Movie ‘Come On Come On’
Family relationships are very strange. There are times when we are happy together and there are times when we are unhappy. Also, sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it. Being together can become a strong fence, but it also hurts them. A family is both a fence and a bridle in the sense that you receive a lot of hurt and pain from the people closest to you. Director Mike Mills’ movie ‘Come On Come On’ tells the story of an uncle growing up through a nephew who overcomes family conflicts with understanding and love.
Radio journalist Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix), an interviewer about children’s dreams, lives, and the future, receives a call from his younger sister, Vib (Gabi Hoffman), who has been away from her for a long time since her mother’s death. At the request of his brother, he takes care of his 9-year-old nephew, Jessie (Woody Norman), who unexpectedly shares good times and sad times, quiet nights and interesting days. Johnny tries to interview Jessie, but on the contrary, he is baptized with questions and reveals the past hidden deep in his heart. And because he’s a family, he thought he knew each other a lot, but he realizes that he doesn’t.
Emphasize the wounds and understanding between family members. Unlike friends and acquaintances, family is a relationship that is difficult to separate. It can be easier to maintain a relationship if you live far away, but eventually you will have to meet. The problem is that since it is a flawless relationship, they end up hurting each other. The same goes for Johnny and Vibe. During their mother’s battle with the disease, the brothers and sisters came into conflict because of their different judgments, and they became separated as they disagreed. Johnny comes to understand her sister’s plight as she belatedly raises a child alone with her husband, her belatedly depressed. She thought she knew everything because she was a family member, but she didn’t know anything. However, if she shows a little patience, she realizes later that she can understand and love each other more than anyone else.
ⓒIt shows the growth of adults through children. There are adults who think that children are the property of their parents, and therefore parents can decide whether they live or die as they please. However, everyone is a respected individual from the moment they are born. Johnny covers children and asks them about their thoughts on the future, their dreams, their happiness, and their wishes. The children who are asked the question give an answer to the world they see through their own eyes. They often give answers that are as mature as adults or more mature than adults. The film shows the growth of an adult who respects children and learns their sorrows and joys by setting up opposing things such as family and the world, youth and aging, big questions and trivial questions.
ⓒIt also captivates the audience with audiovisual. Each city in the United States, of course, fills in the blanks of memory by cross-editing the past and the present. Moreover, in the scene where Johnny meets children and interviews them, documentary scenes intersect, creating a unique atmosphere. The video, shot in black and white, has a winter background, but it looks warm and evokes a faint nostalgia. Various classical music including Mozart also enhances the quality of the film. Director Mike Mills, who loved literature, originally worked as a designer. His experience and taste were added to create a video essay.
Conflicts and wounds between families are becoming a big problem in modern society. In particular, it is getting worse as time with family increases due to the COVID-19 crisis. This can be clearly seen from the increasing number of family counseling programs in the broadcasting media and the growing interest in them. The movie ‘Come On Come On’ provides an opportunity to think about family conflicts and wounds, as well as the preciousness of family and warm love.
ⓒKyungmi Yang / Adjunct Professor at Yonsei University, Film Critic film1027@naver.com
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