Director Mark Water’s Freaky Friday (2003) displays the relationship between an overworked mother and her rebellious daughter. Dr. Tess Coleman is a widow that is about to remarry. Her young daughter, Anna, is a teenager with musical aspirations. There are many reasons why the two of them do not get along, the main reason being the different paths that they took in order to cope with the death of the father in the family. There is a wide gap between the mother and daughter and the two simply cannot find a way to stop their personal hectic stress and learn how to understand each other. These problems soon change at a night in a Chinese restaurant when the two reach a raging argument and a woman hands them two fortune cookies; however, these aren’t ordinary fortune cookies. Anna and Tess fall into a mystical switch and wake up only to find themselves in the wrong bodies. They are literally forced to learn how to live in each other’s shoes and soon develop a new respect for their views on life.
Before this mystical switch happens, the scene at 24 minutes and 43 seconds reveals the principle conflict in the film. The director uses an over-the-shoulder shot to pull all the attention on the heated argument between the mother and her daughter. This focus on the two characters displays the most crucial conflict in the film which is the way that Dr. Tess and Anna do not understand each other and do not share a healthy parent -child bond.
There is another character in the background of the scene, but he stands far away from the conversation. It is clear that he is not part of the conversation and therefore he cannot interfere or solve the conflict. This is evident because of the staging in the scene. Dr. Tess sits in the left corner and the shot of her is a medium shot. She becomes the largest figure in the scene, essentially facing the two smaller characters and she becomes the character with the most power. In fact, it is at this point in the scene that she is taking away Anna’s door to her room because Anna managed to land herself into detention twice in one day. Her final remark to Anna is, “Privacy is a privilege.” The second largest character is Anna and the shot of her is a medium shot. She also has slight power in the conversation because she challenges the way that her mom is approaching her. The character with the least power is the step-father and the shot of him is a long shot. He stands life-size and almost appears to be hiding behind the counter, meekly and awkwardly, too afraid of challenging Dr. Tess’s or Anna’s power.
The set design and costume/make-up illustrates the conflict because it shows what differences cause the two characters to fight and why the character standing in the back is the least assertive. Dr. Tess sits at a table that is neatly organized. There are no flaws, everything seems perfect and clean; however, her daughter in front of her appears to be the one thing that she cannot fix or clean-up. Anna’s clothing is rebellious, grungy and dark. Her hair is messy and she is wearing studs that chaotic punks wear. She defies Dr. Tess’s “perfect world” just by the way that she dresses. The step-father that stands in the background is behind a large counter that separates him from Dr. Tess and Anna. This kitchen counter becomes the barrier between him and his future family. Anna cannot accept him because she still misses her real father and she builds a wall around her that does not let her step-father reach her. The kitchen counter also separates the step-father and Dr. Tess. Dr. Tess does not want him to help her with the problems she shares with her daughter, and that becomes her way of pushing him away and building a wall in front of him. It becomes harder for him to fit into the chaotic family.
How do you think the scene would work without the kitchen counter?
Mr. Cowlin here again. I'd like to add to Sylwia's quesion. How about the chair and the kitchen table? Also, what about the staging, with the mother sitting down and the dad standing up?
I like what you've written. I believe that without the kitchen counter, the shot would look A) awkward, because why is the mother just sitting so misplaced in a room? and B) I think it would make the father seem even MORESO powering and in crontrol of the family than he already is. He already is, and to answer Mr. Cowlin's question, because he's larger in size than everybody else (due to him standing up) and thus figuratively translating to him having maybe the "final word"? That's what I would go with.
ReplyDeleteDakota - He doesn't seem to be "larger in size than everybody else." He looks to me to be the smallest, if your going by sheer inches on the screen.
ReplyDeleteI'd say the set design helps a lot to deliver a strong message in this scene. The mother and daughter are the first two people you see - this shows that even though the dad is present, he is not an important figure in the conflict. This shot also helps to explain what the mother and daughter could be fighting about - the mother seems to be very orderly and organized - the flowers on the table, the "coasters" (things for the plates) are set out nice and neatly, and the daughter turns out to be very anti-mom. (This is reflected in her style of clothing and attitude) The daughter is impatiently yelling, and the mother is methodically just sitting and taking it. Lindsay Lohan may be portrayed as rebellious, and the mom may be shown as level, cool-headed, and able to deal with that.
