Exploring the Theme of Changing Relationships in ‘Mean Creek’ Film

Film Report 'Mean Creek' In the film 'mean creek' directed by Jacob Aaron Estes. We see a group of teenagers who try to play a trick on the bully in the movie, but it goes horribly wrong. A main Idea In the film Is the way the relationships change between everybody from the start to the end of the movie. The director uses 4 aspects, sound, lighting, camera shots and dialogue, to communicate the theme of change in friend/relationships.

The director uses camera shot, lighting and sound in the scene where they are all sitting on the river bank after they play truth and dare and George gets pushed overboard by Rocky because he wouldn't shut up about Martyr's father, but then George freaks out and drowns to death. We see a long shot of them all sitting away from catheter. The director uses positioning to show the feeling of Isolation. The director uses this aspect to communicate the beginning of separation between there friendships.

They all feel guilty because they had decided not to play the trick on George anymore, because they started to feel sorry for him, but Marty choose otherwise. The director uses the lighting of a blue filter across the screen to show that this a sad moment and everything has been completely messed up. The sounds of Violins and soft music in the background gives us that felling that everything is changing for the worst and that their relationships will probably never be the same again.

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Also the aspect of lighting and sound links into the theme of separation and contributes to the mood because up to this point there group was always collective, but are now separate. Now they all have different decisions on what happens to George. Some want to bury him and the others want to confess and go to the police so they don't look guilty. After George dies it goes all silent and that's when it starts to et darker. The director uses dialogue and close ups in the scene where Millie runs off and Sam follows her. We hear the dialogue between them "Buck you. " "We can never be forgiven for what we did. We see a the close up of Mile's face and how scared and traumatized she Is. The director uses these aspects to show us how much Millie has changed from the start, when she was day dreaming about her date with Sam. She seemed so innocent and was only concerned about what she was going to talk to Sam about on her date. Millie was the only one who didn't know of the plan until they got to the river. So there Is a sense of betrayal between her and Sam. This shows how murder can change the way people feel and their relationships can be affected in a situation like this.

I think the director is trying to show us how people deal with guilt. Millie try's to blame Sam, Sam try's to blame Marty. But really they are all to blame, they were all apart of It. The director uses sound and close ups in the scene where they are paddling back to 1 OFF paddles hitting the water. The director uses the sound of water to remind us that they are surrounded by water, that water is what killed George and they can't get way from what they did. We also see close ups of each of their faces one at a time. We know that each character is going through conflicting emotions.

There is no eye contact or emotion between each other. Their faces look exhausted and pale, some with tears down their face. The director uses these aspects to show and communicate the feeling of guilt and disbelief. It almost gives you a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. The nonexistent dialogue between each other shows the breakdown In their relationships and makes us wonder what they're thinking and feeling. This for me was one of the most powerful scenes throughout the movie, because I know nothing could be the same again.

Lighting is used in the scene where they're driving back from the river and its all dark and silent. It gives off a gloomy, uneasy feel almost like that what they're feeling inside and that's being portrayed through the lighting of the scene. The director used this aspect to communicate the change in all their relationships between one another, because as seen in the start of the movie the lighting is bright and there is lots of color to give Off nice, relaxed vibe. So the darkness and lack of light gives us he feeling that their relationships have somewhat deteriorated since earlier that day.

It also shows the passing of time as it was daylight at the start of their trip and now its evening. This could symbolize not only the end of the day, but the end of Georges life. Also the loss of their innocence. In conclusion he director has communicated the theme of the change in all of their friend/relationships throughout the movie with the help of these four aspects, lighting, sound, camera shots and dialogue. I think this film helped me realize that because of a little mistake made by someone, can or will change your life forever. By Messiah Wales

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