Lost in America (1985)

Photo from Imdb

Plot Summary

Los Angeles 1980s,

David and Linda Howard were successful “yuppies” in LA. He’s an advertising executive, waiting for a promotion to be a vice president of a big advertising company. She’s an assistant manager in a department store. On the morning of David’s last day at work (he didn’t know it would be his last day,) he had a long, luxurious telephone conversation with a Mercedes dealer, talking about a $80,000 car. A few minutes later, he’s called into the boss’s office and told that he would not get the promotion he thought he deserved – to be the company’s vice president. Instead, he’s going to New York to handle the Ford account. David’s angry and humiliated his bosses. He decided to quit his job. David then went to Linda’s workplace to convince her to quit her job to spend the rest of their lives traveling around America like in the movie “Easy Rider.” The couple liquidated their assets, bought a Winnebago (a luxurious mobile home with wheels in 1980s,) and estimated they still had enough cash (they called it nest egg) for their long trip.

Their first destination was Las Vegas as Linda wished they would have a luxurious wedding for one night. It turned to be a disappointing night because they hadn’t reserved a senior room which would have a king bed and a bathtub, and only got a junior room although David spent $100 for the receptionist. Getting up next day’s early morning, David didn’t see Linda and started looking for her. It turned out that she’s at the hotel’s casino when he slept. She lost all of their savings playing roulette. David then tried to talk to a casino manager into giving back the money. Although David kept convincing the manager about improving the casino image by giving back the money, his effort didn’t work.

With nowhere to go, the couple quarreled at the Hoover Dam, where David was very angry at Linda and she hopped on a car leaving him. David chased after the car, then found Linda in a restaurant with another man. As David tried to talk to Linda, the man thought David wanted to hurt Linda so he punched David in the face. Linda had to yell “Call the police,” the man then drove away as he’s a wanted man.

The couple then decided to go to Arizona, ended up in Safford. Here, the desperate couple tried to find work to support themselves. David had an interview with an unemployment counselor, who listened and baffled to David explaining why he left a $100,000-a-year job because he couldn’t “find himself.” He ended up taking a job as a crossing guard with nearly $6 an hour. Meanwhile, Linda had a job at a local hot dogs store with the fact that her new boss was a teenage boy.

Only a few days after beginning their pursuit of the dream of dropping out of society, David and Linda decided that it’s better to get back to their old lifestyle as soon as possible. They pointed their mobile home toward New York where David begged for his old job back. He finally got his job back with a 31% salary cut while Linda got a job with Bloomingdale’s and was expecting their first child.

What’s in it for me?

“To those few that have the courage to drop out and find themselves, may God be with you and take you through Utah, avoiding Nevada completely.” – This final line in the movie tells it all. Yes, not everyone has the courage to drop out of society to pursuit their dreams, but when you have it, you should be careful with your other desires (gambling in Vegas is a typical example.) That’s only the second time Linda plays gambling and she lost all of their nest egg. Needless to say, gambling can be an addictive habit, even in short-term, and it can happen to anyone.

I also think about another saying, “You don’t know what you’ve got, till it’s gone.” It’s true because David and his wife only recognize they suit the old lifestyle with high-paid jobs when they are almost broke and working dead end jobs. It’s also true because David almost loses his wife after an argument at the Hoover Dam till he realizes she’s more important than their nest egg.

I’m in a dilemma in my late 20s just like the couple in the movie. On the one hand, I want to give up everything just to travel the world, do what I want to do, enjoy my life. On the other hand, I’m afraid of dropping out of society. What about my family? What about my friends? What about my future? It’s easier said than done, and as the saying goes, “It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.”

Who’s in the movie?

Director:

Albert Brooks. He’s also an actor and a writer. Brooks was nominated Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role with Broadcast News (1987), nominated Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture with Drive (2011). As a  director and writer, Brooks’s also known for Modern Romance (1981), The Real Life (1979). As an actor, he’s known for Concussion (2015), Drive (2011), Taxi Driver (1976).

Stars:

Albert Brooks as David.

Julie Hagerty as Linda. She received many awards at US Comedy Arts Festival, but also famous for being nominated Razzie Awards for Worst Supporting Actress with Freddy Got Fingered (2001).

Ratings

People like this should watch

Easy Rider (1969)

Into the Wild (2007)

The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)

Sing Street (2016)

Plot Summary

Dublin 1985,

15-year-old Conor Lalor was in his bedroom playing guitar while mimicking his parents’ argument in his song lyrics. In a family meeting later, down in the kitchen, Conor’s father announced that Conor had to move to a free state high school due to family’s financial problems. Brendan, Conor’s oldest brother seemed to oppose but had no other solution.

