Take Joan Gaudet for example. As a troop greeter and one of The Way We Get By’s main subjects, she confesses that she can only welcome soldiers on their return home because greeting those who are departing would be too heartbreaking. She cares deeply for her eight children, but now with all of them grown up and with families of their own, her rural Maine home reflects a life that has seen busier days. Gaudet’s story is one that resonates with a myriad of Hollywood portrayals. However the comparison I find most accurate is that of Sara Goldfarb, played by Ellen Burstyn, in Requiem For A Dream.
Burstyn earned multiple award nominations for her stunning performance as Sara Goldfarb, an aging mother whose unconditional love for her son blinds her from seeing his all but obvious addiction to heroin. In Joan Gaudet’s case, her unconditional love similarly extends to those of a younger generation, be it her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and of course troops returning home. Sara Goldfarb tragically attempts to become famous and more attractive, as a means to escape the loneliness that consumes her in her vacant apartment. The Way We Get By’s Gaudet finds purpose in something even more all-American than trashy daytime television – troop greeting. It is her addiction, just as Sara Goldfarb’s prescribed dieting pills become an addiction in Requiem For A Dream. Director Darren Aronofsky paints a grim world where shallow aspirations of fame and fortune corrupt any perception of the American Dream. In The Way We Get By, Director Aron Gaudet finds a similar character in his very own mother, who provides an inspirational counterexample to our greatest fears, demonstrating how citizenship and patriotism can motivate an ailing woman to brave frigid temperatures in the middle of the night, all to fulfill the call of duty that binds her not only to the troops she greets and the nation she inhabits, but also to the future.
If I’m going to compare amazing cinematic performances to those featured in The Way We Get By, then I must mention Bill Knight, an 87 year old WWII veteran and troop greeter who unflinchingly bears his life story for all to see; exposing us to a harsh reality characterized by a battle with cancer, financial troubles, and unwavering dedication to his country. Bill Knight is a personification of the characters played by Clint Eastwood. Just think of his recent highly acclaimed performance in Gran Torino. As a hardened Korean War veteran, we see Eastwood at his best—playing a mean, stiff-jawed Walt Kowalski, a man with an allegiance to duty and order that forces him to do what should be done, even if it is not in his best interest. Where Eastwood’s Kowalski falters as a character, Bill Knight shines; Walt harbors a desire for peace and solitude, while for protagonist Bill Knight, isolation is never an option. He has taken it upon himself to serve his country once more the only way he knows how. Still, if you take one of the great Bill Knight monologues featured in The Way We Get By and transfer them to a Clint Eastwood movie script, few would imagine anything out of place. Bill Knight is simply a man with a story to tell, but the man is so humble that’d he never bother you with it. For him, it’s just business as usual. “Leave a car outside and it’ll rust out faster than you can wear it out…just like people” Knight explains. Or was that a line from Walt Kowalski?
Finally, to seal the deal in proving why every film buff with a taste for Oscar nominated performances (and lengthy blog posts) needs to see The Way We Get By, I turn to a final comparison – that of Jerry Mundy (The Way We Get By) to Mickey Rourke’s character, Randy “The Ram” Robinson (The Wrestler). Now before people start jumping to conclusions (and filing slander lawsuits) I issue the disclaimer that there’s a lot that separates Jerry and Randy. However, if you see The Way We Get By, you’ll instantly be reminded of the way Mickey Rourke was able to convey the absence of a life that once was, mainly because like Randy, Mickey was trying to make his own personal comeback. While Randy may have awesome hair, a larger fan base, and tighter pants, I think Jerry Mundy parallels Randy “The Ram” Robinson in one main way: they both are trying to find their place in a world that is changing every day; the only constant for Randy being the wrestling ring, while for Jerry the same comforting yet temporary solace is found in the airport while troop greeting. With a heart that is as loving as it is weakening, Jerry’s humorous quips break any silences just long enough to let him second-guess himself. Beyond his charm though, we see a man who refuses to live in his past. Instead, like Randy Robinson, Jerry has the courage to live for the future, despite the hardships that it may hold in store.
The subjects featured in The Way We Get By provide real world examples of the type of people our movie-going audiences loves to romanticize. Their personalities, their hopes, their dreams, their idiosyncrasies, their struggles are all there for you to experience when viewing The Way We Get By. Now with all that potential, it should go without saying that my log line needs to be centered on these three fascinating subjects, who undoubtedly drive The Way We Get By forward.
CJ Saraceno
Intern
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