Look Both Ways, 'through tragic events comes releif'

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Sarah Watts film Look Both Ways shows us that despite the films constant occurrences of tragic events, characters are still able to find relief and support after a ‘scorching weekend’ both in a physical and mental sense. The key themes of death, fear and loneliness that are consistently presented throughout the film, in the end, are overcome by the characters ability to help to find each others way of coping with their respective issues. This quality is seen in Meryl and Nick when they are able to reconcile their differences after Nick tells Meryl he has cancer and also in the case of the train driver and Julia (Rob’s girlfriend) when they climatically exchange delicate words and forgiveness. Despite these tragic events that inevitably caused so much pain, these events where the catalyst in giving each individual character a new perspective on life. Nick is a photographer whose occupation sees him reflecting on tragic happenings such as the likes of war, poverty and natural disasters. Despite seeing mass quantities of disaster and suffering, Nick is unable to comprehend his own situation and instead dwells on his father’s slow and painful death which only increases his fears and anxieties. At the beginning of the film Look Both Ways, Meryl is able to brush off real tragedies such as witnessing her father dying and also the train crash due to her relentless envisaging of tragic events around every corner. Whether it is a train falling of the tracks and on to her or being eaten by a shark, Meryl struggles to maintain in touch with reality. This inevitably results in increased anxieties and inner turmoil, so when Meryl is confronted with real tragedy she is able to cope. It is only when Meryl reconciles with Nick that she displays the courage of someone who can accept that pain can not be escaped, thus finding a more optimistic rather than pessimistic view on life.

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