Takahashi continues: "So after Ryan O'Neal has slaved away to become a lawyer, they never give the audience any idea what kind of work he does. All we know is he joins this top law firm and pulls in a salary that would make anyone envious. He lives in a fancy Manhattan high-rise with a doorman out front, joins a WASP sports club, and plays squash with his yuppie friends. That's all we know."
Takahashi drinks his water.
"So what happens after that?" Mari asks.
Takahashi looks upward, recalling the plot. "Happy ending. The two live happily ever after. Love conquers all. It's like: we used to be miserable, but now everything's great. They drive a shiny new Jaguar, he plays squash, and sometimes in winter they throw snowballs. Meanwhile, the father who disowned Ryan O'Neal comes down with diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver and Meniere's disease and dies a lonely, miserable death."
"I don't get it. What's so good about a story like that?"
Takahashi cocks his head. "Hmm, what did I like about it? I can't remember. I had stuff to do, so I didn't watch the last part very closely."
--Haruki Murakami, AFTER DARK
4 days ago
2 comments:
It is interesting that is how Murakamyi remembers it, beuase that is kindof the way I remember it too. I mean, I know what happens at the end, but that all seems tacked on.
The movie is, at its core, about two people who fall in love and try to make a life for themselves on their own terms. It goes about this story in a slightly stupid and contrived way, but that is the movie. The new york scenes do feel like the climax.
oops, it isn't murakami, but one of his characters. anyway, i still agree.
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