Inscription: I was young then, and now I am young – Brando
If one has to explore one's past with the rigor of an archaeologist, as if it were a historical relic, one must interpret youth according to the age zone defined by the medical community.
Then I really am, youth is gone.
Usually, whenever the word 'youth' sneaks into my consciousness, the first thing that comes to mind is when I study in Nanchang Bay.
At that time, the books around me were loud, and the friends were a simple and innocent mess; at that time, I was learning to be an alcoholic, pretending to be debauched on the road in the middle of the night; at that time, I was busy moving out of the dormitory to rent a house, anxious and eager to experience the married life with a girl; at that time, I pretended to be melancholy, pretended to be cool, pretended to be dashing, pretended to be painful - pain is also a kind of beauty.
As mentioned before, however, if I dig my youth from the depths, I still miss my years in Zhengzhou even more.
At that time, I had graduated, I didn't have a job, and my life was difficult and uncertain. The worry and confusion of giving new words when I was studying was really and deeply imprinted on me. The future was uncertain, and the pain of completely losing oneself seemed so clear. I couldn't find my place at all, and for a while I was in a state of regret for having done nothing in the past, and even cut off my connection to everything I had before.
Luckily, there are always a few friends around.
These friends are all young people who make me look back and want to go crazy, and all want to float a big cup.
Just like the Johnny in the movie. In the face of the reality that has been clearly presented to us (as we all know, this reality is naturally cruel), life naturally cannot find the law. The ideals that life has given us have all fucking become dreams. As for responsibility, we were talking about responsibility at that time!
What can be done when the excess energy brought about by youth is exposed like a fly, and there is nowhere to vent?
Johnny gave us the answer. He told us that even if there is nowhere to vent, it must be vented, no matter what means are used. He chose to create a small explosion in a mailbox on the street, shoot at the opposite window from the terrace at night, or find someone to fight. There was really nothing to do, just wandering around that cruel street. Of course, he is very knowledgeable, but he can only gamble twice when he has money. I don't have any money but to find myself fun.
If we must say that he is also a person with ideals, then his ideal is to become a gangster. He is bent on joining the mafia through the connections of his friend Charlie. But Charlie never agreed. Perhaps it may be Charlie's introverted personality and devotion to Catholicism that prevent him from becoming a real criminal, but who can say that johnny would never be a qualified mafia even if he had the chance?
But just as the godfather Vito doted on his incompetent godson, Charlie loved this bohemian, out-of-control, and often mischievous little bastard. You could also say that Charlie loved Johnny for Johnny's cousin, but what I understand is that Charlie loves Johnny, just like our siblings, the most loved, is always the most mischievous little brother.
In order to get over the gambling addiction, Johnny borrowed money and loan sharks everywhere, as he himself said to Mike: I borrowed money everywhere, but I never paid it back, and finally no one would lend it to me. I had to look for you. Because you're a stupid guy!
For the sake of this, for him to take a pistol without bullets, point it at Mike mischievously, and viciously humiliate and threaten him, and finally on the cruel street shrouded in the dark and dirty night. Charlie reluctantly becomes Johnny's funeral. They gushed blood in the sound of Mike's gunshots—the kind of beauty that piled up and exploded from the entire dull tone of the movie. Enough to forget that this was nothing more than the first film that Martin and de Niro collaborated on.
You're a stupid guy, you know? Mike, you're the biggest idiot nearby.
Somehow, in this low-key and repressive film, de Niro's character Johnny is not the first protagonist, and it seems that he is the first thing that may remind us of him. This Johnny is so unruly, and he's so similar to some of my friends around me. Maybe everyone asshole is not as excessive as he is, and he has not been able to do all the things he has done, but isn't this Johnny's look, action, and mentality exactly what we have ever had?
Falling in love with movies starts from Zhengzhou Wenhua Road. At that time, several of my friends were mixed up in a certain university on that road, and when we had nothing to do, we also went to hang out on the street, gambled when we had enough pockets, gambled and drank, drank and went crazy, and went back to sleep when we were done. What kind of day is tomorrow? I don't know, and they don't know.
When there was really nowhere to go (mostly when they were penniless), they had to huddle in their cramped little dormitory to watch movies. First of all, it is always A film, changing the pattern of watching, and finally tired, just watching martial arts films, also tired, just messy, catch what to see. In short, I forgot about it.
It was in the midst of this chaos that several people were able to establish a hobby of watching movies. Friend Zheng likes domestic films, movies about the Cultural Revolution, about war, about contemporary soldiers, etc., are probably his favorites; Tong is similar to my taste, like drama and non-genre films. Especially true, we both love Pacino and de Niro.
Time flies, we stumble and sigh, we go our separate ways in life encounters, begin to worry about our responsibilities and the like, and gradually lose or forget what was once regarded as faith. I still often look for old films to watch, still in the dim light to review the inner feelings and hurts. We occasionally chat online, and almost no one mentions the movies we've seen back then, and all we say is our livelihood today.
Three days ago, I stumbled upon the diaries written by a few friends on the Internet, and was suddenly surprised to find that they were still the same as me, perhaps the burden on their bodies had changed compared to before, but there were still some things- such as love for movies, as before, but they had learned to silently appreciate and think.
Turns out you still love movies!
"Poor Streets" is not a popular movie, and perhaps many de Niro fans have not seen it. That's why my friend, Tong, wrote this: I've been looking forward to seeing this movie, but I haven't found it for a long time.
When I watched this movie, I left Zhengzhou last year, and at that time, I didn't have much memory, maybe I didn't have too many expectations for the first cooperation between this great director and this great actor. So the film also seems so dull and bland. The occasional flash only comes from some part of the classic lines in the inner part, and the actor's extremely body language performance.