FLIPPED

US, 2010, 90 minutes, Colour.
Madeline Carroll, Callan Mc Auliffe, Rebecca de Mornay, Anthony Edwards, John Mahoney, Penelope Ann Miller, Aidan Quinn.
Directed by Rob Reiner.

Flipped is a very engaging film – for parents and grandparents and for children, especially those at the edge of puberty.

The setting is the 1960s in Michigan, a more innocent time for children and later decades. The story takes place over several years, from the central children being age 7 to their early teens. Family moves in and the young girl from across the street comes to help with the moving, the boy being unwilling and feeling the girl imposing. And this happens throughout the years, her eagerness to be with the boy and his unwillingness to be with her.

As they go into high school, tensions arise, Bryce wants to be with his friend Garret and a new girlfriend while Juli looks on sadly and antagonised. Madeline Carroll and Australian, Callan Mc Auliffe, a persuasive as the two teenagers.

What makes the film so effective is that we have voice-over from each of the two characters and each of them giving a view on what has been happening, with a narrative going back and looking at scenes for a second time from the different viewpoint.

There is also antagonism across the Street, Bryce’s family, father Anthony Edwards and mother Rebecca de Mornay, not making contact with the poor family, father Aiden Quinn and mother Penelope Ann Miller.

There are several crises, those at school and companionship, working in the science laboratory, and a serious affair at home with the cutting down of a sycamore tree that Juli is especially attached to.She is helped by Bryce’s grandfather, cheerfully played by John Mahoney.

Another crisis concerns eggs, from the chickens at the back of the house and offered to people in the street – with Bryce’s father condemning them, suspecting salmonella and getting Bryce to get rid of the eggs – which Juli eventually discovers.

Juli’s family then is invited to dinner by Bryce’s family, his mother especially considerate, his father seething. Juli is upset with Bryce but he finds a way of apologising and by planting a young sycamore in her yard.

The film is particularly well written, well acted – and directed with sensitivity by Rob Reiner (The Princess Bride, When Harry met Sally).

1. The appeal of the film? Younger audiences? Parents and grandparents? The favourable reviews and responses?

2. The Michigan setting, the 1950s and 1960s? The town, the street with the homes, the houses, gardens and yards, school? The atmosphere? The musical score and the tone of the
times?

3. The title, the point of view of Bryce, the point of view of Juli? Audience interest in them both, sympathies towards them?

4. The structure, the point of view, going back to previously seen events from a different perspective? The differences?

5. The voice-over of each character, their tone, confiding in the audience? Their own self-reflection and understanding of themselves and their behaviour?

6. At age 7, Bryce and the family moving in, Juli and her intrusion, wanting to help with jobs, holding Bryce’s hand? Going to school, her approach to him? Bryce being tagged in connection with Juli? His dislike of her, wanting to avoid her, Juli admiring his eyes, liking him?

7. The families, living across the street, not communicating with each other, different attitudes? Bryce’s father, his arrogance, snobbery, severe comments on the Baker family, about the yard, about pride in their house? Learning that they did not own the house, learning about the disabled brother and his objectionable remarks, the distaste from his wife, the issue of the umbilical cord and the same happening to Bryce but his surviving? The sister, older?

8. The contrast with the Bakers, across the street, the father, not having a job, his painting? The grubby yard, the dirt with the chickens at the back? The mother, her care of the house, the sacrifice for the money to go to the brother? The brothers, the end of high school, the demonstration, Bryce’s sister and her support?

9. Bryce and Juli at the end of primary school, distant? Bryce and his friendship with Garrett, confiding in him? The attractive girl, talking to her, going out with her, her incessant talking? Garrett telling her about Juli, the girl slapping Bryce? The contrast with Juli, her life, her attitudes, her dislike of the glamorous girl?

10. Chet and his arrival, grandfather? In the house, grieving his wife? The sycamore tree, his admiring the article, going over to help Juli? Juli’s perspective, liking him, conversations with Chet, they work together?

11. The sycamore tree, Juli able to see the bus coming, the plan to cut it down, staying, her father coming up to persuade her to come down, her grief, his giving of the painting?

12. The eggs, the gift to the family, the family discussion about salmmonella, the father and his disdain, the dirty yard, Bryce having to put the eggs in the garbage? The contrast with the other people in the street, eager to pay Juli for eggs? Juli the door, thinking things over, discovering Bryce discarding the eggs, her being hurt, his comment about the dirty yard?

13. Juli wondering about the saying, more than the sum of the parts, watching people, trying to estimate price or not?

14. Bryce, becoming more preoccupied, his thinking of his disdain of Juli, his experience with her, her getting up and going to table? His staring at her in the laboratory, the story about the bee in her hair? Chet and his reading the article, giving it to Bryce, his taking it to school and Garrett finding it?

15. The discussion in the library, the girl telling Juli Bryce had a crush on her, overhearing Garrett’s conversation, especially about the disabled brother and the implications for Juli?

16. The visit to Daniel, Juli wanting to go, the enjoyment of the ice cream, the birthday, the fan, the ice cream dropping, the tantrum in the shop? Her appreciation of what her father was doing to support his brother?

17. The invitation to dinner, different reactions, at home, the Bakers, a dress affair, the Bakers bringing pies, meeting, talking, the boys and their talking about the music, Bryce’s father and the story of his being a musician? His anger underneath his demeanour? His daughter reaction, his slapping her?

18. Juli not talking to Bryce, the tension at the table? Her accusations about his not defending her with Garrett and the conversation about Daniel? Bryce owning, watching, knocking? His planting the sycamore tree, Juli’s father giving him permission, her going out, the reconciliation?