WIDE AWAKE
US, 1998, 88 minutes, Colour.
Joseph Cross, Timothy Reifsnyder, Dana Delany, Denis Leary, Robert Loggia, Rosie O’ Donnell, Camryn Manheim, Julia Stiles, Dan Lauria.
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
Wide Awake is the second film by M. Night Shyamalan (the first being Praying with Anger). It is a small autobiographical film and, allegedly, the director was not pleased with the way that the producers controlled his film. However, it is a very fine film about a ten-year-old boy and his quest for meaning in life, the understanding of his grandfather’s death, the role of God in the world. It is based on aspects of Shyamalan’s own life and childhood in Philadelphia where the film was made.
Shyamalan, within two years, had made The Sixth Sense and had been widely acclaimed. His subsequent films did not receive such good reviews: Unbreakable, Signs, The Village, Lady in the Water, The Happening, The Last Airbender.
Joseph Cross was introduced in this film and has made the transition from child actor to adult actor. Dana Delany and Denis Leary are his parents. Robert Loggia gives a very warm performance as his grandfather. Timothy Reifsnyder gives an interesting, different performance as his friend. The nuns are portrayed by Rosie O’ Donnell, a sports-loving nun, and Camryn Manheim who teaches drama and elocution. Julia Stiles has a small role as Joseph Cross’s sister.
The film takes place over the school year, has different sections which have the labels of questions and answers.
There are a lot of classroom sequences, where Joseph Cross uses his intelligence as well as asking a lot of questions. Finally he gives a report of his experience of his grandfather in the drama class, a warm and attractive speech, commented on by Camryn Manheim helping to get a good grade as this is part of his assessment. The scenes with Sister Terry, Rosie O’Donnell?, with her references to sport, are serious but also amusing.
The boy has been very affected by the death of his grandfather, was a boy of great faith, began to worry about how God could allow evil in the world. He explores different aspects of different religions and seeks support from the parish priest.
There are a lot of wise sayings and questions in the film, interesting to see a ten-year-old boy with such deep thoughts. There is also the very human, boyish element, in his relationship with his best friend whom he discovers to be epileptic.
A warm film, a thoughtful and emotional film.
1. The director and his experience of Philadelphia, growing up, a child, Indian background, in the United States? Issues of values, issues of philosophy and spirituality?
2. The director and his career, his second film, small-budget, strong cast?
3. The title, the literal aspect of Josh initially finding it difficult to wake up? His waking up experience in asking all his questions, his explorations, listening to answers? Able to wake up more readily at the end?
4. The family story, the Beals? His ordinary life, his parents? Their personalities, their work, their son and daughter, relationships? Domestic scenes? His sister? Her being older, more critical? The interactions with Josh?
5. The importance of Josh’s grandfather, his presence, talking with his grandson, the background of sport, going to church and praying, communion, the mass sequence? His life, support of his grandson and his studies, sport, performance? His promise not to die? His illness, death? Living in Josh’s memory? Josh trying to come to terms with the death of his grandfather? Remembering his philosophy, his optimism, affirmation of life, his devoutness?
6. Josh and his age, ten-year-old, questions, an interior life? At school, his friends? The bullying? The boy that he disliked – and discovering that he had to withdraw from the school, not having money to pay the fees, his decision to go and reconcile with him before he left? The integrity in the ten-year-old boy? His questions in class, especially with Sister Terry, the issue of baptism and people going to Hell? With the other sisters, the discussion with the principal? With Sister Sophia, the drama class? His final story, reading it, Sister interrupting to get the best intonations from him?
7. The structure of the film, the seasons, the terms, questions, hypotheses, answers? The year’s experience?
8. The issues of meaning, life, death, afterlife, the puzzle about God and the problem of evil?
9. Joshua and his friend Dave? Their high jinks? Dave and his personality? His parents? Coming to school, absent from school? What Joshua learnt from Dave? The discovery of Dave having his epileptic fit, saving him? The bonds between the two? Dave as an enigmatic character? The other children at school, especially the bullying boy and his having to leave?
10. The end of year, Josh and his story, coming awake, coming to terms, communicating, his future? His vision of the bird – and the sense of immortality and the presence of his grandfather?
11. A story of transition, a coming of age – especially intellectual and emotional age?
