How Was Sarah Watt Explore the Ways People Deal with Their Personal Tragedies in 'Look Both Ways'
How does Sarah Watt explore the ways people deal with their personal tragedies in Look Both Ways? Discuss.
In Look Both Ways, Sarah Watt explores a variety of emotions and experiences, focusing on the ways people deal with their personal misfortune. Including the death of loved ones, the fear of death, possible relationship breakdowns and the grief of feeling responsible for somebody’s death. Watt uses visual images; animations, flashbacks and periods of silence to show the effects these issues have on each character.
Through conversations and images relating to the characters and relationships throughout the film, Watt suggests that forming supportive and meaningful relationships with others can help us cope with personal catastrophe during life. We see this in the support given to Nick from his boss. Phil arrives at the cricket match, not to play, but to ask Nick “How you going?”
Many connections between people are unplanned and unexpected, for example the meeting of Meryl and Nick. Watt reveals their growing love by showing the viewer that they share common characteristics – they both seek relief in their work to help them deal with distressing situations. Nick has photography and Meryl has her paintings. “Cheaper than therapy.” Meryl says. Watts combination of quirky animations and images also helps to initiate the connection between Nick and Meryl. They are both preoccupied with death and disaster. “I’m seeing death everywhere this weekend”, Says Nick and Meryl responds with “So do I”. When they make love for the first time we see an animation of what they are both imagining, their deepest fears. We notice that the animated images become less frightening for example; Nick’s cancer cells shrink. Towards the end of the film when Meryl’s relationship with Nick has developed, her imaginations are less threatening. The ‘black’ children in the animation are laughing as they say “Maybe it was meant to be”, just as Meryl is able to laugh at herself when the
In Look Both Ways, Sarah Watt explores a variety of emotions and experiences, focusing on the ways people deal with their personal misfortune. Including the death of loved ones, the fear of death, possible relationship breakdowns and the grief of feeling responsible for somebody’s death. Watt uses visual images; animations, flashbacks and periods of silence to show the effects these issues have on each character.
Through conversations and images relating to the characters and relationships throughout the film, Watt suggests that forming supportive and meaningful relationships with others can help us cope with personal catastrophe during life. We see this in the support given to Nick from his boss. Phil arrives at the cricket match, not to play, but to ask Nick “How you going?”
Many connections between people are unplanned and unexpected, for example the meeting of Meryl and Nick. Watt reveals their growing love by showing the viewer that they share common characteristics – they both seek relief in their work to help them deal with distressing situations. Nick has photography and Meryl has her paintings. “Cheaper than therapy.” Meryl says. Watts combination of quirky animations and images also helps to initiate the connection between Nick and Meryl. They are both preoccupied with death and disaster. “I’m seeing death everywhere this weekend”, Says Nick and Meryl responds with “So do I”. When they make love for the first time we see an animation of what they are both imagining, their deepest fears. We notice that the animated images become less frightening for example; Nick’s cancer cells shrink. Towards the end of the film when Meryl’s relationship with Nick has developed, her imaginations are less threatening. The ‘black’ children in the animation are laughing as they say “Maybe it was meant to be”, just as Meryl is able to laugh at herself when the