本周末看了此碟，观后感是还不错。jeniffer在本片中饰演一loser，说她是loser的原因不是因为她一把年纪开始给人收拾家谋生，而是因为她一把年纪，还在漂，漂也就罢了，而她漂的如此悲伤。电影最后她貌似得救，在床上拥着被单说：yeah, I got problem with people too，表情那么悲伤动人，真的是非常美丽。
她的朋友们，另外三个女人，都是有钱人。其中有个剧本作家，跟她老公合作写剧本，写着写着会吵起来。她老公－－－说的好听是硬汉，说的不好听是冷漠，她每每撞了什么家具，烫了手，雪雪呼痛的时候，她老公从来都不出声。后来两个人为此大吵一架，电影最后她又碰了家具，自己喊疼的时候，家务助理从厅里喊了一嗓子问她是否ok，她说ok，然后微笑－－－原来她需要被问一下儿不是变态。她自己当然也习惯性忽视伴侣－－－老公刮掉胡子三星期之后，她才看见。这两口子其实应该早５年离婚。
另外一个是服装设计师，非常成功，衣服卖的死贵，架不住大家还就是要买。老公是那种“他８４gay，４brit”那种调调的样子，性格非常好，真的爱她。但是这个服装设计师非常愤怒，一点儿小事儿发很大脾气。到故事快结束的时候她老公问她说：对，这个世界不公平，但是你，你自己受到了什么样的不公平的待遇，至于你能气的直撞到玻璃墙上？她又说不出来。－－－这时候我恍然大悟，原来她有可能抑郁症！当然演员说这是讲更年期的开始。
最后一个朋友是真正的有钱人，作慈善事业一捐就是２百万，都捐给自己小孩的学校了。好像也没什么具体的职业，跟老公相当合拍和谐，生活稳定，波澜不惊，是４个人里面最顺风顺水的。
总之，这个电影里面最有钱的人最快乐，再一次教育我们，万万要有钱。
ps。是个不错的片子，值得看看。
Friends with money
I often find it amusing and revealing that men who are somewhat feminine are wildly popular with women, yet men themselves are too wrapped up in competition with each other and too petrified of homosexuality to see it.Friends with Money
Money for nothing, chicks for free
Ebert Rating: **
BY ROGER EBERT / Apr 7, 2006
"Friends With Money" resembles "Crash," except that all the characters are white, and the reason they keep running into each other is because the women have been friends since the dawn of time. Three of them are rich and married. The fourth is, and I quote, "single, a pothead and a maid." That's Olivia (Jennifer Aniston), who used to teach at a fancy school in Santa Monica, "but quit when the kids started giving her quarters."
The other friends are Jane (Frances McDormand), who screams at people who try to cut in line ahead of her; Christine (Catherine Keener), who writes screenplays with her husband, and Franny (Joan Cusack), whose biggest concern is that her husband spends too much money on their child's shoes. Jane's husband is Aaron (Simon McBurney). "He's so gay," says Olivia. Christine's husband is David (Jason Isaacs). They fight over what the characters should say in the screenplay they're writing, and then they simply fight: She tells him his breath stinks, and he tells her she's getting a lard butt. Not a demonstration of mutual support. Franny's husband is Matt (Greg Germann), whose problem, as far as this film is concerned, is that he has no problems.
The characters meet in various combinations and gossip about those not present, and all three couples spend a lot of time on the topic of Olivia, who they agree needs a husband, although their own marriages don't argue persuasively for wedded bliss. Olivia finally gets fixed up with a physical trainer named Mike (Scott Caan), who in some ways is the most intriguing character in the movie, and certainly the biggest louse. Consider how he asks to go along with her when she cleans houses, and what he asks her afterward, and the present he gives her, and the "friend from junior high school" he sees in a restaurant.
Meanwhile, the marriage of Jane and Aaron is melting down because of her anger. She's a famous dress designer who has decided not to wash her hair, which becomes so greasy her husband turns away from her in bed, although maybe he really is gay. Or probably not, and neither is his new friend, also named Aaron, although they do enjoy trying on sweaters together. Meanwhile, Christine and David are putting a second story on their house, which will give them a view, and we all know that if you're fighting, the best thing to do is remodel.
