Coming Of Age Road Movie

American Honey 

Often, when I see a new film getting released I make myself a promise to see it; however I sometimes never keep that promise. Most often, it is the film’s narrative that attracts me the most, I simply watch the trailer and I instantly feel the urge to watch the film. This time it was different. I recall seeing the poster for American Honey on the last page of the Empire magazine. The poster itself reflected something that I admire, the free America that simply makes me ‘feel’. My love for America began a long time ago; the American Dream is what we ought to live up to. My love for all things Americana, stems from my love and admiration for the late James Dean and David Lynch. For me personally, Lynch manages to capture Americana in a haunting, but yet, beautiful nightmarish world. Perhaps, the representation of America is a representation of my true self. The American blue sky, the flag, and of course, ‘American Honey’ waving her hands in the air while driving in a stolen convertible, simply sells the film to me. I did not have to watch the trailer, to know that the film is a must watch, but the trailer certainly convinced me even more, and I simply needed to see the movie as soon as possible. Many American films, attract their audience through a utopian representation of itself, however even America itself, mocks the idealisation of their culture, take American Beauty as an example, the white fences, luscious red roses and the cereal box family... well it does not turn out to be so pretty in the end. The trailer was an indicator, which showed me that this film focuses heavily on authenticity, there is no idealisation involved, it is simply a raw tale of a group of young people. Arguably, many would say, that after all, the film is not so raw and authentic as we see famous faces such as Shia LaBeouf and Riley Keough, but apart from those two, the whole cast is as authentic and somewhat unprofessional as can be. The trailer of the film gave me a taste of what I will be able to experience and feel watching this beautifully made film. The music lulled me into the story, it may not be something we all like and listen to, but is in fact something we all know, and something that fits the narrative perfectly. Since I have watched the film, I have had Raury’s ‘God’s Whisper’ playing on repeat, the song makes me feel a form of longing, sadness, but yet hope, overall this is exactly how the film made me feel as a whole.

For me personally, American Honey is a bitter-sweet tale, a road movie and a coming of age film. The main themes in the film, reflect real life problems such as poverty, domestic abuse and neglect, drug abuse, the reality of responsibility and becoming an adult, and of course, love. Is America Honey a love story, yes to a certain extent, perhaps the narrative explores love more realistically than any rom-com was ever able to. The film offers the audience an insight into the lives of young people, people like you and me, who are lost, who get by day by day, people who have dreams and an urge to achieve the ‘American Dream’ after all. Not only does the film carry an important message about society, it is in fact a well crafted piece of cinema. I was not surprised to see that, majority of the film was filmed using hand held camera, which adds to the authentic feel of the film. The use of cinematography is certainly creative and captures the rawness of the actors performances. Despite the visualisation of the characters, the lack of makeup and heavy focus on the authentic representation of road life (little value placed on personal hygiene) the colour palette is rather fresh, often films colours are enhanced post filming as this alters the mood of the overall film, however, this is not the case in American Honey, as the visual aspects such as the colour palette of the film, seems to be left untouched for the films benefit.

The film certainly suited my tastes, however prior to watching the film, I was somewhat put off by the film’s duration, I must admit that because of my analytical nature, it is rather difficult for me to stay focussed and interested for more than two hours. However, by no means what so ever,  did I find myself being bored watching American Honey. The narrative of the film is unconventional to some extent. A linear narrative, most often follows the structure of the beginning, inciting incident, and the climax of the film most likely leads to a happy ending. However, American Honey does not consist a major inciting incident that drives the plot, the story simply unfolds day by day (just like the lives of the characters); each day brings something new to the lives of the character and to the overall narrative. 

To no one’s surprise, I was captured by the film due to Shia LaBeouf. I admire him as a performer. Shia beholds a great talent, he is a confident and versatile actor. Apart from The Transformers franchise (lets ALL forget that those films were ever made) I have not been disappointed by a performance by Shia LaBeouf. Shia is an outstanding actor, but I cannot forget to mention how handsome he is, there is nothing ordinary about Shia; he is different and unique. For me, he was the perfect choice for this role, he himself is cocky just like his character, and just like Jake, he seduces our main protagonist Star, as well as the audience. Shia beholds a bad boy persona, and that definitely comes in handy when creating and developing such character like Jake. Also, Sasha Lane was a perfect choice for the film and she perfectly fits the role of Star. Star is rather enigmatic, she is distant and troubled, and Star is simply someone that many of us can relate to, she has suffered in life, but yet finds comfort and peace in the little joys in life. Only a personal that has came to know sadness, can really feel the happiness of the moment, and this is exactly what Star represents, when she sings, when she smiles she is like a ray of sunshine that penetrates through our skin. 

