LIFE OR SOMETHING LIKE IT
US, 2002, 105 minutes, Colour.
Angelina Jolie, Edward Burns, Tony Shalhoub, James Gammon.
Directed by Stephen Herek.
Here is a film with its heart in the right place - what does it profit to fulfil all one's worldly ambitions and miss out
on life? However, one of the problems with looking at it is the fact that this story is being enacted by stars who do have all that their desire and, in the case of the leading actor, have well publicised chaotic lives. Having said that, it is important to say that Angelina Jolie is quite persuasive and often beautifully charming in the role of the ambitious
television reporter who dreams of becoming a national interviewer and who has to face the questions of whether she
wants a life instead of something like it.
Edward Burns is pleasantly low-key as a cameraman who has opted to be close to his son rather than career heights. In real life, Burns acts in big-budget movies to earn money so that he can write and direct his own independent features. Towards the end of the film, Stockard Channing appears to stunning affect as the US's top interviewer who has chosen the ruthless life at the expense of a more personal life and shows just how ruthless ruthless can be.
At the heart of the film is a street vagrant called Prophet Jack (Tony Shalhoub) who has the gift of seeing some of the future. He sees Lanie (Jolie) as not getting the plum job and dying within the week. What should she do? She checks Jack's other prophecies and finds he is always right. She tries to put her life in order, especially with her antagonistic sister and her father. She begins to experience a freedom from her ambitious workaholism, even leading a group of strikers on TV in singing Satisfaction. Just whether Prophet Jack's forecast is true in Lanie's regard, you will just have to see.
1. An entertainment? Slice of life? Moral fable? The title and its meaning?
2. The Seattle settings, the city, ordinary life, homes, television stations, the streets? Musical score and songs?
3. The prologue and the focus on Lainie's home, her relationship with her sister, her father? Her own ambitions?
4. Angelina Jolie's presence as Lainie: sympathetic while ambitious, life on her own, relationships, the past with Peter? At work, her interviews? Her friend and co-worker, the producer? Seeing her in action, Peter setting her up for the best possible angles and colour? The possibilities for a national job?
5. Peter and his meeting with Prophet Jack, in the street, her discussion with him, flippant attitude? His comments on the weather, sport? His comments to her, about her job, about her dying? His credibility, appearance, begging, friendship with Peter, doing the interview? Lainie's scepticism, but the effect on her, going back to discuss the matter with him?
6. Her friend, going to the bar, watching the sports program, the narrow win, Prophet Jack's foretelling the truth, the weather, the earthquake? Her waiting for the television to present it - right on time? Her growing concern about herself?
7. Her going to her sister, their clashes, her past memories, the different perspective of her sister? Going to her father, assessing the situation, his relationship with her?
8. Her relationship with Peter, going out with him, seeing his son, spending the day, learning? Staying with him? Listening to his advice - not being a workaholic or too ambitious?
9. Her learning to take life more easily, the day off, going to the studio, her carefree attitude, meeting the strikers, interviewing them, singing "Satisfaction" and their all joining in?
10. The replay of the interview, its success, the family watching? Her going to New York? Her admiration for Deborah, the star journalist? Going for the job, her decisions, going to New York - and the expectation that she would not die?
11. Arriving at the studio, the set-up for the interview with Deborah, Stockard Channing's style as Deborah, her being moved during the interview, speaking personally about herself, Lainie not keeping to the text and the expected questions, Deborah sacking her, Lainie deciding to leave?
12. The accident, Peter following her to New York, her injuries, not having a job? Yet alive? The fulfilment of the prophecy - a different kind of death and coming alive again?
13. Themes of family, easier relationships, a future with Peter? The moral of the story?
