“The Yellow Handkerchief” Review

On Tuesday, the 22nd of December I (Elle) & a close friend who we shall call Source #12, went to see “The Yellow Handkerchief” starring Kristen Stewart

Here is the trailer

First, we will provide a SPOILER FREE recap for those of you who want to wait 7 weeks to see this  awesome movie.

The Yellow Handkerchief is a beautifully crafted film starring William Hurt (Brett Hanson), Maria Bello (May), Eddie Redmayne (Gordy), and of course, our darling Kristen Stewart (Martine).  We are first introduced to Brett, who has just been released from prison.  The reason for his imprisonment will be told very slowly through well placed flashback scenes.  Brett is perhaps in his 50s, has a quiet demeanor and thinks before he speaks.  Upon leaving prison, Brett does what we would all do – get a beer at a diner/general store.  In the same diner, we see a young man who seems rather erratic and “bopping” all over the place; this is Gordy. Gordy seems to be somewhere between 19 – 23.  His main concern is buying film that is expired. Meanwhile, Brett is looking out the window at a young girl – Martine – trying to talk with a young man who seems more interested in another young woman.  Martine’s age is a mystery for most of the movie – she may be 14 or 19.  When Martine enters the diner, we learn that Martine and the young man from the street had a sexual encounter the night before, and of course, it means nothing to him.  Martine and Gordy wind up talking to each other very casually, and Martine is very dismissive of him.  But Martine wants a little adventure.  And Gordy has a car.   We also learn that Brett wants out of town, too.  The perfect storm is brewing…

At this point we know the movie takes place near New Orleans but the exact location is not clear.  Our three amigos embark on an unintended road trip.  While these three travel together, we see that these characters desperately “want to be a part of something but live apart from everything,” as Gordy puts it nicely.  These characters carry a great deal of pain.  Brett’s story is what keeps these three traveling together through Katrina-ravaged Louisiana.  As Brett tells his story through his flashbacks, we learn that his love is May.  They have a beautiful story.  And we also learn how he ended up in prison, which is heartbreaking.  But as this is a spoiler free recap, we won’t give any more detail.

Martine also has a great deal of pain.  She seems to be a lost soul, and with good reason.  She only wants to be loved by someone, and her efforts to find love seem at times to be misplaced.  It’s clear she has aspirations to be a ballerina, but that is not likely.  She is a classic case of a young girl who has “daddy issues.”  We were surprised to find out how old Martine was. It will make you rethink a lot of the movie.

Gordy is just wonderful.  You will love him.  He is clearly a little “different” and is clearly in love with Martine at first sight.  He has been shunned by his family.  He is very in tune with nature and is a talented photographer.  He is the comic relief of this movie.  And we wish he had his own movie.

Brett might be the true adult in this trio, but Martine and Gordy are unexpected support and cheerleaders for him.  Each of these characters help each other through their own personal “journey” to find love and to be a “part of something.”  Without giving too much spoilers, we will note that this is truly a love story with a little adventure thrown in.  There is some action in this film, as well as an arrest, an unwelcome sexual advance, and a most endearing scene in a diner where the subtle acting chops of these actors are on full display – it’s quick though, you might miss it.

We would be remiss if we did not mention the symbolism throughout this movie.  It is important to take note of all the “journeys” in this movie, including the modes of transportation used – cars, buses, and boats.  And the settings match the characters themselves – isolated, abandoned, run down.  The movie is also beautifully filmed.  There is heartbreak in the NOLA landscape, but there is also beauty, and the film captures both equally well.  On a side note, the music was unremarkable.

I think you can tell we loved this film, and not just because Kristen was in it.  We did sit around for days discussing this movie, which explains why it took so long for us to do this.  If you love to discuss imagery, universal themes, and symbolism, mixed with amazing acting and beautiful cinematography, this is the movie for you.

We found this interesting: The Yellow Handkerchief is a Japanese remake Shiawase no kiiroi hankachi 1977

We didn’t give away any details in this recap, so if you don’t want to know anymore, we suggest you stop reading now and navigate away from the page…you have been warned. We will now head straight for SPOILERS, ATMS-style MOFOs!

WE REPEAT, SPOILERS BELOW

First we note we were the youngest people in the audience by 60 years. Dr. Ruth was there! Yes, THE Dr. Ruth. She of course asked a question about “arousal” – particularly how Brett dealt with the “arousal” he must have felt when Martine came on to him.(er, that was a spoiler) If you don’t know who Dr. Ruth is, then you still haven’t found your G-spot. Look her up, you will thank us.

click for the spoils

On to our interview with ourselves. Barbara Walters was busy…

What did you think of the beginning of the movie and how these characters ended up traveling together?

