"Pope Dreams" (102)
"Pope Dreams"
Starring: nobody you would know, but a good-looking blonde named Marnette Patterson
Contrivances- a thing that is created skillfully and inventively to serve a particular purpose
"Pope Dreams" is another coming-of-age story/film about a boy at a specifically critical time in his life. THe boy's name is Andy (played well by newbie Philip Vaden). Andy is nineteen and lacks direction or focus or drive. He's a drummer in a mediocre band that plays one specific venue over and over again. He spends his days making money by working in the warehouse of his father's electronics store. His only real ambition in his life is to arrange a visit to the Vatican for his ailing mother (she has terminal cancer), who is a devout Catholic. Hence the title "Pope Dreams." Andy tries just about everything to make his mother's dream come true, to no avail.
Romance comes into the film rather early thanks to the entrance of Brady (played by Marnette Patterson, who is breathtakingly sweet and lost herself). Brady approaches Andy after his band's performance one night because she wants to upset/worry her father (who will not let her take a trip with her "real" college boyfriend), thanks to a plan her friend concocts. The only trouble with this is that Andy isn't the bad-ass rocker-drummer that she leads her father to believe he is. He's a sweet, romantic dude (re: their first "date" is at a peak that overlooks the city and lays out a picnic) and mild-mannered.
The contrivances that Patrick Hogan, director, fills the entire film with could make it a rather cliche, coming-of-age story, but instead he crafts the film with set-ups that pay off as being fresh and honest and not to familiar that you are expecting them. Brady could very well have become another character victimized by the now-becoming classic "Manic Pixie Dream Girl," except Hogan gives her depth and her own bit of a crisis. Although, she definitely helps Andy discover himself (he is a very talented musician who can write music- he writes Brady a song, which eventually leads him to working with Brady's father (who's writing a musical play for the "local" theater, and he wants to use Andy's song in his play).
When the romance between Andy and Brady falls apart because of Brady's boyfriend's return, you are not necessarily disappointed because their relationship was not really the point of the film. It's not what Patrick Hogan wants you to get out of the story. And he tackles the subject craftily. Yes, the two teenagers needed to find each other at this specific point in both their lives, but not to end up together, but rather to help each other find themselves, separately. Everything progresses naturally and you don't feel cheated. And yes, Brady does end up falling for the sweet, charming Andy, but she is being deceptive. She still loves her boyfriend and that seems like it'll never change.
Unlike the now-classic coming-of-age story/film (and one of my all-time favorites) "Garden State" or even "Good Will Hunting" (a different sort of coming-of-age story and my all-time favorite film), which "Pope Dreams" is compared to on the back of the DVD. "Pope Dreams" isn't about or for the girl. It's not a blistery romantic film.
I discovered "Pope Dreams" one day while perusing the stacks of DVDs at Bull Moose and I took it home, watched it once (like you do with most films, I suppose) and then let it sit on my shelf. Projects like this allow me to rediscover these great hidden treasures. It won a few prizes on the festival circuits the year it came out, deservedly. The film is carried by great direction, writing, and performances. A knock-out!
I've always wanted to write my own coming-of-age story about a boy, but every time I attempt it, I seem to find a way to get at all the cliches, including creating that typical "Manic Pixie Dream Girl." Perhaps it's because in my own life, I've always been looking for my own. I definitely have an ideal girl in my mind and this imaginary girl has been placed on a pedestal that only leads to disappointment. I guess I just have to put her down on paper and get her out of my system. If I can write a story as well-crafted as "Pope Dreams," I can probably manage to write a decent girl that serves a purpose more than just be there for me.
Starring: nobody you would know, but a good-looking blonde named Marnette Patterson
Contrivances- a thing that is created skillfully and inventively to serve a particular purpose
"Pope Dreams" is another coming-of-age story/film about a boy at a specifically critical time in his life. THe boy's name is Andy (played well by newbie Philip Vaden). Andy is nineteen and lacks direction or focus or drive. He's a drummer in a mediocre band that plays one specific venue over and over again. He spends his days making money by working in the warehouse of his father's electronics store. His only real ambition in his life is to arrange a visit to the Vatican for his ailing mother (she has terminal cancer), who is a devout Catholic. Hence the title "Pope Dreams." Andy tries just about everything to make his mother's dream come true, to no avail.
Romance comes into the film rather early thanks to the entrance of Brady (played by Marnette Patterson, who is breathtakingly sweet and lost herself). Brady approaches Andy after his band's performance one night because she wants to upset/worry her father (who will not let her take a trip with her "real" college boyfriend), thanks to a plan her friend concocts. The only trouble with this is that Andy isn't the bad-ass rocker-drummer that she leads her father to believe he is. He's a sweet, romantic dude (re: their first "date" is at a peak that overlooks the city and lays out a picnic) and mild-mannered.
The contrivances that Patrick Hogan, director, fills the entire film with could make it a rather cliche, coming-of-age story, but instead he crafts the film with set-ups that pay off as being fresh and honest and not to familiar that you are expecting them. Brady could very well have become another character victimized by the now-becoming classic "Manic Pixie Dream Girl," except Hogan gives her depth and her own bit of a crisis. Although, she definitely helps Andy discover himself (he is a very talented musician who can write music- he writes Brady a song, which eventually leads him to working with Brady's father (who's writing a musical play for the "local" theater, and he wants to use Andy's song in his play).
When the romance between Andy and Brady falls apart because of Brady's boyfriend's return, you are not necessarily disappointed because their relationship was not really the point of the film. It's not what Patrick Hogan wants you to get out of the story. And he tackles the subject craftily. Yes, the two teenagers needed to find each other at this specific point in both their lives, but not to end up together, but rather to help each other find themselves, separately. Everything progresses naturally and you don't feel cheated. And yes, Brady does end up falling for the sweet, charming Andy, but she is being deceptive. She still loves her boyfriend and that seems like it'll never change.
Unlike the now-classic coming-of-age story/film (and one of my all-time favorites) "Garden State" or even "Good Will Hunting" (a different sort of coming-of-age story and my all-time favorite film), which "Pope Dreams" is compared to on the back of the DVD. "Pope Dreams" isn't about or for the girl. It's not a blistery romantic film.
I discovered "Pope Dreams" one day while perusing the stacks of DVDs at Bull Moose and I took it home, watched it once (like you do with most films, I suppose) and then let it sit on my shelf. Projects like this allow me to rediscover these great hidden treasures. It won a few prizes on the festival circuits the year it came out, deservedly. The film is carried by great direction, writing, and performances. A knock-out!
I've always wanted to write my own coming-of-age story about a boy, but every time I attempt it, I seem to find a way to get at all the cliches, including creating that typical "Manic Pixie Dream Girl." Perhaps it's because in my own life, I've always been looking for my own. I definitely have an ideal girl in my mind and this imaginary girl has been placed on a pedestal that only leads to disappointment. I guess I just have to put her down on paper and get her out of my system. If I can write a story as well-crafted as "Pope Dreams," I can probably manage to write a decent girl that serves a purpose more than just be there for me.
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