin Peaks!) was one of the best parts of the movie. She sees what's happening to the family but just keeps plugging away while the others fall apart.Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12351431577484530230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6917634143872972680.post-19250244754887871242013-04-16T04:08:51.689-05:002013-04-16T04:08:51.689-05:00Oh, I can agree that his approach at the beginning...Oh, I can agree that his approach at the beginning was extreme and did more harm than good. He tried to take this extreme "tough love" approach to try and have the kid, in particular, solve his own issues and fight his own fights. But I see the shift more like this... yes he's trying to help the whole time, whether or not his methods are effective. But (SPOILERS) when the one person he actually cares about dies, and the family still can't seem to pull themselves together, he finally has to just step up and give them an emotional and verbal smackdown rather than just attempt another "passive" approach (not helping the kid fight, setting the car on fire, etc.).<br /><br />Though I can understand not really digging every part of it or having difficulty grasping on to a character.Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08092564511948736386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6917634143872972680.post-29211271871574338132013-04-15T11:08:30.808-05:002013-04-15T11:08:30.808-05:00Nick, I knew this was coming, and I'm glad to ...Nick, I knew this was coming, and I'm glad to hear your thoughts. You make good points about the literary background and Hesher's role in the story in that context. One of my undergrad majors was English with a focus on literature, but I didn't grab that part of it as much when I watched Hesher. <br /><br />I did take his "Hesher was Here" note as a mark that he'd changed their life. However, I felt that it went along more with the final-act shift than his approach at the start. Going through a lot of his early actions, do they really help T.J.? I feel like many of them just make things more difficult. If you think of him as the outside force that's using unconventional methods to help the family right away, it makes sense. I just wasn't as engaged by that feeling until the end. I did like it overall and would give it 3/5 stars if I was rating it. I just wasn't as thrilled by every element. Thanks for the detailed comment!Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12351431577484530230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6917634143872972680.post-84369581167122788652013-04-15T10:50:01.942-05:002013-04-15T10:50:01.942-05:00Jessica, I agree that the potential is there and i...Jessica, I agree that the potential is there and it works in certain places. It just didn't hit on all cylinders like it could have. Congrats on the Lammy nominations! Well-deserved!Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12351431577484530230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6917634143872972680.post-22714559550827808602013-04-15T03:54:57.084-05:002013-04-15T03:54:57.084-05:00I disagree, of course, and think this film does re...I disagree, of course, and think this film does reach greatness. To me, this is a very literary movie. It plays much more like a book than a film in that Hesher is more of a mythical god, almost, coming down to screw with these people but also show them the right way through his chaos. Hesher doesn't really exist in the real world but is more of an outside force that interferes with a story completely unrelated to him. Though to me, it's clear pretty early he wants to help these people and set them straight. Everything he does is his way of slapping sense into them or trying to help, even if it's an extreme. So the ending doesn't shoehorn in his sudden character change, at least not to me. It was always there, and it evolved best in relation with the grandmother. And his final "Hesher was Here" isn't just a last bit of anarchy, but rather a mark on the family that he was there and he's moved on to the next group of people to "help."<br /><br />Maybe it's because I come from a big literary background, but I *really* connected with this movie and these characters and how everything was portrayed, and never did I find it slow or meandering or having any kind of offkilter tonal shifts.Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08092564511948736386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6917634143872972680.post-53111653159381949772013-04-15T02:00:15.695-05:002013-04-15T02:00:15.695-05:00I think you're very spot on. It switches stran...I think you're very spot on. It switches strangely between comedy and drama and the fact that Hesher is so unsympathetic at times makes it hard to root for it. This keeps the movie from being as great as it might have been. It shows promise.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com