A Post-Workout Workout 3/25/10

After a hard thirteen (Wasn't that Bernard Madoff's prison sentence?), like I did this morning, I probably shouldn't have gone to see "The Hurt Locker" in the afternoon. Normally, Amy and I would head over to the HyVee deli after a run like today's, but instead, we decided we wanted to try to catch up on our movie watching. Two slices of pepperoni pizza, and a Mountain Dew are usually all I need to get my old chassis restarted.

You probably know by now that this film won both the Best Picture, and Best Director Oscars. I would not argue with either verdict. There is no let-up, as the director packs drama into every moment, and the actors reveal their emotions, from fear, to rage, to horror, and even sardonic humor into every line of dialogue. It tells the story of an Army bomb technician and his team working in Iraq. The movie is so saturated with tension, that even the scenes between those related to bomb disposal are unbearably nerve-wracking. Those where they are out on missions keep the Oh-Shit-O-Meter pegged.

So, it was not the best choice for maxin', and relaxin'. I was wound up tight from the beginning, to the end, and then some. I think, actually, that the residual anxiety colored the rest of my evening. The mellowness that had followed my hard workout was transformed, after leaving the movie, into a sullen distancing from what should have been enjoyable activities, like watching the sunset with Amy, grocery shopping, watching basketball on TV, and walking the dog.

But, that transformative effect is what movies should always provide, and so rarely do. Most films are content to be mere entertainment, and there is nothing wrong with that. There are so many movies that we lower our expectations, knowing that they can't all be masterworks. I think we forget, however, that movies are an art form. They create an image of the world that had not existed before, so, they should provoke us to think about the world in ways that we had not previously. Movies should affect our feelings, if they are excellent, at least for a short time.

That's what "The Hurt Locker" did for me. It short-circuited my recovery process, to be sure, and it may have even put me in a funk for the rest of the evening. It was one of the most powerful experiences I have ever had while watching a movie, and one I will carry with me for a very long time. I'd trade a nap, a bottle of Mountain Dew, and two slices of pizza for that anyday.

Thanks for reading.