I love a good independent film, and Junebug was definitely a good one with an excellent cast as far as I'm concerned.
The thing that I found most confusing throughout the movie were the family relationships. I was very baffled about who exactly was related to who. It seemed much more fitting for Ashley and George to be siblings, while Johnny appeared to be a distant outcast within the family. This was especially evident when George was comforting Ashley in the hospital. Honestly, this seemed like the most heartfelt "family" moment that occurred within the entire movie, because in that moment there were no contrived feelings. As typical in a Southern family, so many things are left unsaid in such a passive aggressive nature--making this meeting in the hospital a pivotal turning point, as I saw it, in our view of the family. Thus, I found it interesting that George and Ashley weren't actually related.
Overall, Ashley proves to be the strongest character. She maintains an amazing amount of energy that proves to be shocking from such a downtrodden and overwhelmingly tame family. Indeed, in many ways Ashley doesn't fit into the family just like Madeline doesn't. Ashley handles her situation much better. Obviously, she has known the family longer and has adapted to living in the Johnsten house. However, she is able to embrace her situation and the ways in which her life has turned out with an optimism and spirit that the rest of the family lacks. The culture barrier between Madeline and the Johnstens proves to greatly hurts her when trying to gain the same kind of acceptance that Ashley has.
Lastly, I found the cinematography to be excellent. The slow paced nature of each shot provides a real glimpse into country life. Scenes involving nature and drawn out transitions add to an overall effect of realism. The lack of any sort of special effects also serve to not interfere with the viewer's suspension of disbelief regarding the reality of the movie. I found the lack of effects to actually be the most powerful effect of the entire movie. This was probably a risk on the part of the directors, but I believe the realistic design choices made by the crew paid off in the final product.
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The family relationship in all honesty was a bit strange if anything. As mentioned before Ashley and George seemed more like siblings rather than George and Johnny. It would also seem odd that although when Johnny and George’s wife Madeline had an awkward sexual moment the night before Ashley goes into labor, Ashley and George have a perfectly reasonable family relation. I thought that was quite a contrast. Also, although showing strong family relationship, it might also seem strange the way a brother (George) is talking to his sister-in-law (Ashley), as in normal circumstances, it should be the husband comforting Ashley and not George.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the family dynamic in Junebug is strange. It would make sense for Ashley and George to be blood siblings the way they act, but I think partially the reason they seem so comfortable with each other is Ashley's welcoming nature. She treats Madeline, who she only meets at the beginning of the film, just like a sister. The strain in Johnny and Ashley's relationship is strange to me, because apparently they have been having trouble since before Ashley got pregnant--Ashley tels Madeline that the "phase" Johnny has been in has lasted two years. I also found Peg's allowance of this wedge strange. I found it very odd that she lets Johnny come home with her and Eugene the night of the miscarriage and leaves George with Ashley. As a mother herself, and the one who should be most able to empathize with Ashley, she doesn't force Johnny to take up his role as a husband and comfort his wife. I thought that the most normal, likeable family member was Eugene, who doesn't let himself be trodden down by his overbearing wife, and treats the two women who marry in just as if they are family.
ReplyDeleteI want to talk about the significance of Ashley and Johnny's baby dying. I think that this was probably the most important part of the movie and revealed the most about each character.
ReplyDeleteMost importantly (and most obviously) it shows how Madeline does not share the same family values with George and his family. I talked about this in my post on the other thread, but this incident suggests that maybe George and Madeline aren't as perfect for each other as we get the impression from their physicalness.
I think the loss of the baby is important too because it is just like another blow to Johnny and Ashely's strange marriage. Ashley was hoping that having the baby would change Johnny back to the way he used to be, but now she will probably have to wait at least another year before that will ever happen.
What else do ya'll think?
