M: The History Brogues! I like that, 'cause it sounds like bros...J: [laughs] [types]
M: They made this Manhattan with bourbon. I think I wanted rye though. In their defense, they did ask me.
J: [rolls eyes] Welcome to Blog with a Brogue!
M: I thought we had a good intro, what was our intro?
J: Some funny word...
M: It certainly wasn't something we concocted while at work... [laughs nervously]
J: "And a'wassailing we shall go!"
M: Is that still applicable?
J: I don't even know what it means.
M: WHAT?! It's like a Christmas carol! You, of all people.
J: I know the song. [with snarky eyes]
M: So we watched a film! It came from Brits. Thanks, Brits.
J: Yes, Brits. Thank you. We liked it. A lot. Not to be confused with alot, which is a creature invented by http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com. I like this alot. I also like this a lot.
M: I like simple dog.
J: You are simple dog.
M: [laughs] I don't disagree.
J: So this movie! It was called History Boys, and it was based on a Tony award-winning musical?
M: Play? I think it was just a play. I think we said this last time, too.
J: It's something legitimate. Not that film isn't legitimate. But it's not.
M: I mean, it can be! But... basically, the point that I would like to make is that somehow BWAB stumbled into content. Depth, if you will.
J: [laughs loudly] [patrons cringe] It's true! This movie made us think, which we are not at all used to.
M: At least not in the context of this blog!
J: The characters...
M: Were rich and compelling! Just had to get the Anchorman quote in there, as per our usual.
J: I can't even...
M: I'm sorry! But I'm not sorry.
J: I love you. Er...
M: [nearly spits out drink] [twice]
J: The characters were though-provoking and well-rounded, and the movie...
M: Made light of pedophilia, which I was not at all comfortable with.
J: I couldn't believe it! I was so appalled by their lackadaisical attitude towards inappropriate relations between authority figures and students.
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| Speaking French. Clearly. |
J: Absolutely. The premise of this film was a group of brighter-than-average British boys who were in a special series of courses to enable their admittance to Oxford or Cambridge.
M: Ahx-ford.
J: Quite.
M: Luckily, I happened to watch it with someone who speaks French, which illuminated more than a couple scenes!
J: I did a real-time loose translation of a particularly funny scene in which the boys are acting out a brothel-related scenario and the headmaster walked in. So many jokes that would have been lost on the average American! Meredith, who was your favorite character?
M: Without a doubt it was the self-sacrificing, good-humored, religious boy whose name escapes me now, but he was delightful! And I found his brogue most enjoyable of all, for certain.
J: Was that the Jewish kid?
M: Noooooo... I thought he was Anglican or Catholic or something. There was a Jewish kid? To the Google!
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| Posner and Scripps, together again. |
M: It was Scripps! He exuded a worldly maturity and a brilliant sense of humor, all whilst playing beautiful piano music. It was lovely.
J: [sighs longingly] He was a really fantastic character. I think my favorite was the sweet but tragic vocalist to Scripps' piano musings, a gay character named Posner. He seemed to suffer the most from the growing pains inherent in transitioning from high school to college, particularly in the 80s.
M: He was also the most honest and forthright in his desirings for the lovely Dakin, and it was heartening. Something something, faith in human restored, something something!
J: I totally said that on Friday night. Goo Goo Dolls for life!
M: Oh my god, you did!
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| Demon Dakin. The smarm. The charm. |
J: [laughs] I was surprised at how dark this film became, but I think it fit its original role as a play. Perhaps better than as a movie.
M: If you were British, you might have said fitted. In any case, I concur. I did not like the ending, and I especially did not like the instructor and his apparent lack of life experience.
J: I waaaanted to like him, so much. But I agree, his inability to stand up for himself or manage a group of snarky, brilliant boys was off-putting. He could have been stronger. I mean, we all could have been stronger.
M: Who are we to judge?
J: Blog with a Brogue gets serious.
M: I think that's the hardest I've laughed all day. It was a good movie. It has substance.
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| The whole group, out for a jaunt. |
J: It did! I don't know that there was any particular message that I got from it, but I did really enjoy it as a character study and a window into what life must've been like for someone coming out during that era. Also, I was just reminded of the scene at the end where the only female character in the movie gives a brilliant rant about the lack of women in history studies. It's eloquent and true and up until that point I hadn't realized the discrepancy.
M: It was much-needed bad-assery.
J: Well said! And with that, we leave you. The Pig is pleasant and cool, and my beer is delicious.
M: Is this a cherry?
J: It is! But I don't recommend eating it. The texture is... unique. It's kinda squishy.
M: I hate cherries, in all of the ways that matter.
J: There are children listening! Nope. There's not. You're fine. Cherry jokes, hey!
M: Oh, we went there. I feel like we should end on a high note, though, not here in the gutter-ish area.
J: Should I stand on the table?
M: I was thinking something maybe more along the lines of, "What will BWAB do next?"
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| High notes. |
J: Well! I can work with that. We're seeing Amélie on Sunday, but that's French so it doesn't count. We'll be visiting Brits again soon to check out one of our many finds.
M: Until then! Kirk out.
J: I thought you said high note...
M: I couldn't resist.
