So, THE AFFAIR or as those who saw it last year know it as THE GLASS ROOM, is quite a film!
I can guess that a lot of people did not like it even without looking up reactions because I too did not like it, like at all…on the first watch! Indeed, I even got rid of it from my history, that’s how bad I felt about this movie!
But then three days passed by and Iwas thinking and thinking…In the end I came back for another watch and even added it to my collection this time around.
So, what changed?
First, let’s talk the reasons why I did not like it at first. Beginning with the setting, yeah, it’s been brought up time and time again by others but these period lesbian movies are getting out of hand! Every one and their dog seem to be making period movies and we all know why – safety!
No one wants to be cancelled by setting their stories in the current times because apparently anything remotely close to reality as long as it is not fun and safe is a bulleye for chaos! Look, I don’t mind more of historic stories as long as they bring something new to the table – see The Handmaiden! But giving us the same crap that ends the same way (BAD/SAD END) has reached its EOL!
Outside of that, it was a challenge sitting through the movie! Our women Hana (Carice) and Liesel (Hanna)’s relationship was maddening and the editing did not help matters, like, at all! I am all for time-skipping or time-swapping (jumping from past to future to present) but unless it is executed perfectly, that really takes one out of the movie!
And so I was not sure if these two were childhood friends and Hana had been in love with Liesel since then or they just met when Liesel and her husband were looking for a house!
In addition, these sub plots about the war and all that really didn’t help in the enjoyment of the movie, especially since they were only marginally relevant to the story! I can garther a guess that no one watched this movie for the war drama, especially since none of our main characters were directly involved in said war, only extensibly affected!
On top of all that Liesel was really making it tough to like her! In fact I am shocked that Hana loved her as much as she did!
Which brings me to the reason why I actually changed my opinion on this movie to the point of making a video about it! It did do something different that I totally missed in all my misjudgement the first time watching!
We have seen a lot, nay, almost 90% of all love stories that we are given happen at the beginning or slightly in the middle of life. Rararely, in fact I have not seen it myself, a story where love blossoms right at the end of life!
That’s what this movie gave us – a love that happens after our characters have lived their lives, have had children and grand children and have been married by the time they realise their love! This really shocked me when I finally slept on it and couldn’t stop thinking about the movie!
Bonus is the fact that Hana’s love really held out that long and you know me, I am a sucker for persevering love, think Chikane (Kannazuki no Miko), Homura (Madoka Magica) and Jade’s (Spider Lilies) love!
On that note, this movie went a step further by touching on this very wound when Hana thought that it was too late but then Liesel told her that it never is too late! This – thinking of this moment is what changed my mind and got me to watch the movie again and thus my mind was opened and now I totally love this movie!
Anyway, yeah, something different this time giving my thoughts with a video instead of caps…
HAPPY ST. PATRICK’s
Ja
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