In response to most of the comments, I too agree that the familial relationships were quite strange throughout the film. In many of the posts people said that George and Ashley should have been siblings, but I feel that they possess more of a husband/wife relationship than Ashley and Johnny. This is seen in the hospital scene when George is comforting Ashley and then there is that really long look they share with each other. I definitely feel that George and Madeline share a more physical relationship than both physical and emotional. In response to Caldwell, even though it was a hard blow for Ashley and Johnny's marriage, I believe that in the end of the film it actually brought them closer together, as seen by Johnny reaching out to Ashley and saying that he would love to attempt to have another child with her. I am quite interested to see what other people think. :0)
ReplyDeleteI think that the death of Johnny and Ashley's baby will bring the two closer as well. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and I feel like their relationship needed a wake up call. In the most extreme sense, the death of the baby could be that for them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the posts saying that George and Madeline's relationship was very physical. But I remember the film saying that George and Madeline had only been dating for 6 months (I think?) and that time is usually considered a honeymoon period for most relationships. In that short of a period, the two haven't had time to figure out all the quirks about each other. George and Ashley have known each other for so long so I think it's evident that they have a stronger/deeper relationship. But I don't think the film is to suggest that Madeline and George will not get to that point someday.
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ReplyDeleteAll of the relationships within this film were puzzling.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, the trip was initially for Madeline to "reel in" the artist, it turned into the return of the prodigal son.
George seemed to have this hidden life. The bipolarity of his nature proved to be extremely confusing. The contrast of singing the hymn at the church, with his closing line as they drive away from North Carolina. And we have yet to discover why George and Johnny have such a tumultuous relationship, or rather why Johnny truly hates his brother.
My favorite line was when Peg and Eugene were at the screened in porch table, and Peg stated that Madeline was a stranger. Eugene's reply was so simple, yet very bold. "She's not a stranger, she's family." To me, this demonstrates what a typical Southern family should act like, being very accepting of others. However, I guess this also shows the "pettiness" or the attempt to keep disapproval a secret.
I agree that the death of Ashley and Johnny's baby ended up bringing them closer together. Although Ashley was hoping that the birth of the baby would bring Johnny back to her, it seemed with his phone call to her at the hospital that it's death accomplished this goal (albeit in a much more depressing manner). That phone call was one of his best moments in the film. From his epic failure trying to record the meerkats, we knew that he did care for Ashley to some previously unknown degree, but him asking her if she wanted to try again really demonstrated (in the typically reserved nature of the movie) that he does love her.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, I really enjoyed the cinematography as well. This is one of the reasons I love independent films; they can take chances with things that major motion pictures usually cannot. Junebug was a great example of how powerful the cinematography of an independent movie can be (I'm also thinking Garden State, The Life Aquatic, The Darjeeling Limited).
I agree that the family relationships were a little out there in this movie. I would actually disagree about Ashley and George being siblings though. I felt like the scene in the hospital between the two of them was more awkwardly romantic than sibling like. I actually got a really weird feeling throughout the entire movie about the relationship between Ashley and George and Johnny and Madeline. I felt like Madeline was doing some heavy flirting with Johnny....kissing him closer to his lips, touching him inappropriately, etc. I know this could be a European thing, but she wasn't doing it with anyone else. I don't necessarily think it was intentional, but it was definitely evident to me. Also, I felt like in the hospital Ashley and George were going to kiss at any moment (more coming from George's side).
ReplyDeleteAs far as family relationships going in this film, George was obviously the Golden Boy of this family. Interestingly though he did not seem to actually care much about spending time with his family. He left Madeline by herself while he was sleeping in the other room or out and about. For someone who put family first so much at the end of the movie, I was disappointed in his actual dedication to his family while he was there. I would have called it a transformation if it wasn't for his comment in the car at the end of the movie.
This is all really interesting. I agree that Ashley's and George's relationship was a complex one. The hospital scene lets us in to a sort of intensity and history between the two of which we were previously unaware, almost a father/child relationship rather than brother/sister or in-law. And George is indeed a cipher in this film! His silence and vanishing throughout the domestic scenes is telling--remember that Eugene, the family patriarch, is also silent, often hiding in the basement, extremely reticent.
ReplyDeleteThe relationship between George and Ashley is interesting. In my opinion, George has set a good example for his brother Johnny on how he should be behaving towards his wife. When Johnny compares how he reacted to the situation compared to his brother, he probably realized that he needs to work on his relationship with his wife.
ReplyDeleteThe relationship between Madeleine and George is also very interesting. I think the idea that they have not had quite enough time to get to know each other is probably the most accurate description. For me, it is kind of strange that Madeleine has not even met his parents yet the two of them are already married. It seems like meeting the parents should come first rather than after the wedding.