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LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #7: film The Judge (2014)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films, listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

# 7. The Judge (2014)


 

“This family is a (fuxxing) Picasso painting.” : 

-        This is a line said by the main character Hank Palmer, who is a successful and high-priced defense attorney in the big city, when he came back to his small home town for his mother’s funeral. He said it to his older brother, referring to the messy, complicated, and irreconcilable relationships among the family members. Just like the abstract style of Picasso painting, Hank feels that his family was not looking normal but rather maladjusted and morbidly distorted inside.

 

“I loved you then and I love you now. I do. I love how you are simultaneously the most selfish and the most generous person I know. I love how you hate a bully while being one. But your constant second-guessing of others, that crystal-ball bullshit? That hyperverbal vocabulary-vomit thing that you do? I disappeared around you, Hank.”: 

-        This is a line said by Hank’s high school sweetheart, Samantha who is still living and running a tavern in their hometown. She was into Hank head over hills, but she was exhausted and overwhelmed by his strong ego and ‘difficult-to-please’ personality. She felt that Hank was always acting like he was way above everyone else when it comes to interpreting circumstances and predicting the future through his fast-paced talking. It explains that while she trusts and loves Hank, his arrogant, controlling, and fast-talking nature forced her to lose her own identity and confidence in the relationship.

 

“Everyone wants Atticus Finch until there's a dead hooker in a bathtub.”:

-        Hank is cynically pointing out the absurdity of harsh reality where people pretend to uphold moral justice and truth like the ideal lawyer Atticus Finch in the novel “To Kill a Mocking Bird”, whereas they tend to lean on flexible lawyers, expecting them to cover up the inconvenient or dirty truth. Hank makes big money by defending guilty people because he knows "innocent people can't afford him," contrasting his pragmatic approach to the idealist, moralistic view.

 

·   **   Jean’s small thoughts:

While watching the 2014 film The Judge, I was struck by parallels with my home country, South Korea. The former First Lady, Kim Keun-hee, was involved in numerous controversies related to market manipulation and bribery cases, yet received a sentence of only one year and eight months in prison. This case has highlighted concerns regarding the effectiveness and integrity of Korea's law enforcement and justice system.

Also, this movie powerfully reminded me that forgiveness can blossom in life’s most unexpected moments, bridging gaps between long-lost family, lovers, and friends.



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