WISDOM

US, 1986, 104 minutes, Colour.
Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright.
Directed by Emilio Estevez

Wisdom is an offbeat drama written and directed by its star, Emilio Estevez who had written That Was Then, This Is Now by S.E. Hinton. This is an offbeat story of a young man, convicted of a felony, who can't be employed and who decides to become a criminal, not against the people but for them. He robs banks for their foreclosure records and, with his girlfriend, becomes an American hero, a mixture of Clyde and Robin Hood. Can it last? Well-made with touches of irony in the seriousness, it moves to a dramatic climax, and then the ending needs thinking about to determine what the film is really saying and that is worthwhile. Estevez, son of Martin Sheen, appeared in many significant films of the '80s including The Outsiders and Stakeout, St. Elmo's Fire and The Breakfast Club. Demi Moore is the leading lady (St. Elmo's fire, No Small Affair).

1. The title and expectations? Theme? John Wisdom’s name?

2. The work of Emilio Estevez, writing, directing, acting? His age and experience? His comment on American experience?

3. The opening and John in the bath, the voice-over, expectations, narrative? The ending and John in the bath, the irony and its meanings?

4. John Wisdom: his name, family and style, their expectations? The teenage felony and his drinking, the crash, four years' probation, his sliding, it being on the record?

5. His applications for jobs, the jobs that he received, being fired? The interviews and his failure? Tis working as a cleaner and the black cleaner as the 'owner' firing him because he was too well qualified? The hamburger place and his having to tell lies (and the guest spot by his brother Charlie Sheen? his thinking about criminals, his deciding to be a criminal? His not wanting to hurt his parents? relationship with Karen, love for her, wanting her to be proud of him?

C. John as a man, in himself, work, study, hopes, interests? love for Karen? Parents and permissions?

7. His reflections and the decisions, the poor and the owners, the need to reclaim the documents on behalf of the poor, the television denunciation? The easy buying of the gun? The practice and the shooting? The place of the gun in American society? His decision to dress as a terrorist? His father's reaction, his mother's car and the irony of the breakdown?

8. Encountering Karen by chance, her following him, the breakdown of the car, going with her? The first ' job: the shooting, the withdrawing cash (his own only), the documents and burning then? Handling the situation, the timing, Karen not there with the getaway car, the police passing, the final getaway?

9. The drive, Karen stopping in the desert, wanting the truth, the effect on her? The motives, the achievement, more jobs, Karen's involvement, how credible?

10. The Media and its reporting of John and Karen? Making him a hero? The reaction of his parents, the interviews by media, the F.B.I? His own TV interviews, becoming a hero, the applause of the people? Tie social point behind getting the documents about mortgages and ownership? Becoming a contemporary Robin Hood? Floyd?

11. The decisions to do more, enjoyment, the dangers?

12. The hotel and the owner, the television, getting his friends together and giving them lifts? The strict sexual mores compared with the praise of the bandit?

13. The FBI and the relentless following of the couple, the investigations, parents, motives - Vietnam? The siege of the motel - and the irony of the dump?

14. The supermarket, tension, the policeman, Karen caught and frozen, her shooting and the changing of everything. Her grief, the effect on them both, his phoning home and explaining things to his parents?

15. Arriving at Minneapolis St. Paul, the hold-up, the hydrant, the cars and the chase?

16. The parking, the siege, the violence, the souring of the dream? The school and Karen shot? His not coming back? The sports ground, the final confrontation, the melodramatic ending with his being shot?

17. The irony of John's final comments about dreams, Americans fabricating heroes? The wisdom of reflection on this theme/reality/dream?