Eleven

The scene in the film Look Both Ways featuring the song Eleven, is used by the director, Sarah Watt, to ease-drop on the progression in the lives of her characters to see what is happening in their lives in the wake of Robs death and the various other personal dramas that are occupying their lives. Opening with a mid-shot of a solitary Nick as he walks off the cricket pitch with Andys admonishment ringing in his ears, (What does block mean?), his uncertain future and sense of isolation are high lighted by the wedding party he sees across the park, symbolic of new beginnings, and the single bird flying across the darkening sky. The changing light here denotes both literally and metaphorically the coming of a storm. The camera then picks up, in long shot, a similarly isolated Meryl as she walks along the train tracks; one of the films unifying symbols about lifes journey. Gathering objects with which to make her art, she suddenly realizes that she is next to the scene of Robs accident. The camera closes in on her face and we see in the movement of her eyes the decision forming to use the gathered objects to make a memorial. This is more to do perhaps with the ongoing grief over the death of her father, which the film has shown to this point that she is still struggling with, than it is to do with Rob, a person she has never actually met. From here we are taken inside Julias home and the camera uses an extreme close-up to show her struggling to write a mementum mori for the daily paper. The lighting here is considerably darker, reflecting the mood of grief and she is shown, as the camera pans back, filmed through the door of the room. This highlights her isolation. As she searches for the newspaper to see how these pieces are written and coming on her own picture on the front page, Julia flies into a rage and storms from the house. Despite the presence of others, she cannot be comforted and their best intentions are futile as

Julia struggles to come to terms with Robs death. The point here is that suffering is made worse when it is experienced alone. This constant theme of isolation that runs through the scene is picked up by the train driver who, like Julia, is grieving. He too is surrounded by those who love him, but they remain powerless to understand, or to help. Like Julia, he is captured by the camera as he stands, alone in the doorway, silently looking at his son, who, holding the paper, is struggling understand his fathers emotional state. The only bright moment in the scene is in Phils kitchen, where festooned with gifts for all, he proudly declares that he has given up smoking. The mid-shot takes in his wife and surroundings and the natural light is warm and inviting, creating a positive vibe. The humour that underpins the moment, when his wife asks Are you having an affair? is part of Watts signature as a director, to find humour in even the darkest of moments because, as the film suggests, one has to remain as positive as possible if the challenges of life are to be overcome. As Joan says, Its not how you die that matters. Its how you live.