On a rare day off without the kids, Susan and I worked. Not work-work. Well, I was answering emails via Blackberry a little. We spent part of the morning dropping the kids off at school and eating breakfast at Tex and Shirley’s (great omelet).
By 9, we were back at the kids’ school for fourth-grade awards. Abby was honored for perfect attendance and received the Wise Old Owl Award for her hard work. School hasn’t been easy for her. She was so close to A-B honor roll, but for one bad grade. We’ve never seen her this disappointed. The Owl helped.
Afterward, we came home to more taxes and I led a conference call for a committee I’m chairing for the UNCG Alumni Association. We then waited for our former neighbor (a contractor) to come take a look at our laundry room - a true mess. So much of a mess that Susan asked to have it redone for her Valentine’s present. Not quite the gap wedge that she got me but hey, if it makes her happy…
By 2:30 the day was almost gone and we’d done little to actually enjoy ourselves, except for the school assembly. We finally decided to get out of the house and go to see a movie.
Susan made the choice: “No Country for Old Men.”
My personal take on it: Michael Myers sans hockey mask with good dialog and even better performances. The opening preview of There Will Be Blood set the stage.
Susan, quoting a line from a review, hit the nail on the head when she said that even the lines on Tommy Lee Jones’ face act. Javier Bardem is creepy in his death-delivering efficiency built around his own set of upside-down, inside-out principles.
The tension is palpable. It begins early and lasts well past the credits. There is no feel good moment. No redemption. Just a sense of inevitability. It’s not a Valentine’s Day movie, but a Valentine’s Day Massacre movie.
I had to take the kids to Cold Stone after school just to get the taste out of my mouth. It’s not for everybody. But it’s worth a look.