ReplyDeleteThe father looks like he wants to help because his mouth is slightly open as if he wants to say something and he is leaning side ways but you can tell that the family blocks him off from their own problems. They are not facing him and there are many obstacles in the way for him to be involved. The table and chair not only separate the mother and daughter and shows that they don't get along so well at the moment but also the stepfather who you can tell isn't that close with the daughter. With out the counter it would be even more awkward because the father would just be standing their, he would be pointless and have almost no representation. You might as well have nothing then. With out the table and chair, both the mother and daughter would be standing up, and from far away this poised mother and rebellious daughter wouldn't be having a very good argument (they would have to be up close on each others last nerve, face to face). The shot just wouldn't be as meaningful. A lot would have to change. This was done well in my opinion. Each piece of furniture is symbolic and adds to the relationship.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great shot as well that represents many important aspects in the movie. If the kitchen counter was removed, i would have to agree with Dakota in the fact that it would become instantly very awkward. If the kitchen counter was removed, I believe that the dad would become a free floating figure and would be in the situation where he could interfere and try to help, because there would be a free path towards the argument but yet there is a clear path behind him to stay out. But with the kitchen counter, it adds to the effect that the Dad is completely removed from importance in the argument. I think that because the Mom is sitting down, it symbolizes that she is beginning to back out of the argument and the situation as a whole. She is beginning to realize that she cannot do anything, and that her daughter should be able to live her own life.
ReplyDeleteI'd have to agree with Dakota too, it would be really awkward if the counter was removed. I love the analysis on this one because the staging of the characters really does matter alot in this shot. I agree with Luke too, that since the mom is sitting down now this symbolyzes that she soon is going to realize and "sit down" over the topic of her daughter's independence. This shot makes the dad so weak is rediculous. He really doesn't have any power in the relationship between them and is just an obstacle
ReplyDeleteI completly agree with Sylwia's analysis. i would also agree with the fact that if the kitchen counter was removed it would be very awkward. I also love that if it weren't for certain objects it would completly mess up the shot so yes the staging of the characters is significant. The objects also seem to be symbolizing the relationship with the mother and daughter. Also the clothing really matters in this shot because it describes the characters.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you put the step-dad last for your conclusion because ti ties in with the conflict between the mother and daughter. I think the chair, table and kitchen counter is all ways to block the connection that this family should have. With the barriers in this shot it looks chopped up. As in everyone in this shot have different opinions about life and how to handle situations. which is mostly the whole movie, about the mother and daughter trying to see eye to eye
ReplyDeleteI mostly agree with what has been said so far but I myself have seen somethings a little different with this shot. I definitely think that there is a significance between how the mother and daughter are closer than the mother and fiance. think that this means that the mother and daughter have a conflict that is getting in the way of the mother ever being able to marry her fiance and that there needs to be resolution to the mother and daughter's dispute before anything in the wedding can actually begin. I also believe that there is a lot of power struggle being communicated with this shot and everyone is arranged in a way that defines the power they hold in this movie. The mother is happy and contempt with her life in this very moment except for her problem with her daughter thats is why she is sitting down next to her daughter. She also is in charge in this family for the most part and gives the orders that is why she is sitting down in a chair which could be also taken as her thrown where she rules the family. The daughter on the other hand is not sitting down and therefore at this moment holds no power and cannot tell anyone what to do or do what she wants to do in her life. She also is standing to symbolize her abjection with her mother's power over her and how she doesn't think her mother should get to dictate what she does with her life. That is why she has her hand on the chair trying to take ahold of the power and do what she wants with her life but is unsuccessful with every attempt. The new step-father in the family really has no power in this situation and has really no power over this household so far. He is just coming into their family and getting acquainted with their lifestyle just how he is just coming into the shot and is off balance, like he is in the shot, with the whole power situation. I really don't think this would successful if it wasn't in the kitchen because then everything that I think they are trying to communicate through this shot would be lost and would not look subtle in any other location.
ReplyDeleteIn this shot clearly the daughter has the power she is the tallest person in the scene the mother is the one who is less equal to every one else. the father seems to be right in the middle between the two because he is nutral in this argument
ReplyDeleteWow, I agree with Will!
ReplyDeleteThe mom definitely appears to be like a "queen" of the situation. She is the queen of her world where everything is perfect, hence the neatness of the table...
And I like how you noticed that the daughter's hand is on the chair as though to push away the barrier between her and her mom and challenge authority.