Camille Gross: Collateral Beauty 23 April
One movie that was really panned by critics but I really enjoyed was Collateral Beauty. Will Smith plays Howard, a man who is struggling to cope with the loss of his daughter. He writes letters to love, time, and death. These letters are discovered by his co-worker Whit, played by Edward Norton, who decides to hire people to play personifications of love, time, and death. Whit does this because their business is failing and Howard is the only one who can fix it. Throughout the film, the personifications talk to Howard but really help improve the lives of Whit and their other co-workers. While this film is not perfect, I believe it really brings up interesting points about death.
At one point, when Howard is talking to Death, he says: “I've heard all of your platitudes. I got them, I know. "She's in a better place." And, "This is all a part of a master plan." Heard that one, too. Here's my favorite. "God looked down and saw the most beautiful rose, so beautiful that he picked it to have it in Heaven all for Himself." Then there's the science, biocentrism, and we're all living and dying in infinite universes all at the same time. And then the religion, the Christians and their salvation, and the Buddhists and their Samsara, and the Hindus and their 41st sacrament. And can't forget the poetry. Oh, the poetry. "To die is different from what anyone supposed and luckier." Whitman. And, "Rage... Rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right." Thomas. And then… Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream Merrily, merrily merrily, merrily, life is but a dream! I got it. I got it! It all basically says that you're a natural part of life, we shouldn't hate you, we shouldn't fear you. I guess we should just accept you, right? That's it? I get it. Here's the thing. It's all a bunch of intellectual bullshit because she's not here holding my fucking hand.”
When I first watched this movie, I was dealing with the passing of an old friend. Talking about it to anyone is the worst because most people try to say all of these positive things Howard just said. For some people, this means the world to them. They deal with death more positively. Not me. I felt like Howard and every time someone tried to say something positive, I would only feel more anger. I need time to feel anger and sadness before I get around to the positive feelings. Some people won’t be comfortable with your sadness and try to make you forget but I don’t want to forget. My friend meant the world to me and it was heartbreaking to think I would never create another memory with them again. When I feel better, I talk about death being apart of God’s plan but when I’m still in shock that is the last thing I want to discuss.
At one point, when Howard is talking to Death, he says: “I've heard all of your platitudes. I got them, I know. "She's in a better place." And, "This is all a part of a master plan." Heard that one, too. Here's my favorite. "God looked down and saw the most beautiful rose, so beautiful that he picked it to have it in Heaven all for Himself." Then there's the science, biocentrism, and we're all living and dying in infinite universes all at the same time. And then the religion, the Christians and their salvation, and the Buddhists and their Samsara, and the Hindus and their 41st sacrament. And can't forget the poetry. Oh, the poetry. "To die is different from what anyone supposed and luckier." Whitman. And, "Rage... Rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right." Thomas. And then… Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream Merrily, merrily merrily, merrily, life is but a dream! I got it. I got it! It all basically says that you're a natural part of life, we shouldn't hate you, we shouldn't fear you. I guess we should just accept you, right? That's it? I get it. Here's the thing. It's all a bunch of intellectual bullshit because she's not here holding my fucking hand.”
When I first watched this movie, I was dealing with the passing of an old friend. Talking about it to anyone is the worst because most people try to say all of these positive things Howard just said. For some people, this means the world to them. They deal with death more positively. Not me. I felt like Howard and every time someone tried to say something positive, I would only feel more anger. I need time to feel anger and sadness before I get around to the positive feelings. Some people won’t be comfortable with your sadness and try to make you forget but I don’t want to forget. My friend meant the world to me and it was heartbreaking to think I would never create another memory with them again. When I feel better, I talk about death being apart of God’s plan but when I’m still in shock that is the last thing I want to discuss.
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