Me and You and Everyone We Know
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Me and You and Everyone We Know | |
|---|---|
| |
| Directed by | Miranda July |
| Written by | Miranda July (screenplay) |
| Starring | Miranda July, John Hawkes, Miles Thompson, Brandon Ratcliff, Natasha Slayton, Najarra Townsend |
| Distributed by | IFC Films |
| Release date(s) | June 17, 2005 (limited) |
| Running time | 90 min. |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Me and You and Everyone We Know is the debut feature-length film by Miranda July. The film won the Caméra d'Or at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The structure of the film consists of several subplots, all revolving around an intertwined cast of characters.
The film begins by introducing Richard (John Hawkes), a shoe salesman and recently separated father of two. After being thrown out by his wife, he gets an apartment of his own to share with his children, Peter (Miles Thompson) and Robby (Brandon Ratcliff). He meets Christine (Miranda July), a senior-cab driver and part-time video artist, while she shops for shoes, and the two develop a fledgling romantic relationship.
Robby, only six years old, initiates a scat fetishist online chat relationship (see quote below), including a real-life meeting.
Two of Richard's neighbors, 15-year-olds Heather (Natasha Slayton) and Rebecca (Najarra Townsend), develop a playful relationship with a much older neighbor. They come to his house intending to have sex with him, as practice, which shocks him, and he pretends not to be home.
They ask 14-year-old Peter if they can practice oral sex on him, so that he can tell them which of the two does it better; so they do.
Meanwhile, Christine's work is rejected by a modern art museum, but then later accepted by the curator, who turns out to be the scat fetishist.
The plots come together in the end, with Peter falling for the daughter of a neighbor, Christine and Richard displaying a show of mutual acceptance of their attraction to each other, and as a final plot device, Robby finding that the noise he'd been awoken to every morning very early was that of an early rising businessman tapping a quarter on a street sign pole. When asked why he's doing it, he stops and turns around, saying "Just somethin' to pass the time" and tosses Robby the quarter. When his bus drives away and Robby tries it out himself, the sun heightens with each tap, time literally passing as he does it.
[edit] Themes
Numerous themes present themselves, often subtly throughout the film including:
- The film questions the role of community and its definition in relation to the lives and interactions between characters.
- The inability to interact in a modern world where isolationism is so prevalent.
- The passage of time and how, we as humans pass our time on Earth. As the characters perform clandestine rituals and reveal their closeted idiosyncrasies, this theme is brought into forefront of the film.
- The sexuality of children
- The reason for human connection. Everyone in the film connects with someone else, the reasons for which are explained by the final line: to pass the time.
[edit] Details and trivia
- This film was shot digitally using a Sony HDW-F900 CineAlta camera.
- Peter and Robby use the Gaim instant messaging client.
- ASCII art is showcased throughout the film; such as the Earth, a lion, and ))<>((
- Wang Chung song "Dance Hall Days" has the lyric "When i, you, and everyone we knew" strikingly similar to Movie title.
[edit] Quotes
Peter: What should we write...
Robby: I want to poop back and forth.
Peter: What? What does that mean?
Robby: Like I'll poop into her butthole and she'll poop it back... into my butthole and then we'll just keep doing it back and forth. With the same poop. Forever.
Christine: Fuck! Fuck you! Fuck me! Fuck old people! Fuck children! Fuck peace!
Nancy: Email wouldn't even exist if it weren't for AIDS.
Christine: Ice Land is, its kind of like that point in a relationship, you know - where you suddenly realize its not going to last forever. You know, you can see the end in sight. Tyrone Street.