American Honey explores important issues of adolescent culture, and the film manages to capture the reality of adolescent sexuality and exploration. Not only do the characters experiment with recreational drugs, they also experiment with their bodies. From the beginning of the film, it is clear to see that there is sexual tension, desire and lust between Jake and Star; it is just a matter of time before they take their romance further. It is possible to argue, that the living conditions and poor social status of Star (and the majority of the characters) has almost forced her to grow up too soon; there is a sense of stolen youth.  However, on the other hand, Star and Jake both still carry childish immaturity within them. Their relationship is heated, impulsive, powerful, but yet, somewhat carries danger. Perhaps, this is how young relationships should be represented; films often offer their audience a fairytale outlook on love, however, young love is far from fairytales, it is irresponsible, irrational but full of lust and passion. The ending of the film is rather ambiguous, there are many questions left unanswered. However, real life does not have a Hollywood happy ending, therefore, by concluding the film in such an ambiguous way, the director stayed faithful to the authentic portrayal of life. It feels as if the director was just ending a chapter of Star’s life, the chapter that we as an audience, had the privilege of witnessing, therefore there should not be an obvious ending, the film ends, but Star’s story lives on, as she embarks on yet, another journey. For me the ending emanated beauty and radiated hope, perhaps Star has finally found a place where she belongs.

American Honey takes its audience on a journey of discovery. The characters (and most arguably, all youths) are impulsive and unpredictable, therefore, the film manages to capture the audience’s attention all the way through the film. Unconsciously, we as an audience, become friends with the gang, we are in the van with them when they go on road trips, when they try to make money, and most importantly, when they have fun; and in result we find ourselves singing along to the songs playing in the background, we feel an urge to dance with them near the camp fire. Although, films which focus on reality are important in the sense that they have a major ability to tackle rather important issues, even ‘true to life’ films can provoke a sense of escapism within its audiences. American Honey certainly does not aim to sugar-coat American youth culture, but yet, we find ourselves being absorbed by the narrative; and in result we picture ourselves driving in the van along with the characters, who by now, have become ‘our’ friends. Running away, feeling free and having the ‘anything is possible’ outlook on life, is a fantasy of mine and certainly of many others. This is exactly why I love the art of filmmaking, as film is the medium which allows us to escape, run away and experience new things without leaving the comfort of our homes. As a society we have been programmed to live vicariously. American Honey should be considered as an important film, not only form a sociological perspective, but due to the artistic abilities visualised throughout the film. All films have a message, but some are harder to read, as the films use metaphors and symbolism , American Honey is pure, it simply reflects life like a mirror. I highly recommend the film. American Honey is innovative, fresh and heartfelt. Is it a film we watch on a Friday night, I would not imagine so. However, American Honey is a film we watch and which swallows us whole into a new world, where we have a chance to have a feeling of belonging, acceptance and freedom. Whether you will like the film or not, the film will linger, long after the ending credits roll, you will find yourself still thinking about it.

Anna Gaszkowska

The Greatness Of The Master Of Suspense

 My Journey With Hitchcock

I came to know Hitchcock, or as many call him ‘the master of suspense’ as an adolescent. My father, who is a massive fan of the Golden Age of Hollywood, and who has such respect for the art of film, has always guided me when it came to exploring the world of cinema. From a young age, I was taught to place great value on the ‘classics’. Of course, as you may imagine, even though I was always quirky and curious, by no means was I really interested in Hitchcock, yes I may have had a particular liking for films that may have been a little dated, especially for a person of such a young age, but Hitchcock never seemed to interest me enough then. When I heard ‘Hitchcock’ being mentioned, I automatically pictured my father, or even my grandfather watching an overdramatic, almost soap opera performance presented in the films, but I was wrong, oh how wrong was I. Even form an early age, I always felt like I was different, I felt the desire to never conform, to rebel against the mainstream, and this resulted in me branding Hitchcock as ‘old fashioned’, too ‘classy’ for my liking. For me personally, liking Hitchcock was too mainstream. I simply thought that people claimed to like him simply because it was perceived as ‘cool’. Often films, as well as music gain popularity, or even achieve a cult status, simply because it’s ‘cool’ to like them. However, I misjudged the concept of Hitchcock’s films; I was too quick to judge. Many things are labelled as ‘great’ only because people want to fit into a subculture, and admiring such thing allows people to do just that, on the other hand it is important to acknowledge that works of art, as those of Hitchcock, are labelled as great, simply because they are in fact pure greatness. Not only did Hitchcock’s work take me on an explorative journey of the art of filmmaking, it allowed me to explore myself and who I have become over the years.

