Hello there and welcome to Thursday Movie Picks a weekly series where you share your movie picks each Thursday. The rules are simple: based on the theme of the week pick three to five movies and tell us why you picked them. For further details and the schedule visit the series main page here.
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This week's Thursday Movie Picks is Meltdowns
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I tend to love meltdown scenes in movies. They usually have some great lines and showcases a great performance. Here are some of my favorites:
"I just ran out of bullshit. Am I still on the air? I really don't know any other way to say it other than I just ran out of bullshit."
Network (1976)
When a news anchorman is fired, he begins the first of many rants about his unhappiness on the air. This movie is so good, it's over 40 years old and still feels relevant.
When a news anchorman is fired, he begins the first of many rants about his unhappiness on the air. This movie is so good, it's over 40 years old and still feels relevant.
Michael Clayton (2007)"...please hear me out because this is not an episode, relapse, fuck-up, it's... I'm begging you Michael. I'm begging you. Try and make believe this is not just madness because this is not just madness."
A lawyer has a meltdown during a deposition meeting and later rants and rambles in an attempt to explain what happened to a colleague.
Wanted (2008)"I understand. Junior high must've been kind of tough, but it doesn't give you the right to treat your workers like horseshit, Janice. ...I want you to know, if you weren't such a bitch, we'd feel sorry for you. I do feel sorry for you. But as it stands, the way you behave - I feel I can speak for the entire office when I tell you... go fuck yourself."
It's that scene where Wesley finally has had enough of his boss.
The Social Network (2010)"You better lawyer up asshole, because I'm not coming back for 30%, I'm coming back for EVERYTHING."
It's that scene where Eduardo Saverin found out that only his ownership share and none of the others were diluted. He confronts Zuckerberg and loses it in the office.
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Michael Clayton and The Social Network are such good picks!
ReplyDeleteI didn't like all of these, and I haven't seen Wanted yet, but they all fit the theme very well. Funny they're all rather chilly films but I suppose that remove helps play into the cause of the meltdown that each highlights.
ReplyDeleteNetwork is full of great acting and trenchant observations but it's not a terribly likable film, again that holds true of all three.
Movie meltdowns are always attention grabbers and I guess that's why this week's list was easy to compile.
They Drive by Night (1940)-Joe and Paul Fabini (George Raft & Humphrey Bogart) are wildcat truckers struggling to make enough to get their own business off the ground. When Paul is seriously injured in an accident Joe goes to work for old friend Ed Carlsen (Alan Hale) the owner of a successful trucking firm and all seems well. The problems start when Ed’s much younger wife Lana (a riveting Ida Lupino) discovers that Joe is seriously involved with Cassie (Ann Sheridan) and allows her (unreciprocated) desire for Joe to take extreme measures leading to betrayal and death. Rough, tough Warner’s drama climaxes in a high grade courtroom meltdown.
Mommie Dearest (1981)-Joan Crawford (Faye Dunaway) is a huge star at a crossroads in her life and career. Released after decades by MGM and between husbands she decides to start the family she’s always wanted by adopting several children with the oldest being Christina (Mara Hobel as a child/Diana Scarwid as an adult). Madly ambitious and competitive she is not suited to motherhood and rides the children relentlessly meting out hard punishments for small infractions. Among these is a spectacular meltdown late at night when she discovers that the young Christiana has failed to take her expensive dresses off wire hangers from the dry cleaners. While Crawford was a tough customer and a harsh taskmaster and child abuse is no joke this hatchet job reeks of score settling and has been largely discredited. Faye however pours her guts into the role giving almost a kabuki performance.
Falling Down (1993)-William Foster known through most of the film by his license plate moniker D-FENS (Michael Douglas) an unemployed defense worker frustrated with the various flaws he sees in society abandons his car in LA gridlock and begins to psychotically and violently lash out against most everyone he encounters as he makes his way across the city to attend his daughter’s birthday party. The entire film is really one long meltdown.
I haven't seen any of your picks and yes I agree, I wouldn't expect meltdowns in happy films.
DeleteI almost picked Network this week myself - such a BRILLIANT film all around. I love that scene in Wanted so much. I don't love The Social Network as much as everyone else does, but Andrew Garfield is fantastic in it.
ReplyDeleteMichael Clayton... TILDA SWINTON. BRILLIANCE.
Michael Clayton - Yes she was great in it.
DeleteI almost picked Network due to the brilliance of Peter Finch. I don’t care much for the Social Network at all and found it boring. Wanted is pretty good and that scene was great. I did see Michael Clayton but I don’t remember much at all and should watch it again.
ReplyDeleteI've only seen Network and have it as one of my choices as well. Loved Peter Finch's performance.
ReplyDeleteThe Social Network is so good. I Haven't see Network or Michael Clayton and I know I need to.
ReplyDeleteThe meltdown in Network is legendary. Great pick with that one. The Social Network actually has several meltdowns. The one in Michael Clayton is pretty good too. Wanted was ok, but I can't remember that scene.
ReplyDeleteThe Social Network - I only remember one other meltdown scene: Saverin's girlfriend with the fire.
DeleteWanted - It's the scene just before he smacked his best friend in the face with a keyboard.