THE PHENOMENON:
The Downside-
With notable exceptions this film has been panned by critics, most of whom, when they weren’t arrogant, were ignorant. In a misguided attempt at political correctness they trashed the shocking ending of the film to pre-empt predicted public outrage. That is a kind interpretation of their motives. There was also much envy and maliciousness, an attempt to diss ‘vampire boy’ Robert Pattinson for daring to be a teen heart throb and not, in their opinion, rising in the ranks slowly enough, like a good boy.
Then even Pattinson’s teen girl fanbase boycotted the film, for the immature reason that the vampire Edward was ‘cheating’ on Bella. Which brings us to the fact that the studio poorly marketed the movie as a romantic drama. This kept the males away too.
Therefore the film, by blockbuster standards, did poorly at the box office. Yet this small indie flick, produced for a mere $16M, has now made $55M world-wide, which is actually a very respectable figure. Compare it with the Academy Award Winner, Hurt Locker, which had comparable production budget and grossed approx. $45M globally. [Box Office Mojo]
However, the story of its reception by actual viewers is very different. Indeed, puzzled by the poor reviews, audiences have been jumping to the film’s defence, sometimes passionately.
The Upside-
Comments on websites and blogs have been amazingly positive. And that ending elicited mostly more positive comments. From general good ‘reviews’ from the viewing public, the comments ventured into more intense territory. People started sharing personal responses to the film and reactions of their families and friends; these were as stunning as the film’s ending.
People of both sexes, of all ages, from 14 to 94, reacted similarly. It is hard to encapsulate the sheer passion which they describe. Some quotes from the comments might give an idea but they should be multiplied one hundred fold, because the impact of reading them together is astounding:
-rarely does a film move me emotionally as this one did;
-it’s how the film touches my heart that sets it apart
-I cried like a baby
-haven’t seen a movie this honest in a long time
-it profoundly moved me; -never been moved so much when watching a movie
-they don’t make them like this anymore
-it made me feel, unlike most movies
-it’s a sign of a good movie when you genuinely care about the characters
-a deep ache in my heart.
You get the picture. And this is the tip of the iceberg.
Then the comments changed. People started saying things about the need for repeat viewings, and here too, the number of people who voiced this was substantial; it was like a refrain.
-I rarely feel compelled to see a movie twice but this one, yes
-It stayed with me; I can’t get it out of my head and it’s been a week; I can’t forget it.
Next, people started sharing very personal stories, either from their own lives, or told how they and their friends felt the need to discuss it. Stories of loss, love, of 9/11, of their most personal griefs. This poured out of them. Remember Me set off a tidal wave within so many viewers, the dimensions of which none of them knew when they first stepped out of the theatre, after the first viewing. The film set loose a veritable tsunami of feeling within each one.
Comments changed again. People were analyzing the movie.
-sticks with you and makes you think
-thought-provoking and caused me to re-evaluate my life
-I somehow felt more alive after watching this film
-this movie opened my eyes to grief
Another shift in the comments came when they decided this film had changed their lives. They analyzed their own lives and had existential epiphanies.
-remembering helps you grow and change
-I renewed my commitments to touch others’ lives
-the raw emotion this film evoked from me had been untapped for many years and was transforming; it got me to step back and re-evaluate my life
-how do I want to be remembered?
-what if today is my last day?
Next new blogs began, analyzing the film from different angles: artistic, psychological, sociological, through the characters, themes and symbols used. People thought it should be taught in high schools and universities.
Viewers had always used superlatives but now they used emblematic ones. It was a modern day Ordinary People. According to some, it was ‘the best film ever made’, ‘the best film I’ve ever seen’, ‘my favourite movie of the year’, ‘of all time’. It had ‘a deep message’, ‘a film that matters’, ‘not to be missed’ and would have ‘a lasting place in film history’. And big words were being used, by quite a number of them. The words Oscar and classic.
This movie, which was panned by critics, boycotted by the supposed fanbase, poorly marketed, had found its audience—which straddled demographics—and which was in awe of the profound impact it had had on each of their lives.
We are now at the stage when next year’s Oscar contenders are being selected in a general buzz. Where is Remember Me in all of this? Again, there is a big disconnect between those with power and influence to create Oscar talk and those who have see the film. Call it the great divide. And that begs the question: What the heck happened?
To read the rest of this very insightful article, please visit
The Unofficial Remember Me Site Today
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