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506. Ander’s Sons: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

It’s a Wes month. This time we discuss his 2004 film The Life Aquatic which tells the story of sailor/asshole Steve Zissou as he tries to reignite his career and connect with his son. The boys talk about redemption arcs, beautiful shots, and how Wes Anderson has matured through his movies.

Features:

Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP

Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty

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506. Ander’s Sons: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Comments

I like this!

Small Beans

I take Ned’s death as Steve having permanently blown an opportunity for meaningful connection. Recontextualizes his earlier pettiness and hesitance as stupid folly (which also primes him for the final shark encounter)

Arlo

Wait, Swaim's voice in the opening bit is supposed to be frustrated? I genuinely thought he was doing "constipated" until now

Zac Schwartz

Does he forgive the shark? I've always interpreted it as "That thing is to big, nothing to be done here". The insight that you can't fight or take revenge on fate.

gromolko

Very good insight!

Small Beans

Been looking forward to this one. As odd as ot may sound, this is my favorite movie.

Joshua Graves

I think Ned had to die because it adds a layer of complexity to forgiving Steve. You guys reference the helicopter crash as an accident or something that could have been random, but in the film it's not random, it happens because Murray as the owner operator of the helicopter hadn't maintained it for a decade. The crash is directly his fault much like his treatment of Ned and everyone else in his life. It shows that some of his harms were truly not something that he could take back and that regardless of Ned forgiving him, doesn't absolve himself in his own eyes. That's why he forgives the shark in my opinion. because it's him forgiving the shark for something that can't be taken back and it makes him feel that his wrongs might be worthy of forgiveness,

Kylancomeault


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