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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