Source #1:  Brett, Martine and Gordy all started out on independent journeys just to go somewhere than where they were.  They didn’t know where they were going, but they realized that each of them could be of benefit to each other. Gordy had the car, Martine wanted to get away just for the day (haha) and Brett was was out of prison and broke.

Source #12: I gotta admit I was very confused about the beginning.  A guy just out of prison (Brett), eying a young girl (Martine) who is obviously a lil loose with her taco, and this whackadoo boy/man who wants expired disposable cameras all meet up at a diner, then again at a ferry crossing and start traveling together? It was a lot to take in at the beginning. I liked the car though. It’s something I could see parked outside Kristen’s parents’ house. But I’m not a stalker. Really.

What is your impression of Martine?

Source #1:  Dreamer is what came to mind. She dreams of being loved, wanted & nurtured also dreams of being a dancer/ballerina.

Source #12: She’s a lost little girl. But we don’t know her age, which really through me for a loop. Is she 14, is she 19? But it was kinda nice not knowing (We decided to leave her actual age out it really struck me as mind blowing). Kristen played that very well. Kudos. You will definitely replay the movie in your head when you realize her age, especially since she’s traveling without a parent and makes some obvious sexual advances towards Brett.

What do you think about Martine’s relationship with Brett?

Source #1: At the beginning, she wanted him as a boyfriend, she thought he could love her (as mentioned above, that’s what she longs for). He then becomes something like a best-friend & morphs into a father figure.

Source #12: I concur.

Gordy! What a character! Tell me about him?

Source #1:  Sigh. At first I totally wanted to give him a prescription for Ritalin too. Then you instantly fall in love with the character. He brings humor into the movie. Gordy was adopted, but he didn’t see it as that. It was how he was raised. Native American. One thing you will remember will be his Jacket, ‘it’s hard for him to find a jacket to suit his wide shoulders’ & him & his and his scrapbook are going to help science some day.

Source #12:  That kid is whacked. But I LOVE HIM. He thinks he’s one with the earth. He’s a little, um, abnormal, but he’s perfectly normal for Martine. Because, let’s be honest, she’s not right in the head either. He needs his own movie really. Maybe a TV show. At least a few vids on youtube.

What about Martine & Gordy’s relationship? Is it normal?

Source #1: Is there such a thing as a ‘normal’ relationship? & who are we to define normal? I say as play-ground lurve. He pulls her pig tails, she says he has cooties. Then it eventually evolves into something. Like a solved puzzle.

Source #12: Well, it’s no clumsy young girl meets an ancient sparklepants, but I thought they were adorable together. They need someone to love them and to love. Gordy knew all along he liked her. She took a lil more convincing. I get it though, he’s cuckoo.  He wanted her all along.  She resisted.  But does she cave….???? hmmmm, yes, yes she does. 

What do all of these characters learn about themselves and each other?

Source #1:For me, this film was about acceptance from within, like finding yourself without knowing you’re trying to find yourself…

Source #12: For me, I thought these characters all just wanted freedom…they were running away from something. But they really just wanted to be a part of something…anything. To be loved, to belong to someone else.

There’s a lot of symbolism in this movie. What do you think the settings & cinematography?

Source #1:  Poetic details in this movie are deliberate, the colors are divine. They will leave you in awe.

Source #12: I loved it! What beautiful shots of the landscape. I loved it.

It’s pretty obvious Martine has aspirations of being a ballerina.  What are your thoughts on that?

Source #1:  I say dreams.

Source #12:  She’s in her teens. A lil late to be a ballerina, no?

Source #1: Dude she’s flexible.

Source #12: I think the headstand was a stunt double. Just sayin.

Did Kristen nail the accent?

Source #1: *Calls Source #12* Erm, she’ll answer this one.

Source #12: I’m from NYC. I can’t pass judgment on accents. But I think she did a great job. Martine is not actually from NOLA, so don’t judge based on that or the 2 clips shown.

Martine’s outlet seems to be dancing, Does Gordy appear to have one?

Source #1:  He knows he’s talented but he doesn’t know he it until Martine points it out.  She shines the light on his talent.

Source #12: He’s great. Sometimes when I’m drunk and I put my camera on a different speed, I get pics like that. I don’t think you need special expired film.

