Flipped (2010) is an artful view of perspectives of the two lead stars in Juli Baker (Madeline Carroll) and Bryce Loski (Callan McAuliffe). Director Rob Reiner masterfully created a 1950s and 1960s nostalgia for home and simple life which was wonderfully backed up with the Flipped Suite soundtrack by Marc Shaiman and the colors of the past by cinematographer Thomas Del Ruth. It is a delight to lovers of simplicity, serenity, country, family, life and love.
Only a few people have a special vocation for the mentally challenged. I have seen and known some. They are wondrously blessed and joyful in inexplicable ways even at a glance. In the film, Richard Baker’s (Aidan Quinn) selfless love for his brother, Daniel (Kevin Weisman) exemplified love for family. A sacrifice that manages to balance and give up the trivial things in life and still enjoy the blessings of family life and love. Compared with the well-off Loski’s, the Baker’s were happy amidst their financial struggle.
Juli’s passion for climbing the sycamore tree for a magnificent view alludes to the Bible story of Zacchaeus wanting to see Jesus (Luke 19: 2-10). His eagerness to meet Jesus led him to climb the sycamore tree. The sycamore tree was symbolic to both Juli and Zacchaeus’ experience of the extraordinary.
Like Juli and Zacchaeus, one has to rise above the ordinariness of life in order to be amazed with the beauty of life’s imperfect reality. Indeed, an enchantment with life will make one flip from the convenient and the familiar to transcend the unthinkable.
(3.5, 4/5)
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© rooks 2012
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