The first picture of the sequence we see it’s of a fair,
people screaming in the background, most likely children. That picture creates
a calm atmosphere for the audience and gives a background of where we are in
the first 2 seconds of the sequence. Then the nostalgic/angelic non-diegetic
music starts playing. Then the camera cuts to a room, we then find out it’s an
office and Ryan Gosling its asking his boss to get paid by Friday, then the
camera is focused only on Goslings face, from a side angle, giving the audience
the opportunity to make a judgement of his character: he's got tattoos ,he’s
smoking, he needs money, he's quit his job and when his boss tells him
"You can't quit" ,his response is "I just did" ,which is
showing also his attitude and him being careless. The audience so far may get
the feeling that the genre of the movie could be drama. Then the camera cuts
and moves to a scene where with the use of a pan we first hear the diegetic
sound of a motorbike and we see Gosling driving down a street. The lighting is
natural from the start creating relaxed atmosphere, and now we can see a long
distance shot of him, moving onto an over the shoulder shot when he knocks on
the door. We can see he is wearing all white and has blond hair, which is all
in contrast of the image the audience has on him so far, almost ironic. We can
also see his shirt being upside down which again links to him being careless
about his surrounding, and the person he is. We can then hear the diegetic
someone speaking in Spanish and the sound of footsteps. Then a woman (Eva
Mendez), comes out of the door, looking very shocked, closes the door behind
her, in the meaning that he isn't welcomed and she wasn't expecting him. That's
confirmed after she stutters and asks him "What are you still doing
here?" and then followed by ignoring him saying that he'll "stick
around" she says "This is really not a good time". Throughout
the whole scene the diegetic sound of baby crying in the back, we get a feeling
of the surrounding, the American flag tells us we are in one of the middle
class neighbourhoods in America. The relationship between the characters is
tense and awkward and he asks to, we find later is his son, take him outside on
the porch or the park, he’s told that “they are” going church. In the same
moment another character is introduced as Kofi who ignores him and asks if
Mendez (Romina) is ready to go. While Kofi and Romina are talking, we can see a
Close up of Gosling’s face, and how so far he has shown no emotions. Then as
everyone are going we find out that , that’s Kofi’s house (Mahershala Ali), as
he asks Gosling (Luke) how long he is planning on staying, to which Luke lights
a cigarette up and says “I’m ’a stick around”. Gosling’s sarcastic attitude is
seen again when he says “What you’re looking at with a half-smile”. Then the
camera follows Kofi walking away and focusing on the profile of Goslings face,
smoking with the background being blurred, creating the idea that he’s alone ,everyone’s
left ,then there is a cut to how everyone
are in the car ready to leave, while he’s alone on the porch, smoking, having
nothing. That made me feel almost sympathetic, to his character, why is he not
given a chance, why is he judged for? Then we get a long shot of Gosling
staying alone on the porch while the non-diegetic sound of the priest is
talking. The then scene cuts to the church where everyone has gathered for
Goslings son baptism which he didn’t knew about and the sounds becomes diegetic.
We hear the again nostalgic music playing on the background together with the
diegetic sound of the priest talking. The high key lighting is focused on the altar
where the main characters are, and where the baptising is taking place at. Then
we only first see the medium shot of Goslings legs and how he is walking in the
church while everything else is blurred away, something that looks unnatural
for him, his expression is for the first time showing emotions, and he’s
looking almost sad and hopeless. We then have a close up of Kofi holding, Luke’s
son which may be the reason for provoking the emotions Gosling is expressing
maybe also anger, why is he not the one holding his son. Then we see Gosling
looking up maybe being symbolic to looking up to God, and then seating down on
the back. He follows what’s happening and we see a close up of Romina smiling, everyone
being happy of the moment they are sharing. Them we get an extreme close up of
Goslings face, looking hopeless, while on the back we hear the priest speech fading,
and the tears starting to fall from Luke’s eyes. In that moment you feel the sympathy
for Luke’s character who’s not let to share that moment with his son and
everyone else, the emotions going through Luke’s face as in this moment , his
guard is down his walls are breaking ,and he can’t help but cry for everything he’s
missing and for his unfortunate life. The scene ends with everyone applauding
and “congratulating” Luke’s son for now he’s baptised, while, he looks away
with sorrow on his face.
No comments:
Post a Comment