We Discover

tedg

The way I think of films is that every film is first about other films and incidentally about life. In referencing or extending our film experience — and at the same time providing tools for folding that experience into life — movies give us tools FOR life. Or for dreaming, which is much the same.

Here we have the second chapter of a movie made so far over fifty years. It deliberately references the story — a well developed one — of British class society which exists as much in art as in life, perhaps more. That's because the notion of class is enfranchised by the resources and fealty of those not privileged, and they buy into it because it gives them a story worth being a part of. This is a story about that story.

So just in its notion, this series will be important. I am only at the second chapter at this writing and boy am I hooked. It seems that they couldn't have picked more exemplary types if they had tried. The painfully shy farm boy. The three young upper class schoolboys, trying on old costumes. The three low class girls headed toward shopclerking and daft motherhood. The aspiring jockey. The rich, empty girl on her Scottish estate, sitting on the grass while her dog mauls a rabbit. Its all too perfect. And though the seven year stretch between chapters seems a bit long at this point in their lives, 14 is a great age to see the clumsiness with which these kids adopt their roles.

I understand that some of the 14 souls chose to not continue being gawked at in future episodes. I am sure I would opt out, because each of us are so mundanely transparent when viewed this way.

What an experience. The first chapter was dull. This already is engrossing.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

score /10

tedg 10 November 2006

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1518282/