Our attempt to see "There Will Be Blood," was thwarted Friday night when we realized that the 8:30 showing wouldn't let out until 11:30. And so we ended up in a theatre packed with folks of every age to watch "Juno." Not the most accurate vision of teenage pregnancy, but clever and sweet nonetheless. The couple next to us walked out in the first ten minutes, shortly after the hilarious Juno described her obsession with boys and their running shorts. I think it was "pork swords" that pushed them over the edge.
Even though it was a diverse crowd, there was a huge contingent of teenagers. I always get a little sad and wistful whenever I'm around groups of young hoodie-clad women clutching their cellphones and their tiny bags and whispering urgently to each other. I can barely look at them, especially when the SU points out the obvious. "Jesus," he always says. "That's our future." And in my head I scream, "For the love of fish and chips, macaroons, and malted milk balls...noooooooooooooooo!"
It's unfair of me to pass judgement on this teenage tribe. First of all because I was once a card-carrying member. Second, I know they, like all of us, simply find comfort and security in the ways they are alike, and I know this is not bad in and of itself. But every once in awhile I see one who is different in some can't-quite-put-a-finger-on-it way. It's something about the way she doesn't abuse a flat iron, something about the way she doesn't seem as invested in playing follow the leader, something about the way she keeps a book or a journal in her purse instead of five kinds of lip gloss, something about the way her existence doesn't appear to depend on the next text message she receives.
I don't know. But when I see a girl like that, I always secretly (well, not so secretly NOW) hope: Maybe THAT's our future.
4 comments:
I get mixed reviews for Juno. I haven't decided--precisely because I worry about sitting with that many teenagers.
When I worked for a certain "tween" brand, one of the things we did was sponsor a contest to have a semi-popular band play a concert at a school. When the band did their concert, I went to the Jr. High school to do a bit of what we called "Trend Spotting". I got there with my digital camera all set to take pictures of the kids who seemed to have a sense of style. Word somehow spread through the crowd that I was scouting for models. Suddenly, kids (mostly girls) were clamoring in front of me, posing and begging me to take their picture. Alas, they all seemed to look alike. Same hair styles, same baggy jeans, same hoodies and blouses, same shoes... except for the one girl in the long, kinda' billowy skirt, Aliens T-shirt, mens' suiting vest and motorcycle boots. She was the girl who was standing alone, waiting patiently for the doors to the auditorium to open. She was the girl who, when the doors opened, made her way calmly down the aisle and took a seat on the farthest side of the row away from the aisle.
As the auditorium filled up, I looked down to see she was the only kid sitting with an empty seat next to her. I made my way down the aisle and stopped at her row. I pointed at her from the aisle and 3 girls immediately stood up, assuming I was pointing at them.
"No. HER."
"????"
"HER" She looked up at me.
"What's your name????"
"Amy"
"c'mere"
She was the only one I shot that day.
Don't worry... OURS will be the TOO cool ones.
it's only been two years since i was "officially" not a teenager.
Is it wrong that i feel the same?
Hi Noel! No reason to see it on a big screen, really. Rent it and watch in the peaceful, teenager-free zone of your own home.
Shuboy...we'll see.
Victoria...not wrong at all! Thanks for stopping by.
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