Posted by NormanDale21 at cpe-65-28-220-217.new.rr.com on March 29, 2004 at 00:58:52:
In Reply to: Theater Reports, please posted by Kevin on March 28, 2004 at 09:54:40:
My wife and I hit the movie at 7:10 on opening night. I'd say the place was about 70% full. I was surprised at how many teen/pre-teen girls were there. Call it the Affleck Factor I guess. Some very good audience "belly laughs" where you wound up missing the next line.
That being said, when I got home from the movie I sat down, almost bewildered and wrote what is below. And now I've paid $2 just to make you all read it. I need someone to know.
I saw the flick tonight. I have no words.
If you knew me, you'd know that that is a statement within itself.
I cannot begin to describe how many buttons you pushed in this movie. I'm in this weird place right now because I loved the flick, but I don't know if I can watch it again. I got back at 10 pm here in Wisconsin (you know, the place worse than hell) and it's taken me this long to wind down enough to be able to type this.
I don't even know who the hell I'm typing to. I just need to do it as therapy. I'm just so spooked by the similarities between this movie and my life.
Luckily, my wife is still alive. But beyond that, I have a 4 year old son. When he was born, I left my job in sportsradio and have been staying home with him ever since. I love sports. I've been coaching basketball for over 12 years now and I'm only 28. Next to my wife and kid, it's my life.
Last summer I got offered a job to be an assistant coach at a college in Minneapolis, MN. It was an incredible opportunity. To be 28 and an asst. at the college level already.
I wound up wrestling with the EXACT same issues that Affleck's character in the flick did. "What if I hadn't gotten married and had the kid? I'd be able to take this job. I'd be coaching college ball."
But I just couldn't do it. Couldn't take the kid away from his grandparents, couldn't handle sending him to daycare after I had spent the last 4 years raising him. And I always wondered if I used the kid as a crutch and maybe I was just scared to move away myself.
I wondered that until today. I watched that movie and I realized that loving and raising my kid to the best of my ability is an accomplishment in itself. It's not a copout. The one line that will ring in my head maybe the rest of my life: "Maybe you should forget about who you thought you were and just accept who you are."
I'm still going to be a college coach, but the path to that goal has changed. And now I think I can live with that.
I knew the movie wasn't going to be like the previous 5. I knew that I was probably going to like it. But I had no idea it was going to hit this close to home.
And that is why I don't know if I can see it again. I cried like 4 different times during the flick. And I have a headache from holding back the tears 5 other times. And even though I'd know what's coming if I watched it again, I'd still likely lose it.
This movie just wrecked me for a night. I'd almost take "raining down sulfur" over this. I'm spent.
If, by some chance this gets read by Kevin: "Thanks. I hope I can summon up the energy to watch it again someday."