"Friends With Money" was written and directed by Nicole Holofcener, whose two previous features were wonderful studies of women and their relationships: "Walking and Talking" (1996) and "Lovely and Amazing" (2001). Both of them also starred Catherine Keener, who is expert at creating the kind of Holofcener character who speaks the truth with wit, especially when it is not required. Cusack can do that, too, although she is underused here.
The movie lacks the warmth and edge of the two previous features. It seems to be more of an idea than a story. Yes, it's about how Olivia's friends all have money, and at one point Jane suggests they simply give her some to bring her up to their level. As it happens, characters do exactly that in novels I've read recently by Stendhal and Trollope, but in modern Los Angeles, it is unheard of. If you have millions and your friend is a maid, obviously what you do is tell her how much you envy her. Working for a living is a charming concept when kept at a reasonable distance.
The parts of the movie that really live are the ones involving Olivia and the two men in her life. First, Mike, the fitness instructor, and then Marty (Bob Stephenson), a slob who lives alone, is very shy, and hires her to clean his house. When the rich friends go to a $1,000-a-plate benefit, they invite Olivia along, and she brings Marty, and when she goes to pick him up, she suggests that maybe he should think about wearing a tie. This he is happy to do. At the dinner, he smooths down the tie with pride and satisfaction. Watch the way Aniston regards him while he does this. She is so happy for him. At last she is the friend with money. Not cash money, it's true, but a good line of credit in the bank of love.
Thus is a part of my theory as to why "the gay gene," if there is such a thing, persists even though it seems to confer an evolutionary disadvantage. Actually it's a mating advantage, or perhaps its partial expression is a mating advantage, but in excess would a be a disadvantage. If homosexuality is expressed at 0%, the male organism is less popular with women than if it's expressed at 20%. However, if it's expressed at 80%, the organism himself is uninterested in women to the detriment of his genetic survival. Compare this phenomenon with the gene for sickle cell anemia -- if you get the defective gene on both chromosomes, you die young of sickle cell anemia, period. But if you get it on only chromosome, you are not only relatively healthy (almost perhaps not as athletic and fit) and you are resistent to malaria. This would still be a disadvantage in the northern regions, but would be a huge advantage in malaria infested tropical regions. Hence the sickle cell anemia gene itself is alive and well.
我不得不说ebert看这个电影的时候睡着了。试穿毛衣的是另外一个，并非另一个Aaron；而且背过身子去的不是老公而是愤怒无兴趣的老婆；最后那个慈善晚餐是且只是Franny买的，另外两个有钱女友也是客人。而且这个电影儿绝非“about how Olivia's friends all have money”，而且最后最重要的是Olivia确实是钱的朋友，这个钱说的还就是现金的那个钱。
ebert just simply did not get the movie, once again, never trust a guy to understand women's studies and/or relationships. they do not get it, gay or straight, they ain't women.
挺好一电影儿，给他说那么俗，我很愤慨。看来他也不过是一电影评论人。
ebert just simply did not get the movie, once again, never trust a guy to understand women's studies and/or relationships. they do not get it, gay or straight, they ain't women.
挺好一电影儿，给他说那么俗，我很愤慨。看来他也不过是一电影评论人。
乡音无改鬓毛衰
Honey, I hope you are not suggesting that a normal-looking person like me deserves to and should feel insecure and pathetic.Because she looks like normal people. It's hard to believe women with Catherine Zeta-Jones' or Angelina Jolie's look will feel insecure herself.
Incidentally--and I'm not making this up--the most beautiful woman among my friends is also one of the most insecure and miserable people I know. She is a sweetheart and very intelligent and even has a successful career, but her emotional life is very dysfunctional. (And she is thin, so there's the counterevidence for people who consider thinness a virtue and a direct pass to heaven.)
Jun wrote:Honey, I hope you are not suggesting that a normal-looking person like me deserves to and should feel insecure and pathetic.Because she looks like normal people. It's hard to believe women with Catherine Zeta-Jones' or Angelina Jolie's look will feel insecure herself.
No!!! I am just suggesting that IN A MOVIE that tries to depict normal or quite messed-up people's insecure feelings... it is more believeable that actress with girls-next-door look plays the role and people won't get too much distracted by her look. Just like in a Troy movie, the actress who plays Helen should look stunning and make everyone in the theatre hold his breath -- bad pick for the most current Troy, IMO.
