What I See

I was in the mood for a 90s throw back movie. You know, the kind of black/romantic comedy that are usually supported by the soundtrack - this one in particular consisting of Luscious Jackson, The Cardigans, and Oasis. I opted for "A Life Less Ordinary" and prepared myself for a movie fit for the MTV generation. Now, this movie comes right after "Trainspotting" from Danny Boyle, so I was expecting extreme close-ups allowing the audience to capture every detail of the character, distortion of scenes, and hard lighting to create dark and edgy scenes; but what I happened to come across was a good amount of both hard and soft lighting. The main characters (Cameron Diaz and Ewan McGregor) are both fairly attractive people so it's not suprising when this type of light is used for a more flattering approach but, in almost rapid succession, hard lighting is used for more dramatic scenes when the main characters are questioning their love for each other right after McGregor's character gets shot in the leg from a bank hold-up gone wrong. The lighting is representing anguish and uncertainty accompanied by heavy brooding with a dark comedic twist. This is further helped by the choice of lens and composition right after this scene - both characters are in a car as they're fighting, once they come to the conclusion that they can't be together, McGregor is kicked out of the car on the side of a desert, left stranded as the camera pulls back to an extreme long shot where he's left watching the black Cadillac drive away. This creates a few things: assymetrical balance, lookspace, and leadroom between the character and the car driving away - it makes the scene aesthetically pleasing while allowing the audience to feel both the physical and emotional separation between the couple.
Throughout the film, the director plays around with camera movements depending on the narration of the storyline usually shot with a normal lens and the dramatic interplay between the characters which is mostly shown in a more distorted and artistic way. As a viewer, I feel it enhances the story and gives it a idiosyncratic touch.