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Post by mllemass on Jun 10, 2018 15:42:47 GMT
I think the idea if imagining what you would say to your abuser is part of therapy. Years ago, a co-worker was giving me advice on how to deal with someone who had been horrible to me. My co-worker had recently lost his wife and was in therapy, so he talked about it a lot. He told me that instead of fantasizing about revenge scenarios (which I was spending all my time doing), he told me to imagine that person suddenly in front of me: what would I say? I actually didn't know what I would say, so I spent some time thinking about it and saying it out loud (to myself), and it really did help! I no longer had to have those thoughts constantly in my head. It really felt like it was over and I could finally stop thinking about it.
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Post by queenzod on Jun 10, 2018 16:28:40 GMT
Yes, it is. Sometimes people write letters (but don’t send them). Cue John Cusak in America’s Sweethearts: “dear mom, fuck you.” Lol!
You have to bring the experience into the present with the understanding that you are an adult now, with resources you didn’t have back then. One thing I thought PM did extraordinarily well was to portray the child in the man, and the adult in the child. That the small person inside is always connected to us. It was all so seamless and I really believed that young Patrick and adult Patrick were the same person, not just two actors.
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Post by roverpup on Jun 10, 2018 17:45:43 GMT
I think that bit at the end with young Patrick works both ways. I thought it was clear in the series that it was a metaphor and that Patrick didn’t say that all those years ago. It’s the adult Patrick setting his demons to rest, at last, and reconciling with his experience. However, if you want to think he said that, then you can. This what it thought too QZ. At least in the Patrck Melrose series I thought it was pretty clearly a metaphor. With the books... I would have to re-read it (and I have lent them out so I can't check) to see if it was presented in a metaphorical way or not (something tells me it wasn't but I am not sure about this). I do think that presenting it as a metaphorical moment in Patrick's life is perfect for this series and gives the whole story cohesion that it needs for a limited series. But it was presented in such a way that it didn't hit the viewers over the head and yet it was totally satisfying combined with the part of the ending scene where he rejects going to see the waitress and decides to "change his mind" and go see his boys and Mary instead. And the lighted hallway shot with him walking out into the sunshine - so perfect!! So hopeful and uplifting! I read a great review of At Last this morning (I just wanted to spend a bit more time with Patrick this morning) from the New Yorker and it delved into the beautiful language used in the book and how it draws you into Patrick's world... and it led me to thinking about how skillfully David N.'s script, E. Berger's direction and BC'S acting were at doing the same thing in this series! Everything just worked so well together to make a perfect storm of a adaptation of such a rich novel! Things like this just don't come along every day. It's good to revel in it, love it, examine it and watch it all over again to gain new insights at each viewing. Like the books I plan on experiencing this a number of times. I love re-reading books I find a profound connection with multiple times. I want to let the sorrow, the laughter, the terror, the pain, the pity, the love, the hope, the salvation wash over me again and again. And I feel the same about this series too. I'll be ordering the DVD as soon as it is possible! :-))
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Post by sgev1977 on Jun 10, 2018 18:52:00 GMT
Yes, I have the impression it really happens in the book but it was described in a very different way and I think it wasn’t the ending scene.
I tend to think it’s adult Patrick finally confronting David in his mind in the series. So beautiful!
Also what about the look of recognition between Nicholas and Patrick! Someone said on Twiter that she always thought Nicholas was so upset at the ending (in the book) because he suddenly understood what David did to Patrick (Seriously, I have to read the book again!). It could explain the look but also his crazy diatribe justifying himself as a father. Could it be he is trying to ask Patrick for forgiveness?
Also sorry to Pip Torrents for not knowing who he was when he was cast! He was sublime!
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Post by roverpup on Jun 10, 2018 19:52:42 GMT
Another thing - I don’t think I will ever listen to this song again and not think of PM -
Perfect ending credit song...
:-))
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Post by roverpup on Jun 10, 2018 20:15:37 GMT
Yes, I have the impression it really happens in the book but it was described in a very different way and I think it wasn’t the ending scene. I tend to think it’s adult Patrick finally confronting David in his mind in the series. So beautiful! Also what about the look of recognition between Nicholas and Patrick! Someone said on Twiter that she always thought Nicholas was so upset at the ending (in the book) because he suddenly understood what David did to Patrick (Seriously, I have to read the book again!). It could explain the look but also his crazy diatribe justifying himself as a father. Could it be he is trying to ask Patrick for forgiveness? Also sorry to Pip Torrents for not knowing who he was when he was cast! He was sublime! I even have this feeling it happened in one of the earlier novels or way before the ending of At Last. But like I said I will have to check when I get the books back (not for another week or so). And definitely it was handled in a very different way (seem to recall it was just “told” to the reader and there wasn’t a lot of descriptive detail like what was said between his father and him). It was so beautifully done in the series, wasn’t it! The look between Pratt and Patrick... have to watch that again. Forgiveness... I don’t know. It would be very uncharacteristic of Nicholas, but who knows. Yeah, Pip Torrens is a really good actor and was wonderful in this role! He’s been in a LOT of things!! And some of the TV stuff I recognise from BC’s CV too (although he wasn’t on in the same year in some series). But he was in War Horse with BC. :-))
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Post by sgev1977 on Jun 10, 2018 20:31:03 GMT
He is even more vile in this one but he is very vulnerable at the end.
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Post by mllemass on Jun 10, 2018 20:32:42 GMT
I do think that a lot of the scenes were shown in a different order than they were in the books. So they held back some things shot when Patrick was young, and showed them as flashbacks in later episodes.
I was thinking of that last flashback, when Patrick tells David no. And then he phones Mary to tell her he had "changed his mind", as Robert had suggested earlier because "That's what it's for". I love that! The mind CAN be changed, and his memory of his father can be the memory of confronting him and finally being free of him.
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Post by sgev1977 on Jun 11, 2018 1:40:20 GMT
Another comment: How raw and disturbing was the delirium tremens scene? Probably my reaction was the same I had when I watched The Lost Weekend for the first time and I was only 13 and didn’t have any idea what DT was then! Again great and very realistic physical acting by BC!
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Post by queenzod on Jun 11, 2018 1:48:21 GMT
His physicality was excellent throughout, especially during the DT scenes. But he was in pretty good shape for a middle aged alcoholic, lol. The stumbling around wrecking the flat, crashing into things, slurring words, wild eyed, a huge pile of trash. Sheer talent.
Swimming towards the shallow end of the pool now, there were so many lovely shots of his...skin in each episode. His physique is damned impressive, ladies. Very...fit. And so much blue. Bathed in blue, I might even say. Gorgeous! 😍
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