I never doubt that people who's super pretty could be very insecure. And I totally believe that elf-confidence should not come from skin deep look.
But i gotta say, when I watch a movie and the actors/actresses are super hot, I don't focus on their affection or even story too much
我自横刀向天笑，笑完我就去睡觉。
Funny you should mention confident actresses. I saw Prime Suspect 7 (the last one! 
) the other day on PBS (not on my own TV) and it hit me -- the SEXIEST actress on screen at the moment is Helen Mirren. Hands down.
You might say, what does a straight woman know about sexy women? Trust me she is a sex symbol for men too. See the article below:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 49_pf.html
And in terms of confidence, no woman or man on screen can even touch her.
) the other day on PBS (not on my own TV) and it hit me -- the SEXIEST actress on screen at the moment is Helen Mirren. Hands down. You might say, what does a straight woman know about sexy women? Trust me she is a sex symbol for men too. See the article below:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 49_pf.html
And in terms of confidence, no woman or man on screen can even touch her.
今天终于看了这个电影，为着小白的缘故。
我得说小白说的对，上面那个 Ebert 第一不懂这个电影，第二不懂妇女。他的影评里除了把电影复述了一遍，就是对几个男性角色的理解非常地道：Mike， Marty。这个是女性观众在一部女性电影中非常倾向于忽视的细节。这从另一个侧面说明了编剧加导演Nicole Holofcener 对人物的精确把握不单在于女性角色上。Ebert 有一点说得对这个电影是关于一个 idea 而不是一个 story。只不过他始终没抓住这个 idea。这个电影讲的是 women in their 40s。对于很多女性来讲，到了40岁以后，年轻时赖以骄傲的青春和美貌，终于正式退场。生活已经成型，鲜花和掌声如果就算是有，也不能让人引起兴趣。因为兴趣降低，生活中的主要事件基本就是讨论不在场的女朋友，及其男友、老公。更重要的是，这个时候的所有对话基本都能或远或近地跟钱扯上关系，不管讲话的人是否有钱。当然别人对她们的兴趣也降低了。有些中年妇女在外人看来就变得不可理喻，比如 Jane。生活并没有对她不公，她变得如此愤怒，她甚至还有一个成功的事业。这些所有的细节在电影中都有细致的体现。Friends with Money 想表达的就是这样一种年龄，这样一种状态。我并不能说喜欢这个电影，我还是更喜欢有故事有情节有前因后果的电影。但是我又仔细想了一下，As good as it gets 里把这种人处在一个年龄阶段这件事情直接说了出来，又充斥了一个故事在里面。我也不是很喜欢，并且觉得他表达得不如这个电影好。（虽然我很想加一句非常政治不正确的话：这种充斥微妙细节，没有情节的电影真是女性导演干的事情。）另一个电影可能还能对比的，也许是《无穷动》。但姚姚说看完了期待自己千万不要到40，到了也不能那样儿。我就不敢看了。所以无法比较。
