Product: Endless Love [VHS] (1981)
Rating: 5.0
Sometimes you gotta dig a little deeper...
to understand a much misunderstood movie! Endless Love is one such movie. So what brought me to this conclusion? Viewing it three times in a row and finally "getting it." You see, when I read reviews depicting this movie as a world-class disaster I was surprised, seeing as how Franco Zeferelli directed it. It couldn't possibly be that bad, I thought to myself...so I rented it. To be honest, the first time I watched it I was a little disappointed. Although the cinematography was excellent, I noticed far too much "choppiness" and little editing errors here and there. I was also a bit uncomfortable with the way the storyline was headed, partly because I had my own preconceived notions and felt "set up" for something different than what I was seeing. As one reviewer put it, "Endless Obsession" would have been a more suitable title, or so I thought at the time. When the movie ended I felt a little uneasy, like I had just missed something big. So what did I do? I rewound the thing and began to watch again, this time trying to ignore the inconsistancies and kept an open mind. As I sat there immersed in Jade and David's world, I finally began to understand. Franco Zeferelli knew exactly what he was doing, he was telling us this story through the eyes of these kids, not as the more knowledgable interpreter. To suggest that this movie would have been better if Jade and David's love had been more "mature" is ridiculous. That would have killed the whole point. Were Jade and David truly in love? Yes, I believe they were...however, they weren't ready to handle the intense emotions they were experiencing maturity wise, and this is presicely why everything span out of control when Jade's parents allowed them to have adult relations, especially in their own house! For many people, sex can be a powerful force, and it's extremely difficult to break the emotional and physical bond it creates. Most teens are simply too naive and irresponsible to handle the baggage that comes with a sexual relationship. Like the saying goes "fire is beautiful in a fireplace, but it's destructive anywhere else." I believe Jade's mother permitted this to go on because of her own longing for her youth, when her kind wholeheartedly believed in "free love" and the paradoxal delusion of a "more innocent time" ran rampant. Her own twisted nostalgia prevented her from being the older and wiser mother she should have been. When push came to shove and David was banished (Of course he didn't see that one coming), it's no wonder he lost his mind. They had led him on into thinking that he had already became part of the family, then suddenly BOOM, see ya. So what if it was only a month-long banishment? A month feels like eternity to a teenager who is in love. As far as David was concerned, They may as well have told him never to come back again. By that time him and Jade had already spun their cocoon, and come hell or high water testosterone driven David was going to protect what they had created. Simply put, bad news and raging hormones don't mix. I don't believe that David had "metal issues." He was terribly misguided and in his own mind was almost grieving a death. His idea of being the hero who rescues his beloved Jade is extremely stupid in retrospect, however I couldn't help but feel deep pity for him. He needed someone to shake some sense into him and remind him that a month isn't forever, that he still would have seen Jade at school. When I saw David as being the kid he was portraying, my attitude toward his suffering changed. David is a classic example of Freud's theory of "Return of the Repressed," by denying yourself you create what you fear. David and Jade were the victims of a self-fulfilling prophecy, perpetuated by the ignorance and indifference of their parents. In it's own way, Endless Love is a masterpiece, because it doesn't automatically assume that what Jade and David are experiencing is "puppy love," but rather reluctantly allows the idea of them being in love and poses the question "what if?" What if they really are in love, how would it work given the circumstances they are in? Given their lack of maturity, wisdom, positive family influences, life experiences, etc., how exactly would their love flourish? The answer is sad but very realistic. A love at that stage in life has a nil chance of surviving, and even if it does work out, it won't be the likes of a storybook fairy tale. Chances are that the road will be full of impossible hurdles, road blocks and many tears. Problems are inevitable, however love is a precious thing and the movie does its best to emphasize it in the end. Was this movie perfect? NO, I wouldn't go that far. I think that for its time, it does stick out among all the other teen flicks that were made during that decade. Next to Risky Business, Endless Love is one of the better movies that actually have depth if you look for it. Just my humble opinion!