Caught the zac efron show last night with my 11 year old prince. Why did I spend good money on a lame teen flick? Well, the appropriate answer would be that I was being a good parent acceding to a son's request. But actually a part of me wanted to watch that show. Plus, it doesn't hurt that zac efron is super cute.
I wanted to see if the movie could address my curiosity on the 'second life'. Don't all of us at some point in our lives wished that we could start over again; be given a second chance to lead a different life? If only I had studied harder and got a masters or phd and be a psychologist like I always wanted to. If only I had parents and siblings who gave good advice and guided me through life instead of letting me fall again and again. And would I lead a more exciting life if I had not married or had children? I wish I had cooler friends, a cooler job and a cooler me.
The protagonist in the movie, Mike, led his life full of regrets and bitterness because he felt that life had shortchanged him through missed opportunities. Through some warped encounter, he became 17 again and realised that because of his self-absorption, he failed to see his son's struggle with self-esteem, his daughter's desperate need for love and acceptance and his wife's unhappiness with an emotionally absent husband. As with all family movie with a moral message, Mike had an epiphany - he didn't want another chance to live his life over. He needed a second chance to restore his passion for and dedication to his marriage and family. It's a lesson on wanting what you have, not having what you want. If only all of us could reach such enlightenment.
Another thing that struck me about the story is that Mike's desires and fears are so similar to our own. His fear is the fear of most middle-aged adults - mediocrity. Most of us want to experience greatness in our lives. We are afraid of being invisible, forgotten, insignificant. Sometimes, I do wonder: could I have been successful if I had chosen a different path? I guess I could but would I be happy? It's hard to tell. Not many people can handle greatness. Look at Britney Spears and George Michael. They are icons but they are such a mess.
The movie is not a hit but it does make me think deeper about life, so I supposed the $16 is money well-spent afterall. I tried to analyse the movie with older prince as I always like to do but I guess to a pre-teen, life ain't worth analysing. Wait till he's 37. He will understand some day that youth does not last forever and that life ain't simple.
I wanted to see if the movie could address my curiosity on the 'second life'. Don't all of us at some point in our lives wished that we could start over again; be given a second chance to lead a different life? If only I had studied harder and got a masters or phd and be a psychologist like I always wanted to. If only I had parents and siblings who gave good advice and guided me through life instead of letting me fall again and again. And would I lead a more exciting life if I had not married or had children? I wish I had cooler friends, a cooler job and a cooler me.
The protagonist in the movie, Mike, led his life full of regrets and bitterness because he felt that life had shortchanged him through missed opportunities. Through some warped encounter, he became 17 again and realised that because of his self-absorption, he failed to see his son's struggle with self-esteem, his daughter's desperate need for love and acceptance and his wife's unhappiness with an emotionally absent husband. As with all family movie with a moral message, Mike had an epiphany - he didn't want another chance to live his life over. He needed a second chance to restore his passion for and dedication to his marriage and family. It's a lesson on wanting what you have, not having what you want. If only all of us could reach such enlightenment.
Another thing that struck me about the story is that Mike's desires and fears are so similar to our own. His fear is the fear of most middle-aged adults - mediocrity. Most of us want to experience greatness in our lives. We are afraid of being invisible, forgotten, insignificant. Sometimes, I do wonder: could I have been successful if I had chosen a different path? I guess I could but would I be happy? It's hard to tell. Not many people can handle greatness. Look at Britney Spears and George Michael. They are icons but they are such a mess.
The movie is not a hit but it does make me think deeper about life, so I supposed the $16 is money well-spent afterall. I tried to analyse the movie with older prince as I always like to do but I guess to a pre-teen, life ain't worth analysing. Wait till he's 37. He will understand some day that youth does not last forever and that life ain't simple.
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