As my interest and urge to explore and analyse the enigmatic world of cinema grew, the spectrum of the films I chose to watch also flourished. The Birds, was the first Hitchcock film that I had the pleasure of watching. Of course, it was all thanks to my father. For him The Birds was a horror, but for me ... Well I did not expect a films of such a decade to scare me, I mean ‘we’ have CGI, professional make up and all the ingredients to make a ‘scary film’. Through exploring the world of Hitchcock, I have learnt many, many things, however, the first thing that I learnt was that no CGI, or extreme make up beholds the power, or has the ability to impact the audience like psychology. Yes, Hitchcock was not only a master of suspense, he was the master of the cognitive processes of his audience, he knew that to really impact his audience he must create a film that not only stimulates them visually, but penetrates them internally, tucking and dwelling all their biggest fears, desires and even hidden fetishes.

My father may have guided me and put me on the ‘right’ path, but it was my school Film teacher who injected me with true admiration for Hitchcock. It is thanks to the amazing man that my school teacher is, that I am who I am today. He inspired me, taught me to always ask questions, always dig deeper and deeper, to dissect the film and to analyse. Therefore, due to the respect I had, and have for my teacher, I trusted him and began my own journey with Hitchcock. The Birds shocked me, I was wrong, I misjudged the ‘old fashioned’ films, it was at this point in my journey with film, that I realised to never judge a film prior to watching it. You will not be surprised to hear, that Psycho was the second film that I chose to see. Psycho is a true masterpiece, not only due to its cult status, but the film uses all the tools of the medium to create an atmosphere of tension, suspense, distraught, awe and dread. Psycho is by far the most ‘ahead of its time film’ that I have had the pleasure of seeing so far. I simply could not believe that it was made in the 60s. When it comes to analysing films, the focus lies on my factors. Cinematography, mise en scene, editing, sound and of course the colour palette all play a major role in creating an outstanding visual piece of art. However, to my knowledge, Hitchcock, is the only director who has mastered combining all those factors together to create equilibrium, he has simply mastered the recipe of film form. Hitchcock, claimed that when making a film, the main focus should not only be directed at the visual aspect of the film, he believed that sound beholds a special power, and when the visuals are combined with the sound only then can a film have an effect on the audience. Hitchcock lulls his audience into a world of unknown, where the visuals are accompanied by a lullaby of terror. Through mastering the art of filmmaking, Hitchcock has inspired many directors; in many ways; Hitchcock was a pioneer and a role model. For me, the director who has most profoundly crafted the art of combining visuals with sound is Lynch. There is no doubt, Lynch will always be my favourite filmmaker, my role model and often, my biggest inspiration. In many aspects, Lynch has chosen to follow Hitchcock’s footsteps in filmmaking, digging deep into our sub-consciousness; a film is only ever a masterpiece when the visuals leave,but the music still plays and stays deep within us, and this is exactly what Hitchcock and Lynch have managed to create through their works.

Vertigo, of course, is one of Hitchcock’s most famous films. Vertigo has been regarded as the best film of the century with Citizen Kane falling at second place. For me, Vertigo is Hitchcock’s most self exploratory film that he has made. Vertigo is not only a psychological analysis of society, the era and cognition of humans; it is in fact a reflection of its master. The film has divided opinions, during its initial release, the film was misunderstood, and only a few decades later the film was renewed and gained the respect that it deserves. There is simply so much I could write about each one of the films, Hitchcock was not only a demanding director among his colleagues, he is demanding of his audience too. Hitchcock was a gift to the film world, not only to the filmmakers, but to people like me, the misunderstood, always wanting to know more critics and analysts. A Hitchcock film is not only to be watched, but to be understood.

