So a couple of weeks I saw the trailer for the movie Post Grad starring Gilmore Girls Alum Alexis Bledel. Needless to say, three minutes later I was mortified by the concept of this movie and a little embarrassed that someone in Hollywood thought they could capture post grad life so eloquently with the help from Alexis Bledel. Let me explain where this anger comes from.
As a post grad person, there is no movie or book that has yet to captured (for me) the essence of having no idea what to do with your life after graduating college. The movie that has come the closet to capturing the quarter-life crisis is Reality Bites, but I was eight when the movie came out and had no idea what I had in store for me. And even now watching something and living something are to different things.
So when I saw these cheesetastic trailer with Alexis Bledel playing a college grad who moves back in with her parents while she dissects what to do with her new life now...I almost gagged. I mean literally. First, because Rory Gilmore-excuse me-Alexis Bledel is not a convincing lead. I mean, I don't know the chick but she seems like she could land something. Modeling, being pretty, dating co-stars...I don't know I'm just saying. Secondly, Michael Keaton is her dad (in the movie) and Batmans daughter doesn't have post grad problems.
In all honesty, what irks me the most about this movie is I already the ending will be a 'feel good, everything works out declaration for perseverance through the storm' BS. Here you have an above average looking female, with Batman as her dad, two love interests (including Rodrigo Santoro who is the furthest thing from an average looking guy), searching for stable things to make something meaningful out of her life. But by doing that, the movie will not depict the depression, anxiety, and general lowness that Hollywood rarely captures. And it's not because they can't, it's because people don't want to see that. People want to see things begin badly and then work themselves out with a few small (and cute) bumps along the way.
I know, I am being a tad bit harsh on this movie. I should take it for what it is, a nice pick me upper...but the truth is I couldn't watch a movie that says "this is your life, this is your life Hollywood style. Don't you wish it was this simple" because at the end of the day after I watch Alexis Bledel land her dream job, dream boyfriend, and dream life with her Batman dad in tow (because I believe Michael Keaton can make anything right. seriously), I will still be be going through my own post grad life with a suck ass job, old creepy dudes who hit on me, and a undecided life sans Michael Keaton.
Marie and I talk about our post grad lives all the time, and I realize that we are experiencing quarter life crisis hard core. We have tendency to talk about the past (a lot) and what we would change to make our present lives easier. I have a tendency to fret over what kind of career I want and how I get to achieving that,while Marie hopes that going to work and coming home aren't going to be the highlight of her life.
I don't know if there is a moment when you know you are on the right path. When you know that you are okay with the life you have created for yourself. For someone who has suffered with anxiety her whole life, I don't think there will ever be that moment where I am like "yep, this is exactly where I wanted to be, when I wanted to be there, with the people I've wanted to be with". If this moment does occur, then this quarter life crisis is worth it, if at the end of it's run I am content with my life, even though I hate that word.
Until then I will skip out on seeing this movie. I find it more depressing than uplifting, because it will lack the despair of post grad life the way I'd like to see it.
In other news, the editor emailed me back and I am a go for this internship. I do not know why I feel that having a publishing internship on my resume will be a good thing, especially since I don't know if I want a career in publishing but it's only for 3 months, and at this point any experience is better than none. I have said this a million but I do lean towards magazine and production jobs. Marie thinks I should email Lenny and ask if I can intern with him again. I think she really wants me to get in touch with Adam again, who of course is there IT guy. I think having more than one production experience on my resume is better than just interning with them but I will in the future ask him if he knows of anyone who is looking for a stellar research gal.
We'll see, first things first I guess.
2 comments:
how you feel about this movie is how i feel about romantic comedies.
post-grad life is ... well. it's crap. especially if you have ambition or dreams, and aren't satisfied to just be an administrative assistant and have drinks with the girls while waiting for some guy to come along.
you know, incidentally...maybe you have the material for your novel or screenplay right here. an accurate, dark (but - and you could pull this off)but also humorous at times - representation of post-grad life.
not everyone wants to see chirpy pick-me-up movies. i'd much rather see bleak reality that i can connect with in some way, or that makes me think, than something that looks like sheer fantasy.
you should remind yourself, not that it really helps, that you're exceptionally unlucky to be a post-grad right when the economy has taken a nosedive. unemployment now is almost 10% - these are the highest levels of unemployment in decades.
but it does also get better. i promise.
That's funny...you won't watch the movie cuz it's too depressing that the movine isn't depressing enough! Btw, I totally agree. Post-grad reality bites HARD.
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