Samson, Marie Yancie BS PSY 1-1

Samson, Marie Yancie B.
BS PSYCHOLOGY 1-1 03/17/20 Art Appreciation
Lost Stars
“Begin Again” is a story between Dan (a washed-up music executive) and Greta (a broken
hearted singer-songwriter) who meets in a bar where they decide to collaborate on an album by
recording on the streets of New York. Due to our cultural desensitization to clichés made by some
contemporary movies, reading the previous statement automatically makes us believe that this two
people will fall in love with each other by the end of the film. However, the movie subverts this
expectation by focusing on the theme of “found family,” where you meet precious people from different
backgrounds during the roughest moments of life.
However, instead of starting the story from the character’s personal stories, they immediately
throw the audience into Dan and Greta’s meeting, and subsequently placing a well-explained flashback
for each of the character’s past experience that led them to coincidentally meet. This deepens the
emotions that the film tries to convey as it shows how the two characters cope with their situation before
meeting each other. In truth, Greta and Dan can be anyone of us. In anger, some of us may lash out to
others like Dan. Dan is first seen to be destructive in his anger, paired with unhealthy amounts of alcohol
and curses. However, as observed in the film, anger is not always like fire – inherent chaos, a push and
pull, or a destructive release. Sometimes, anger is like water – a gentle lapping of wave or a silent
release. Consequently, Greta’s anger is paired with withdrawal, where she actively avoids confrontation
as she tries to get away from the situation as soon as possible. As a Psychology student, I see the need
for diversity in representations of emotions. This is due to the fact that everyone does not possess the
same coping mechanisms in times of conflict. Consequently, film is an art form that could effectively
convey the various feelings and emotions that people have during different situations. This validates
some people as they feel like they are understood once a film tries to relate its story to real life scenarios.
By the end of the film, their street recordings where they meet musicians of different
backgrounds and bystanders who enjoy their music has paid off, as they successfully made an album
together. The two protagonists have also seemed to develop a deeper understanding of each other as they
hear each other stories. This made me relate the film to the song “Lost Stars.” Truthfully, we are all
wandering lambs trying to find the reason for our existence. In this journey, we meet two types of
people: those who stay and those who don’t. Humans seem to always remember those who left, and
often ruminate on it for a long time while trying to rebuild the way their life were before meeting the
person who abandoned them. In most cases, they tend to associate their already established routine and
habits with this person due to the duration of the time they were with them. At times, they feel the
loneliness and the absence of that person’s presence when they are alone. However, being alone and
being lonely should not be mutually exclusive. The only reason they feel alone is due to the fact that
they have been complacent with the feeling of being with someone, to the point that when that person
suddenly walks out of the door, there entire life crumbles. It should be emphasized that your life should
not revolve around a person, as humans leave all the time. However, found families are hard to come by.
They can be neighbors, childhood friends, peers, or even colleagues. They are always there when you
need them. They are often low-maintenance, as the only reassurance they need is your presence. They
also leave eventually, but found families differ in the way they love: unconditional and without any
expectations. They will be unapologetic in the way they care. They will understand your weaknesses and
praise your strengths. You will form a trust, a bond, and a social interconnectedness with these people.
They will help you move on from the painful past and from the people who left, and the only way to
move on is to acknowledge the fact that it happened. In this acceptance, we begin again as lost stars
trying to swim in the river of life, with found families by our side.

Samson, Marie Yancie BS PSY 1-1

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Samson, Marie Yancie B.

BS PSYCHOLOGY 1-1 03/17/20 Art Appreciation

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