16 Blocks and Change

By way of introduction, for many years this therapist didn't even watch television. My significant other (okay, spouse of many years) once won a television, maybe it was 64 inch? I don't know. Big screen. We sold it for $300. The kids were furious.

Anyway, things change, and now I do try to relax watching videos, and those of you who have read this or another blog know that I don't mind using them to make a point.

Moving right along, my son-in-law, who grew up in L.A. where movies (films, okay, okay) rule, insists on watching with the sub-title feature on. It doesn't matter how well anyone can hear, he says, actors drop words and he doesn't like to miss any of them. As much as I try to do that, too, watch with subtitles, the remote throws me. Seriously. It's hard to work it. Could be some "remote" learning disorder, strange too, because as a kid taking apart my phonograph and putting it back together was this girl's idea of a really good time.

Why do we care? Well, while watching 16 BLOCKS, some of the words did get lost. Maybe 25% for all I know. But I really liked the film in spite of that, which was unusual since movies that HAVE to have a car chase and a bus that either bursts into flames or crashes into a building in an alley aren't generally thumbs up by me.

None of the reviewers were as enthusiastic, gotta' say, especially the ones at Rotten Tomatoes.

But the point of the movie made it worth a look. (FINALLY, the point)

Bruce Willis plays his Die Hard best, but he's a depressed alcoholic cop.

digress. . . digress. . .This doc has very little tolerance in general for reality at the end of the day; happy is better. Plus, violence isn't my thing. Most review will be about Woody Allen movies, old ones, or anything with Jim Carey. Despite this blood-intolerance, I will watch anything with Bruce Willis. Don't know why.

digress some more . . .In case you are a regular reader and wondering why there has been NO follow up on movies since My Cousin Vinnie, it's because the summer weather was too good to stay in to WATCH, plus it was a dull summer movie season. The only thing this doc saw was The Devil Loves Prada, which works as eye candy, plus Meryl's always worth watching, right?

Back to 16 HOURS, Jack Mosley (Bruce) is a burnt out, depressed, alcoholic cop who does the right thing. But so what. It is Eddie Bunker (Mos Def), who plays a fast-talking ex-con trying to get to the courtroom to testify against a handful of very dirty cops, who keeps the pace. (If he hadn't keep my interest, well, there was always that remote.)

Bunker, with his annoying, whiny voice, encourages the burnt out alcoholic Jack Mosley to change. He wants to convince Jack that people do change, but he's just a kid with a big mouth, like any other kid you see on Law and Order.

Jack Mosley says, “People never change. Seasons change, but people don’t change.” Eddie disagrees, throws out the names of a few of his heroes who did, Barry White, Chuck Berry, and a few more.

I'd have to watch the movie again to tell you who else, apparently, changes, and that's not going to happen.

PEOPLE CAN CHANGE. That's the theme of the movie.

Of course Therapy Doc liked it.

So please, people. Stop telling me you can't. If Jack can change, if Jack Mosley, Chuck White, and Chuck Berry can change, anyone can. Check out the movie yourself to see whether or not Eddie Bunker made that short list.

Email me or Comment here if you've know of any movies that make an emotional point (other than, perhaps, love conquers all, or disease is not cool).