Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Being Where?


Essential. Peter Sellers is a genius. Hands down, no argument.
 There are movies which can speak to the viewer in a way that might suggest, "Hey, you're not alone in the world. There's others just like you."

I put this movie in that category.

When you have an artistic bent or temperament, there can be a distinct disconnect between you and the world. Some might say that there's a disconnect until you "find yourself" or at least mature enough to understand more deeply who you are and your possible place in the world, but I contend that artists have to go further in understanding why they are the way they are and ultimately accept themselves as different.

When I saw this movie, I felt a kinship not only with the director ( Hal Ashby), but with Chancey Gardiner-the hapless, lost soul who is so out-of-step with the world that he is still a child inside a man's body. I do not know what Ashby's intent or point was of this movie, all I can say is that I have much more in common with Chance the gardener than I do with any other film character I've seen. I am that inadequate, lost and fumbling than many might believe.

But I digress.

Chance is a hopeless man-child who may be slightly mentally challenged, but people around him trust him because he is an authentic person-he has no running agenda, wears no social mask, has no hangups or baggage, He simply IS, which is why I see him as the embodiment of Zen.

It's a beautiful and very funny movie with a fantastic cast and a wonderful story.

If you don't "get this one,

I understand.

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