Let’s talk about sex, Baby.  How is it handled in the film?

Source #1: It ranged from Brett & May having making rough lurve (or so it seems) to them making love. Source #12 will go in depth with this one. * no, we don’t see Kristen knickers in this movie. Bunch o’ pervs.

Source #12: There was sex? OHHHH, yes, there was sex. But we don’t get to see it. Ripoff. Martine is a lil “advanced” for her age, no?  She has an “encounter” with some guy at the beginning of the movie, but we only hear of it through her conversation with said guy. She totally comes onto Brett. Um, yeah, those are your daddy issues. Did we mention Dr. Ruth was in the audience? She wanted to know how Brett dealt with the “AROUSAL” *Dr. Ruth voice* he felt when Martine approached him and asked that she live with him. And then the sex with Gordy. We don’t see anything, btw, I’m still waiting for Kristen and Rob sex tape, anyway, it’s cute how Martine and Gordy’s sexy time is handled. That’s all I’m saying.

How do you think TYH rates against the other roles Kristen has chosen?

Source #1: In a lot of Kristen’s prior roles she plays strong, level-headed & independent characters (like herself) but in this she has to play a very vulnerable person. Sort of makes me wonder if she shares a bit of Martine’s vulnerability.

Source #12:  Kristen picks movies where the characters have a story that must be told slowly and with lots of symbolism. This is one of them. None of the characters fit in their own RL, but together they fit nicely. And help each other. They’re on a journey in so many ways.

How many times did Kristen bite her lip? Stammer?

Source #1: I didn’t count. I fail? But no stammering or fidgeting.

Source #12: I counted 4 lip-bites.

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Martine doesn’t have a mother figure. How do you think that affected her relationships with Brett and Gordy?

Source #1:  Well her not having a mother may have been a reason why she took a trip with 2 total strangers to god knows where, but she has her dad, & I use the word ‘has’ loosely.

Source #12: I can’t even remember a mention of Martine’s mom. And her dad is never around. Seems like he has a new girlfriend that replaced Martine. She’s a lost soul.

So  Martine has issues with her father?

Source #1:  She lives with her dad, & has been ‘replaced’ by his new girlfriend. She left home for a few days and it shouldn’t take four days for him to call her & check to see if she’s still breathing. He is an absence in her life, so she clings to Gordy & Brett because they seem to care about her.

Source #12: Duh.

May and Brett have an strained relationship. We learn about May through flashbacks. What was your impression of her?

Source #1:  I wouldn’t say it was a love at first sight thing with them but it wasn’t. It’s a push pull thing at first, they don’t  realize they want the same things until May ends up pregnant. This is too vital for just to spoil, but both May & Brett deal with severely serious issues. This is also the reason we won’t spoil as to why Brett was incarcerated.

Source #12:  I couldn’t hear those parts. The old people were coughing around me. I wasn’t sure they’d all make it through the movie.

Did you like the movie?

Source #1: Do bears shit in the woods? Yes? Then yes. I loved this movie, & to be honest it was not because of Kristen. Yes I went to see it because HELLO I am KStewDevotee!! but I fell in love with William Hurt’s character Brett. We need more people with his view on life, in the real world

Source #12: I fucking loved it. So did the old man next to me. I called him Old Spice.  He didn’t get up to pee once.

Does this film have a happy ending *snicker*?

Source #1: Gah yes! I may or may not have cried. The ending leaves you wanting to know more about Martine & Gordy.

Source #12:  I cried a little.  I think even Old Spice shed a tear. Then he booked it. I think the bladder was full.

Why do you think the movie  was named The Yellow Handkerchief?

Source #1 & Source #12: Some people send flower’s, others write love letters. May would raise a yellow flag to show/tell Brett that she loved him & wanted to see him. This flag was diminished during Hurricane Katrina. We feel a bit cryptic about this so just listen to Tony Orlando & Dawn’s Tie A Yellow Ribbon. DO IT!!!

& finally… What does The Yellow Handkerchief mean to you?

Source #1 & Source #12:  It’s a journey of three lost souls who want to be “a part of something, but are apart from everything.” We think that’s what Gordy says towards the end. Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree….

Thank you for reading & hope you enjoyed

Click here for two more TYH Clips 1 & 2

Please be sure to watch The Yellow Handkerchief when it hits theaters on February 26, 2010

You will need a brain to fully appreciate “The Yellow Handkerchief”