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 (more…)
According To My Sources 