51 Birch Street is a documentary film about a family where
the mother just goes through an unexpected death just three weeks after having pneumonia.
After watching the family you ask yourself many questions about your parents.
Are they really happy with each other? If everything a cover up? Are they actually
loyal? Is there anything we as kids should know about our parents if they are
hiding anything? You also see many close end tied themes as well such as love,
loyalty, hatred, adultery(I guess indirectly) and mainly commitment. What do
you all think are the main goals of the film. What are they trying to tell us
even I don’t know because I think of it as a point where they are just talking
about one family, it doesn’t happen to all families. But basically what did you
all learn from this short film.
Let me start off by saying how much i enjoyed the film. It kind of reminded me of my grandparents so i got a little teary-eyed when the mom died. Anyway I think the true goal of the film is to show everyone that your parents are people too. We often see our parents how we want to see them but not who they really are. I think thats why a lot of people have such big issues with their parents growing up because both sides are pretending; we pretend that they can never do anything wrong while they pretend that they don't. Insightful film.
ReplyDeleteThe film was definetly very enjoyable really made an impression on me. Although mina and mike were obvicously not happy with each other I feel like they still loved each other alot and made it through their 50 years of marriage and raised a beautifull famly. Doug's decision to read his moms diarys in my opinion I think some things should be kept a secret forever. I feel like the more you exploit a person the more you begin you question them. I believe every person even the most law abiding citizen has done some bad in their lifetime. I think the message of this film is everyone has their own secrets whether it may be newly weds or people who've spent half a century together. I love my parents to death but I would not want to find out about their goods and bads of their marriage.
ReplyDeleteI found this film to be both enjoyable and relatable. I am not going to lie, I became very judgmental towards Mike for marrying just three months after his wife's death. However, my opinion had changed when I had found out how unhappy both of them were in the marriage. I respect Doug for reading his mom's diary. In order to move on and gain closure, he needed answers and that is great for him to find closure within his own mother's words. I think the goal of the film was to show the viewer tradition, finding happiness, true struggles of a marriage, and most importantly no one really knows what happens behind closed doors. On the outside a family or a couple can seem so perfect and happy, but on the inside it can be a completely different story.
ReplyDeleteThis film really opened my eyes. There is so much behind the relationships that you just don't see. It makes me question many other relationships that I believe are good relationships, but who really knows. This film shows that there is always more under the surface.
ReplyDeleteI also wonder if my parents are the same way that his parents were. Maybe they are just hiding the real truth from me. While I find out everything, as he did, once my parents die? I feel like this is happens to more families than people think. Maybe not the cheating part, but definitely the parts where they are going through hardship and rethinking if they should have gotten married or not.
ReplyDeleteI believe the point of the film is that nobody has a perfect marriage/relationship, because that's what makes a marriage/relationship interesting. Also, if you're relationship isn't joyful, you shouldn't stay together just for the sake of being together. You have to do what makes you happy. I thought 51 Birch Street was a great film and arose a lot of emotion from the audience because of it's rawness and naturalness amongst the family members.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the movie it made me think about who my parents really are, and if its even possible to get to know them on another level other then being their kid, maybe i can. probably a big challenge though.
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