Art Imitates Life

I know I've mentioned before that I love television. I would think therefore that it's implied that I also love movies. I think the reason I enjoy this media (beyond the obvious entertainment value) is that unlike life, plot lines in television and movies are predictable. I mean, there are very simple formulas for making television and movies work and the inevitable good conquers evil or boy gets girl is just so satisfying (for whatever psychological reason).

In the same vein, I love when television or movies somehow mimic my life and provide deep insight.

If you're wondering where this post is going, here it is. SWINGERS is an amazing movie, but not just for the humor. Take these quotes/scenes for instance. It's some deep stuff. If you haven't seen this movie or haven't seen it recently, I highly suggest you do.

Rob: You don't look at the things you have. You only look at the stuff you don't have. Those guys are right about you, you're money
Mike: Then why won't she call?
Rob: She won't call because you left. She's got her own life to deal with man, and that's in New York. Alright, and she's a sweet girl and I love her to pieces, but **** her man you gotta get on with your life. You gotta let go of the past, and Mikey when you do, I'm telling ya, the future is beautiful, alright. Look out the window. It's sunny everyday here. It's like manifest destiny, don't tell me we didn't make it, we made it. We are here, and everything that has passed is prologue to this. All of the **** that didn't kill us is only... you know, all that ****. You're gonna get over it.
Mike: How did you get over it? I mean, how long did it take?
Rob: Sometimes it still hurts. You know how it is man, it's like you wake up everyday and it hurts a little bit less, and you wake up one day and it doesn't hurt at all. And the funny thing is that, this is kinda weird, but it's like, it's like, you almost miss that pain.
Mike: You miss the pain?
Rob: Yea, for the same reason you miss her. Because you lived with it for so long.


Trent: I don't want you to be the guy in the PG-13 movie everyone's *really* hoping makes it happen. I want you to be like the guy in the rated R movie, you know, the guy you're not sure whether or not you like yet. You're not sure where he's coming from. Okay? You're a bad man. You're a bad man, Mikey. You're a bad man, bad man.


Mike: Okay, so what if I don't want to give up on her?
Rob: You don't call.
Mike: But you said I don't call if I wanted to give up on her.
Rob: Right.
Mike: So I don't call either way?
Rob: Right.
Mike: So what's the difference?
Rob: There is no difference right now. See, Mike, the only difference between giving up and not giving up is if you take her back when she wants to come back. But you can't do anything to make her want to come back. In fact, you can only do stuff to make her not want to come back.
Mike: So the only difference is if I forget about her or just pretend to forget about her?
Rob: Right.
Mike: Well that sucks.
Rob: Yeah, it sucks.
Mike: So it's just like a retroactive decision, then? I mean I could, like, forget about her and then when she comes back make like I just pretended to forget about her?
Rob: Right. Although probably more likely the opposite.
Mike: What do you mean?
Rob: I mean at first you're going to pretend to forget about her, you'll not call her, I don't know, whatever... but then eventually, you really will forget about her.
Mike: Well what if she comes back first?
Rob: Mmmm... see, that's the thing, is somehow they know not to come back until you really forget.
Mike: There's the rub.
Rob: There's the rub.