Dean Christakos« Occupational Hazards of Science | Main | Today in Interesting Numbers »
May 27, 2007
Michael Corleone vs. The Dude
Like most straight men, I've seen a lot of romantic comedies at the movies. I assume it is the same for most straight men. Not because romantic comedies are designed to appeal to the straight white male demographic, but rather because many of us tend to have girlfriends at one time or another who want to see those romantic comedies, and we end up accompanying them. I guess I'm saying all this to explain how it was that I ended up seeing the movie You've Got Mail with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (aside: the real reason to see this movie is for Parker Posey). There's one thing this movie gets right... Meg Ryan realizes that all men understand references to the movie The Godfather and asks "what is it about men and The Godfather?" Men love this movie.
You know, everyone wants to be Michael Corleone. He dresses well. When out getting a drink with someone, he orders a club soda, so he always keeps his edge. He takes risky moves, like the scene at the restaurant when he went to the bathroom to get the gun. He loves his mother, which is why he doesn't have his brother Fredo killed until after she dies.
You know, though, let's face it-- I might like Michael Corleone, but I'm not going to be Michael Corleone. It just wouldn't be believable. I shave at most 3 times a week. Rarely am I accused of being a snappy dresser. No matter how much I exercise, I will never have a perfectly flat stomach. Then there's the drinking thing. Just last night, I was out having drinks with friends, and I asked the waiter for a drink suggestion. He said they had a special mango margarita, which I decided that I had to try. I am so not Michael Corleone. At the end of the day, I have to accept that I'm more like The Dude:
(That's him on the left for those of you are aren't Big Lebowski fans)
The Dude abides. He wears comfortable clothes. He has good enough taste that he can buy a rug that "ties the room together" and doesn't worry about the perception of a White Russian as a "chick drink." He likes White Russians, so he drinks White Russians. He has his close friends who stick by him when he's in a jam.
I'm not too concerned about the need to "go to the mattresses." I'm not going to take down my enemies in a restaurant in a gutsy move before escaping to my family's home village while I wait for everything to blow over and meanwhile marry a local woman who ends up dying in a car bomb. I'd just rather go bowling. And have a few White Russians.
I suppose this revelation should be a relief to my brother, who no longer has to worry that I might decide to have him killed.
Posted by Dean at May 27, 2007 12:14 AM
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Comments
The best teacher I ever had was, and I mean, WAS, John Goodman's character in Lebowski.
May I remind you madam that the Supreme Court has unanimously, repeatedly, and ROUNDLY rejected prior restraints on free expression?
I know he's not supposed to be an admirable character, but the teacher was, so I am aspiring to be him.
Posted by: RW at May 28, 2007 3:39 PM
I know he's not supposed to be an admirable character, but the teacher was, so I am aspiring to be him.
John Goodman's character Walter always came across as sympathetic, in his own way. Yeah, he comes across as flawed and self-absorbed, but he's always willing to help out his friend when he's in trouble, even if it means doing so on Shabbas. I particularly like his defense of his conversion to Judaism when the Dude acts a bit dismissive of it.
Posted by: Dean at May 28, 2007 4:34 PM