电影学习笔记:《命运规划局》(3)
日期:2011-12-20 13:31

(单词翻译:单击)

《命运规划局》(The Adjustment Bureau)是2011年3月首映的美国影片,由著名影星Matt Damon和Emily Blunt领衔主演。影片改编自科幻小说家Philip K. Dick的短篇故事Adjustment Team,主要探讨了我们究竟能否掌握自己的命运这个颇为棘手的话题。

David Norris是一名政坛的明日之星。他在参选纽约州参议员期间,意外结识了美丽的芭蕾舞女演员Elise Sellas。两人很快陷入热恋。就在两人你侬我侬之际,David突然被一群穿黑西装、戴墨镜的神秘人士绑走。这群自称是隶属于联邦的命运规划局的人告诉David,他们是奉主席之命,前来敦促David按规划行事。命运已经安排David成为美国总统、Elise成为世界著名的编舞家,然而他们的相爱会使两人的前途都成为泡影。David起初觉得这听起来十分荒谬,但随后亲眼目睹的一系列事件让他不得不相信命运规划局的存在。他该如何选择?是放弃Elise,让自己顺利当上总统?还是抵抗命运,勇敢追逐真爱?

片段三:David向命运规划局的高层领导Thompson发问,为什么非要拆散他和Elise才罢休?Thompson说因为天将降大任于斯人也,David以后是要成为美国总统的人。

David Norris: Tell me why I can't be with Elise. Because the last guy didn't know.

Thompson: Meeting Elise at The Waldorf three years ago wasn't chance. That was us. We knew she'd inspire you to give that speech. That speech that brought you back from the edge of oblivion and overnight made you the frontrunner in this coming election.

David Norris: What are you saying? You want me to win the election?

Thompson: This one. And four more after it. And I'm not just talking about elections for Senate. You can matter, David. Really matter. What your father wanted when he took you to the Senate Gallery when you were ten. What your brother wanted when he made you promise the day before he overdosed, that you wouldn't be like him. Why do you think you have that yearning to be in front of people? That terrible emptiness when you’re not?

David Norris: Don't do that.

Thompson: David, you can change the world. But that doesn't happen if you stay with her.

David Norris: Why do you people care who I love?

Thompson: It's not about her. It's about you. What being with her does to you.

David Norris: What it does to me? I'm better when I'm with her! Even you said it. The speech.

Thompson: In small doses, Elise was the cure. But in large doses, she rubs off on you.

David Norris: Stop.

Thompson: David, the president can't be a loose cannon.

David Norris: Stop talking. It's not working.

David直截了当地问Thompson原因何在,并说上一个家伙给不出理由。他指的是Richardson,命运规划局的小头目,Thompson的下属。

Thompson也不兜圈子,如实回答:三年前你在Waldorf酒店的洗手间里碰到Elise,那确实不是巧合,是我们安排的。我们知道她会激发你做出随后的那个精彩演讲。而正是那个演讲,把你从被人遗忘的边缘拉了回来,让你一夜之间成为这次竞选的佼佼者。

David追问:你的意思是,你们想让我赢下这次竞选?Thompson说:这次,还有以后的四次。而且我现在说的可不仅仅是参议员选举。David,你可以有大作为,你真的可以。想想你父亲在你十岁的时候就带你去参观参议院画廊,他想要的是什么?你哥哥在他吸毒过量去世前一天,要你发誓以后不会像他那样,他想要的又是什么?为什么你有那种在人前发言的渴望?为什么你不在人前就会有空虚感?

虽然这段话里Thompson并没有点明president这个词,但他的意思已经再明确不过。David忍不住回应道:别跟我来这套。Thompson没理他,继续说:David,你真的可以改变整个世界。但如果你跟Elise在一起,就没有机会了。

