Sunday, January 25, 2009

The follies of youth


I got an email from an old friend over the weekend telling me I owed her two hours of her life back.

She’d rented a movie I told her I liked a few years ago. It’s a quasi-gangster flick called the Boondock Saints, which, as I recall, I mostly liked because it was filmed in Boston and I thought the leads were hot. Even at the time I knew it was full of shoddy acting and clichés, but I got passed it. I honestly haven't seen it in years and don't recall why I liked it, but I won't deny that I did.


(Sidenote: I found out a few years ago this movie is kind of infamous because of the guy who made it. There’s a scathing documentary about him called Overnight).


When I first read the email, I was embarrassed. Having someone tell you a movie you liked was “painfully bad” and the worst movie she’d seen in a long time always makes you question your taste. Then I started thinking about: I was "all about" that movie when I was 18 or 19, around the same time I was "all about" ska and voluntarily watching Dawson’s Creek. Why would anyone take a recommendation from such a person? Ever?


There’s a lot of things in my past I’m not proud of, stylistically speaking. Movies, music, books, clothes, etc. that I not only enjoyed but was proud of enjoying, on which I now look back and cringe. I like to think I've grown up, matured, become a woman of discriminating tastes, but that doesn't change the fact that I owned a pair of Doc Martins until long after they were socially acceptable (if they ever really were).

Sometimes, these things have a way of creeping up on you like the ghost of Jacob Marley, loudly shaking their chains at inopportune moments and reminding you of just how far you haven't come. Often, this happens one way or another in the form of a person you've known since you were in eighth grade.

Now that I've let some skeletons out of my closet, it's your turn. What terrible reminders of the loser you once were - and deep down inside always will be - do you secretly fear a new boyfriend or girlfriend discovering in a box under the bed: Limp Bizkit CDs, Kabbalah bracelets, the ticket stubs from the 14 times you saw The Blair Witch Project? Spill it, kids!

Meanwhile, I’m going to find a copy of Boondock Saints and see if it was really that bad…

14 comments:

The Imaginary Reviewer said...

I am constantly surprised that Future Mrs Imaginary Reviewer still loves me despite the fact that a) I was a fan of Slipknot a few years ago, actually seeing them twice at festivals, and b) I still occasionally listen to their second album. I know, lame.

McGone said...

I agree with your friend... Boondock Saints really is that bad. I've actually taken a few of my friends to task for their Boondock love.

Not that I'm free and clear of bad taste blame. I reviewed movies for a short period of time, and unfortunately I have a few recommendations in print that I would just love to take back.

danielle970 said...

Note to self: just because you see a poster for a movie that came out in 1999 up in someone's office, that doesn't mean it's a good movie or a "classic" of any kind. I will now go remove it from my queue.

As for something embarrassing from my past... pretty much everything from 1993-2000. I can't believe my mother let me walk out of the house sometimes.

Some Guy said...

I've seen "Overnight", but not "Boondock Saints". The director really comes off like an egotistical ass in that movie which, by the way, is pretty well done.

Dave Harrington said...

Wow, I have seen this movie probably 20 times, and can't believe anyone would think it was THAT bad.

"Makes me want to do a Riverdance!"

Classic!

Dave Harrington said...

PS up until the age of like 19, I thought Press Your Luck was pretty much the greatest TV show ever made.

NO WHAMMY!

MJenks said...

I saw Phantom Menace 9 times in the theatre.

I also own an Imperial Teen CD.

paperback reader said...

Everyone I know who recommended this movie to me did so because of its cult status (as something to learn from), or because they were Irish/from Boston. Still, I never saw it, because my indifference always trumps the recommendations of others.

Still, everyone has their incredibly unfortunate ska phase, miss - I'm just glad it ended for me after a couple Toasters shows and the purchase of less than 5 Moon Records offerings.

If I had to pick one thing to lament, it would probably be my teenage love for Pantera. That lasted less than six months, but for like two of those, I would quote them like their lyrics weren't sub-3rd grade poetry.

Anonymous said...

I need to get this off my chest.

I saw Scream 4 times in the theater. I thought it was the best thing ever.

At that time in my life i also thought Jack-In-the-Box tacos were a gift from God.

I am now in therapy.

Annie

Dave Harrington said...

Whoa whoa whoa, so if Jack-in-the-Box tacos are not a gift from God, then who are they from?

I'm betting either Allah, Yaweh, or possibly L. Ron Hubbard. Those things rock, especially with ranch and hot sauce packets.

Red said...

I actually remember liking this movie, too, but I trust McGone.

I have numerous things from my past to be "embarrassed" about. #1? Attending a Bette Midler concert...and totally loving it.

words...words...words... said...

If someone had recommended The Boondock Saints to me, I'd want to send them a nasty email, too.

I tried to think of things I'm embarrassed to have liked in the past, but the scary part is that there aren't any. Whether it's because of nostalgia or just bad taste, I still like almost everything I've liked in the past.
Well, except for two things - Zubaz pants and anything teal.

GREAT idea for a post!

Anonymous said...

I guess one embarassing trait would be that I apparently said that I was a Republican when I was a naive high schooler. another one could possibly be that I still rock out to pop songs (ie NSYNC, Britney, and Backstreet) that appear on shuffle on my iPod. Actually admitting that I watched Back to the Future so much when I was younger that I actually memorized most of the words could be problematic on a date.

Falwless said...

6 words: Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion

Thought it was so great that I dragged a friend to go see it with me for my second viewing. We ended up in a big fight in the car afterwards because she was so blatantly rude about disliking it.

We're no longer friends. I blame Sorvino and Kudrow for this.