原来有一次我嫂子跟朋友出去买衣服，卖衣服的小姑娘，叫她朋友小姑娘，叫她大姐。把她气得够呛，回来跟我们讲。我妈背后偷偷跟我说：她不知道女的还有一个坎儿是退休呢，那时候人家开始叫你奶奶。那时候可得适应一阵子。老实说我并不能对电影中的40岁的女人产生通感。让我文艺地说：啊，我不能理解她们。但是我们在这个论坛上新中年，奔4这样地叫着。这个感觉，你知我知，男性是不能了解的。（当然我也无法了解他们对年龄的具体恐惧。）所以也许我们需要的是更多的女导演，女编辑，女作家。这样才能产生有感觉又有情节的好电影。
我得说小白说的对，上面那个 Ebert 第一不懂这个电影，第二不懂妇女。他的影评里除了把电影复述了一遍，就是对几个男性角色的理解非常地道：Mike， Marty。这个是女性观众在一部女性电影中非常倾向于忽视的细节。这从另一个侧面说明了编剧加导演Nicole Holofcener 对人物的精确把握不单在于女性角色上。Ebert 有一点说得对这个电影是关于一个 idea 而不是一个 story。只不过他始终没抓住这个 idea。这个电影讲的是 women in their 40s。对于很多女性来讲，到了40岁以后，年轻时赖以骄傲的青春和美貌，终于正式退场。生活已经成型，鲜花和掌声如果就算是有，也不能让人引起兴趣。因为兴趣降低，生活中的主要事件基本就是讨论不在场的女朋友，及其男友、老公。更重要的是，这个时候的所有对话基本都能或远或近地跟钱扯上关系，不管讲话的人是否有钱。当然别人对她们的兴趣也降低了。有些中年妇女在外人看来就变得不可理喻，比如 Jane。生活并没有对她不公，她变得如此愤怒，她甚至还有一个成功的事业。这些所有的细节在电影中都有细致的体现。Friends with Money 想表达的就是这样一种年龄，这样一种状态。我并不能说喜欢这个电影，我还是更喜欢有故事有情节有前因后果的电影。但是我又仔细想了一下，As good as it gets 里把这种人处在一个年龄阶段这件事情直接说了出来，又充斥了一个故事在里面。我也不是很喜欢，并且觉得他表达得不如这个电影好。（虽然我很想加一句非常政治不正确的话：这种充斥微妙细节，没有情节的电影真是女性导演干的事情。）另一个电影可能还能对比的，也许是《无穷动》。但姚姚说看完了期待自己千万不要到40，到了也不能那样儿。我就不敢看了。所以无法比较。
原来有一次我嫂子跟朋友出去买衣服，卖衣服的小姑娘，叫她朋友小姑娘，叫她大姐。把她气得够呛，回来跟我们讲。我妈背后偷偷跟我说：她不知道女的还有一个坎儿是退休呢，那时候人家开始叫你奶奶。那时候可得适应一阵子。老实说我并不能对电影中的40岁的女人产生通感。让我文艺地说：啊，我不能理解她们。但是我们在这个论坛上新中年，奔4这样地叫着。这个感觉，你知我知，男性是不能了解的。（当然我也无法了解他们对年龄的具体恐惧。）所以也许我们需要的是更多的女导演，女编辑，女作家。这样才能产生有感觉又有情节的好电影。
云浆未饮结成冰
这话说的让人感慨死了。原来有一次我嫂子跟朋友出去买衣服，卖衣服的小姑娘，叫她朋友小姑娘，叫她大姐。把她气得够呛，回来跟我们讲。我妈背后偷偷跟我说：她不知道女的还有一个坎儿是退休呢，那时候人家开始叫你奶奶。那时候可得适应一阵子。老实说我并不能对电影中的40岁的女人产生通感。让我文艺地说：啊，我不能理解她们。但是我们在这个论坛上新中年，奔4这样地叫着。这个感觉，你知我知，男性是不能了解的。
最近因为生活里有点儿变迁，所以尤其觉得人到中年。终于开始明白为什么有那么多人到了中年就忍不住闹点儿危机什么的。人生几乎／差不多／已经一半都过去了！到这时候就有种紧迫感，时间不够用啊。换言之是贫穷感，穷的是时间，剩下的财产（人生）屈指可数，而且越用越少，想省都省不下来，怎么能不bitter呢？前半生浪费了不少时间在毫无建设性的原地打转上，终于有点＂不惑＂的本事了，发现没两天可玩儿了。
推荐一下儿Edith Wharton写的The House of Mirth，女人和钱的故事，血淋淋的真实。所以也许我们需要的是更多的女导演，女编辑，女作家。这样才能产生有感觉又有情节的好电影。
Re: Friends with money
This guy is so... cutetiffany wrote:另外一个是服装设计师，非常成功，衣服卖的死贵，架不住大家还就是要买。老公是那种“他８４gay，４brit”那种调调的样子，性格非常好，真的爱她。
tiffany wrote:最后一个朋友是真正的有钱人，作慈善事业一捐就是２百万，都捐给自己小孩的学校了。好像也没什么具体的职业，跟老公相当合拍和谐，生活稳定，波澜不惊，是４个人里面最顺风顺水的。
Doesn't the movie mention that they haven't had sex in a long time and she's never seen his xxx? Or... is sex always this underrated?
Violent delights.