David依旧不解:为什么你们要在意我爱谁呢?Thompson说:这其实跟她没有关系。问题的关键在于你。她跟你相处,会对你产生什么样的影响。David更加理直气壮了:对我的影响?跟她在一起,会让我变得更好啊!你不自己也说了,她激发我做出那个演讲。Thompson继续解释:如果是偶尔接触,她的确会起到好的作用。但如果成天在一起,她就会阻碍你发展了。这里的原话把Elise比喻成了药,小剂量(in small doses)使用,可以治病;大剂量使用(in large doses),则会产生不良影响。

rub off on someone是常见短语,表示因为经常接触而受到影响,正面、负面都可以。换言之,根据不同的语境,它既可以是近朱者赤,也可以是近墨者黑。比如:Priscilla’s musical taste seems to have rubbed off on me, as I can’t stop listening to Il Divo these days.(Priscilla的音乐口味似乎延续到了我身上,我最近不停地听美声组合Il Divo的音乐。)Stay away from Tom. He is a wife beater, for crying out loud! You certainly don’t want his violence to rub off on you.(离Tom远点儿。他可是个打老婆的人!千万别让他的暴力影响到你。)

把Elise一个活生生的人比喻成药,还说吃多了有害,这话David听着当然非常不舒服。他要求Thompson立刻闭嘴。Thompson不达目的不罢休,终于把president这个词给甩了出来:David,一个过于我行我素、行为不受约束的危险人物是没法成为总统的。loose cannon的字面意思是松动的大炮。松动的大炮当然很危险,随时可能引发不必要的灾难。所以,如果某人是loose cannon,他/她就是个不受约束的危险人物。比如:Sarah is a loose cannon. When she is in the zone, she exudes brilliance. But when she’s not feeling it, she can simply disappear on us. I’d rather have someone reliable on my team. This project means too much to me, and I refuse to take any chances.(Sarah是个危险人物。当她状态好的时候,她绝对优秀。可当她没感觉的时候,她干脆就玩失踪。我宁可选一个靠得住的人加入我们团队。这个项目对我来说太重要了,我拒绝冒险。)

即使亮出了总统这张牌,David依旧不为所动,态度坚决:别再说了。这招对我不管用。

让我意外的是,直到影片的结尾,David始终没有改变他的选择,断然为了美人而放弃江山。我虽然也是喜欢happy ending的俗人一名,但我同时也是个现实主义者,所以觉得结尾的处理缺乏说服力——到了最后一刻,一直没有露脸的命运规划局主席突然被David和Elise的爱情打动,重新规划了两人的命运,于是他们名正言顺地走到一起。这也太方便了吧?让我瞬间觉得前面那么久的悬疑都是故弄玄虚。而且这么一来,影片里占了很大比例的有关竞选的情节也就失去了意义。我一直猜测Elise会给David的政治生涯带来积极的转变,从而证明人定胜天、规划局的阻挠多此一举。这种想法可能很儿科,但起码这样的剧情安排不会白费前面关于竞选的细节铺垫。

当然,这只是我的个人看法。对这部影片赞誉有加、给出满分的观众大有人在。撇开我对结尾的不满,总体来看,该片确实有很高的娱乐性,构思和立意尤其值得称道。

影片在命运规划局特工Harry Mitchell的画外音中结束。这段台词也非常精彩,摘录下来跟大家共勉:

Harry Mitchell: [voiceover] Most people live life on the path we set for them. Too afraid to explore any other. But once in a while, people like you come along, and knock down all the obstacles we put in your way. People who realize free will is a gift you’ll never know how to use until you fight for it. I think that’s the Chairman’s real plan. And maybe one day, we won’t write the plan. You will.(大多数人都在我们为他们设计的生活轨道上前行,没有胆量去探索其他道路。但时不时会有一些像David这样的人出现,扫清我们设置的所有障碍。这样的人会明了,自由意志是个只有靠你自己去争取才知道如何使用的礼物。我想这就是主席真正的计划。也许有一天,我们不用再做规划的工作。你会规划自己的道路。)

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重点单词
  • inspirevt. 影响,使 ... 感动,激发,煽动 vi. 吸入
  • electionn. 选举
  • explorev. 探险,探测,探究
  • overnightn. 前晚 adj. 通宵的,晚上的,前夜的 adv.
  • violencen. 暴力,猛烈,强暴,暴行
  • bluntadj. 钝的,迟钝的,直率的 v. 使迟钝,变钝
  • refusev. 拒绝 n. 垃圾,废物 adj. 无用的
  • reliableadj. 可靠的,可信的
  • emptinessn. 空虚,空白
  • beatern. 敲打者,搅拌器