But honesty there are two things I was contemplating while watching this film today. One is that I have been very vocal about my disappointment with music albums today. The majority are focused on the "grab a track" kind of albums and not "listen from start to finish" kind of albums. I think there is a distinct difference in an artist that can produce hot tracks that you want to listen to in order because that is the best way to enjoy the music and the ones that have one or two top songs that they just want to sell. The other thing is anonymity. I started this blog under complete anonymity and no one knew it was me posting all of these incredibly witty things. But I used to look at it as both a creative and emotional outlet- I did not realize that until I went to write the post about Frankie and Johnny. I held back on things I was thinking about while posting that I probably would have shared a year ago before my identity was tied to it. In a way I suppose that really makes me part of this current generation and their fascination with Yik Yak and other anonymous sites. I might understand what that means now. Maybe I will explore that more later but I suppose I should focus on the film right now!
In the film Fever Pitch, there are two main characters-Ben (Fallon) and Lindsey (Barrymore) and they start to date each other, she is a workaholic and he is a math teacher and a die hard Red Sox fan. Actually die hard might be an understatement. According to Lindsey he even has Yankee toilet paper. As we watch they have some of the age old relationship issues, they have lots of fun with one another, make out a lot, enjoy interests that are similar and different, they even confront a possible pregnancy. The Red Sox are essential to the story and if you did not know much about them beforehand you will by the end of the movie. Lindsey gets an offer to go to Paris and invites Ben, but he can't go because the Red Sox have a big game. She spills the beans that her period is late and even though Ben does not go to Paris, he guys a little Red Sox jersey in size one for a player yet to be named. It appears that this possible pregnancy has derailed paradise for the love birds. Lindsey is not sure about Ben anymore and in fact there are a few minutes when it looks like Ben and Lindsey might not make it- but I will go ahead and ruin it for you- they end up together in the end.
You find yourself rooting for the Red Sox just as much as you are rooting for Ben and Lindsey to make it. There is something likable about a love story like this one, it is simple and sweet. This story has all the pieces it needs, attraction, laughter, make outs, little drama, more making out, BIG drama, happy resolution. Isn't that the classic combination of events that makes a great story that can be told again and again? Well if I were to plan a program about this movie, I think I would focus on obsession. Like Ben's obsession with the Red Sox. College students can all find some sort of obsession or addiction they have: checking facebook every hour or some other social media, Starbucks, I am sure they can find something. In RA training one year some RAs read James Frey's book A Million Little Pieces and one of the RHDs that year came up with an activity for RAs to give them a tiny bit of perspective about addiction. I am not suggesting that giving up checking facebook for a period of time at all compares to drug addiction and the challenges that addiction brings someone, but it was an interesting activity. The RAs were challenged to cut that addiction cold turkey and journal about it- at times when they were not successful and cheated a bit and when they resisted the urge. Then they compared that to the struggle that they read about in the book. RAs can compare their struggle in this instance to Ben's struggle to choose Lindsey over the Red Sox. Oh boy. That might spark some interesting conversation!
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