Leaves of Grass - A Review

We know that our life is uncertain and even after knowing its uncertainty we work as if the life is certain. Hope is the thing which makes to work us in that way. But at times we forget the uncertainty of life and blame it on our hope as if it’s the fact. When everything in life goes good the meaning of uncertainty is never understood so life shows its true colour by uncertainty at times to awake us. This forms the theme of the movie “leaves of grass”, directed by Tim Blake Nelson and starring Edward Norton. The story starts with a twins played by Edward Norton. One is a Professor (Bill) of classical philosophy and other is a bootlegger (Brady). Bill isolates himself from his family and leads a calm life. Brady tricks him and brings him down to the hometown and happenings form the rest of the movie. The movie starts of as a comedy and lots and lots of philosophy and turns noirish at the end. The theme of the movie is explained at several points of the movie such as the opening lecture, the conversation between Bolger and Brady on their way up to Tulsa. It is a movie that makes you happy at the beginning and gives you a thought at the end. The director in clearly explains the hard hitting reality down the south in USA.
The movie has many subplots which has been given equal importance to that of the main plot. And at times you may feel that the perfection in the subplots is even better than that of main plot. It has its own moments of appreciation all over the running hours. Some of the scenes which I liked the most are the introduction scenes of Bill and Brady, Bill’s conversation with his mother and a scene when Bill asks about the scar to Bolger he regrets for not redoing the favour by saving Brady’s life. This says that the scar make him to regret for the rest of the life. At last Bolger heals it by saving Bill. When the doctor tells him that he saved Bill’s life the healing can be seen. There is plenty of one liner which makes you to think more than a line. Music is very well utilized in this movie. Especially the song played while Bolger and Bill travelling to Tulsa to meet Mrs. Feinman is the song, whose lyric is made in the way as of the words are spoken by Brady to comfort them both.

 The biggest strength of the movie is the dialogues which has its impact on every viewer. It shows that the writer director has the knack to make interesting conversations all over the movie. Whoever watches the movie will have one of the conversations scenes as their most favourite scene. Another inevitable strength of the movie is music (Songs actually), which overshadows the performance and conversation at times. Characterization of every character in the movie has been developed in depth. Even the minor characters have their own moments in the movie. Albeit the death, tragedy and bloodshed in the second half the movie carries a positive ray. Live the moment, don’t think about the future and make hope a superstitious thing is that what director wants to say to his spectators. The drastic change in the mood of the movie may be a shock to viewers who expects a feel good entertainer. Albeit the hard hitting second half the climax leaves at peace along with a strong impact when walking out of the movie and that’s the success of the movie. Change in mood of the movie is the theme of the movie which is very well handled by the director. I just want to say, "Watch it, you will like it".