Conor began his new term at a Christian Brothers School located on Synge Street. He met the school’s principal, Brother Baxter, who told him about the school’s strict policy such as wearing black shoes. Later, Conor then met a bully, Barry, who forced him to dance in the bathroom. During lunch, Conor bought a chocolate from the school’s canteen and got it taken by Barry, who also punched Conor in the face. This lead to Conor meeting Darren, a small but smart boy.

As Conor and Darren left school, Conor saw a beautiful girl across the street. Despite of the fact the she had no interest in the school’s boys, Conor approached her and introduced himself. She said her name was Raphina and she’s a model. Conor lied to her saying that he needed a girl to be in a video for his band (neither was Conor in a band or had filmed a video). After Conor sang a song, Raphina agreed to be in the video. Conor then ran back to Darren and said that they needed to form a band-immediately.

Darren took Conor to meet Eamon, who was gifted playing most instruments. Eamon even had all the instruments needed for a band from drum, guitars to piano. They decided that Eamon would be the band’s bass guitar. The boys then recruited a black boy and two other boys from the school. Darren acted as the band’s manager and cameraman as well while Conor would be the main singer and a songwriter. They decided the band’s name would be “Sing Street.”

The band’s first video was a cover of Duran Duran’s Rio (Duran Duran was an English band and very famous in the ’80s and ’90s.) But Conor’s brother, Brendan, said it was crap and encouraged them to write their own songs and created their own styles, not just mimicking.

Conor, with help from Eamon, then wrote the band’s first original song. It called “The Riddle of Model.” When they was going to film a video for the song on a street corner, Raphina arrived and insisted on doing make-up for the boys. After the shoot, Conor gave Raphina a ride back home on his bike. He then knew that Raphina was living at an orphanage for girls because her dad had died in a car accident while her mom had been in and out of the mental hospital.

The Sing Street band then went on to make some other creative and brilliant videos as the relationship between Conor and Raphina was getting closer and closer.

Conor’s parents one day decided to tell their children that they were about to split up as the mother had fallen in love with her boss. Although it was foreseen, Brendan was angry and Conor knew more things about his eldest brother who couldn’t pursue his dream just because his parents didn’t let him do it (go to Germany all alone).

Toward the end, there some problem in the relationship between Conor and Raphina as she left to London with her boyfriend (a mature guy – did I mentioned that Raphina was one year older than Conor?) as the band was practising the video for its latest song. Conor later spotted Raphina returning to the orphanage home with a bruise on her cheek. After a small takk, Conor then left Raphina as she said things hurting him.

The band then had a successful performance at the school gig after recruiting Barry (the “bully boy”) as their security guy. One of their song that made the crowd super excited was about Brother Baxter-the bully. Raphina showed up late, then Conor and Raphina left the gig to run straight back to Conor’s home and asked Brendan to drive them to their grandfather’s boat so that the couple can head out to London pursuing their dreams as artists. Brendan agreed as he wanted his younger brother do what he couldn’t do before. Despite of heavy rain, the two managed to come across the ship to England.

What’s in it for me

I love this movie and its meaning message for the youth – “Don’t do anything by half” and always pursue your dream.

The movie also presents some of social issues such as school bullying. Bullies are everywhere from streets to schools and can be anyone from schoolboys to school’s principles. But, there’s always a story behind a bully. For example, Barry became a bully at school because he is treated as an idiot at home and always beaten by his father.

Again, we can see the role of parents in the development of kids’ characteristics. Barry’s father’s to his son, Eamon’s mother’s to her son, etc. Conor’s parents although are well-educated people, they never let their children “fly away” from them because they love them too much. That’s the reason Brendan has to give up his dream and always stay inside the house until his parents were about to break up. Sometimes, parents need to know what their children really want, not forcing the children do what the parents want.

TV’s role is also mentioned in the movie as we can see a lot of videos from the ’70s and ’80s bands somehow affect Conor’s band’s song videos. But, while mentioning this issue, the movie in fact has a bad effect on children because we can see kids smoking in the film and they look “cool.”

The music in this movie is simply great! Music is also seen being used as an escape from life’s troubles.

Who’s in the movie

Director:
John Carney. Carney won many awards at British and Irish Film Festival He’s also known for Once (2007), Begin Again (2013).

Stars:
Ferdia Walsh-Peelo as Conor. Before this film, Walsh-Peelo starred in a TV series named WGN Morning News.
Lucy Boynton as Raphina. Boynton was nominated for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actress at Young Artist Awards with Miss Potter (2006)

Ratings

People like this movie should watch

The Commitments (1991)

Once (2007)

Everybody wants some (2016)

Begin Again (2013)

Rory O’shea was here (2004)