The most recent Hitchcock film that I had the pleasure of watching was Rear Window. On many occasions, Rear Window was recommended to me by friends, my teacher, and of course my father. I got hold of the film a while ago, but I simply never felt in the mood to watch it. Well the time finally came, and I decided to watch the film without giving it much thought. Without even mentioning Hitchcock’s name, he is present through his stars (Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly). The first thought that I had, during the beginning credits, was how comforting it was to see Stewart, in yet another Hitchcock film. If you have seen a number of Hitchcock’s films, you will know that as a director, he was loyal to his stars; therefore seeing Stewart, once again, in a leading role is somewhat reassuring and almost safe, as the audience can form expectations. There is no doubt that Hitchcock was a connoisseur of beauty. Stewart is always ever so dashing and handsome, certainly visually pleasing to the audience, and of course, Hitchcock’s famous ‘icy blondes’ that steal all the focus and gaze. What is interesting and important to point out, is the fact that Hitchcock has managed to create numerous outstanding pieces of work, using less than two locations in many of his films, and Rear Window is an example of just that. As expected, the film starts of slow, the audience enter the world and familiarise themselves with its environment. Instantly, the audience are placed in the position of the voyeurs. Hitchcock is known for his voyeuristic tendencies, however by far, Rear Window is the film that is most predominately driven by voyeurism. At first, the audience may feel uncomfortable being placed in such position, I certainly did. It almost feels forbidden and wrong to be observing people in such position, but yet, there is something appealing and tempting in doing so. Hitchcock was a master of the mind, as he knew quite well that humans and their emotions are often contradictory, often we feel drawn to something, but at the same time we feel a sense of repulsion in the form of cognitive dissonance. Hitchcock was certainly not afraid of exploring the real human nature, our hidden desires and urges, because let’s face it, a few will admit it, but we as a species find pleasure in being the onlooker, we are aroused by the forbidden, and Hitchcock cleverly manipulates his audience using those hidden drives.The narrative of the film develops slowly, however there are many indicators of what to expect. Stewart is stranded at home in his wheelchair with a broken leg, out of boredom he enters the private world of his many neighbours, who as the film develops, all have a story to tell. Once again, the audience are offered to see the world through the male protagonist’s perspective. Not only is Stewart stuck at home, as an audience we are stuck there with him and that is in some way annoying, there is a whole world out there ready to be explored, but we are only able to see it through a window. Like any Hitchcock film, there is tension, there is frustration and an urge to ’help’ and this exactly was Hitchcock wants from his audience; only through those feelings the audience truly enter the world of the unknown. 

Hitchcock’s films are visually stimulating and pleasing, however, only through the subtexts of the narrative are the audience ever able to truly absorb and understand them fully. All Hitchcock films can be (and most certainly should be) psychoanalysed, his films are a feast to the hungry minds. Rear Window, provoked me to analyse the symbolism and the reflection of life convey through the film. At first glance, the film is a powerful mystery, of course there is murder involved, although all the way throughout the film there are doubts creeping upon the protagonists, as well as the audience. So what was Hitchcock trying to represent? At first glance there is nothing unnerving about the environment, a typical neighbourhood that combines the beautiful ‘girl next door’, the lonely woman, the quirky couple, everything that we, as an audience, could expect from such a place. However, only when we take a closer look, we begin to see those people for who they really are...  This raises the question, whether people are innately good, or in fact rotten to their core. Hitchcock was not a simple man, he was a provocateur, although his films follow a linear narrative, they are by no means simple, as to truly understand his work, one must take apart the layers of his films.

I have yet to be disappointed by a Hitchcock film, yes I certainly liked some more than others, however Hitchcock greatness is consistent in his filmmaking. Throughout the years, many controversies arouse regarding Hitchcock, he certainly was an eccentric man. However, despite the rumours and controversies, he was one of a kind, and his masterpieces deserve admiration and praises. I will certainly be seeing more of his films, but even without seeing them all, I can see why we should all admire him. Hitchcock may have had a particular liking for murder and mysteries, however I am sure that you will all find something that you will like among his films, as no Hitchcock film, is ever the same.

Anna Gaszkowska