Most people either love or hate 'Junebug'; and what is more, this movie deserves both. In 'Junebug' we once again see a great film made and then ruined. Once again, I pay three dollars at my local video rental establishment to get drawn in- to get to know and love the characters- only to be robbed of a conclusion. But alas, this feeling is not new. Broken Flowers. I spent nearly two hours beholding that seemingly great work of cinema, only to watch it slaughtered at its finale. What is to blame? The vanity and ignorance of good directors. These directors possess great talent, yet they lack vision. They have great skill, yet they lack knowledge of the true purpose of Drama. "Purpose?" you say. Yes, purpose. Let us look to that great Grecian philosopher of old, who defined that purpose as Catharsis. "Catharsis?" you say. Yes, Catharsis, that cleansing of the soul, that purging of the human spirit, is the final destination of all great works of dramatic performance. In what way is this catharsis brought about? By conclusion. Yes, it is that simple. Only by rendering the proper ending of the trials and tribulations that ail our hero or heroine can we be satisfied. Either there should be death or victory. Who was our heroine? Clearly it was either Ashley or Madeline. One woman finds ultimate defeat in the death of her infant Junebug, yet the other finds victory in the contract with that atrocious painter of civil war battles. What is this movie? Comedy or Tragedy? Is the director trying to make some comment on the futility of success? It is unclear. What is clear is the uncertainty of the ending and the pure arrogant vanity of directors who believe that to incite unrest in their viewers is the greatest good. Damn you, Phil Morrison, you director of intentionally flawed movies! Do you truly believe that a movie should upset its audience? Do you truly think that robbing us of our catharsis is what makes you so delightfully avante garde? Why did he throw a wrench into his own brother's head? Whose baby was it? You thief, answer these questions!
Enough of this. We all know what happened: the first brother impregnated the second brother's red-headed girlfriend. The second brother always hated the first brother for this, and so, tries to sleep with Madeline, in order to exact revenge, by grabbing her buttocks, after attempting to learn from her the meaning of that book he was reading. This is all common sense and is easily understood to anyone, despite its ambiguity. We do not ask the director to fill in all the blanks. We do ask him to finish his job. Give us the ending, not some flimsy moratorium. Give us the dénoument, not some aborted thought. Finish your work of art, or do not even try. I want my three dollars back, you son of a b****!
Enough of this. We all know what happened: the first brother impregnated the second brother's red-headed girlfriend. The second brother always hated the first brother for this, and so, tries to sleep with Madeline, in order to exact revenge, by grabbing her buttocks, after attempting to learn from her the meaning of that book he was reading. This is all common sense and is easily understood to anyone, despite its ambiguity. We do not ask the director to fill in all the blanks. We do ask him to finish his job. Give us the ending, not some flimsy moratorium. Give us the dénoument, not some aborted thought. Finish your work of art, or do not even try. I want my three dollars back, you son of a b****!