Sunday, September 25, 2016

David Verbeek's

Full Contact starring one of my all time favs Gregoire Colin, is a powerful languid movie regarding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The ghosts, faces, people who haunt our crevices. A grotto. What is within.

The film deals with a drone military killer, who at first glance is an "in control" of his emotions type of guy, but almost to the point of where his being numb is just a cover up. He takes the time to investigate and learn about his targets which may be his downfall. Playing God by pushing a button in the middle of a far away desert in a secluded/protected tin military box has its consequences especially if you start bombing madrasas. He begets the affection of a stripper (Lizzie Brochere - playing the dual role of visual "whore" and mother) during act 1, but who later on makes an appearance in the film during the third act as another character confusing the viewer. But in a cool way. I can't lie. I watched Full Contact about four times. Its a good freaking movie. It made an impression on me because it cemented all that I know/studied about trauma.

Back in 2013 I attended a workshop in Albany, NY.  It was on Trauma Informed Care. What may traumatize you, may not do so to me, and vise versa. The one thing which stuck to me from the workshop was: Heavy/hardcore trauma is processed visually. Yes. Noises, moods, memory, etc play a major part, and its reinforced by recall, but the visual cements it. Now, Ivan's (Colin) trauma is an interesting one because it zeros in (no pun intended) on an ethical dilemma. Killing. He's feeling guilty. Can guilt make way for trauma? You betcha!  When he is being questioned/assessed by his higher ups its to us that he is speaking to. What did we deduce? Just because it's a neat - far away murder - does it take away from the brutality? A killer is a killer.

One of the things which impressed me was Gregoire Colin's state of mental affairs. In the movie he always looks like he is about to bawl at any given moment. In every shot actually. His performance spoke volumes. His depression and trauma is so subtle, and dare I say contained (but not during Act 2), that it's a direct link to the method of his killing style. Distant. Calculated. Always at bay and being monitored. He goes through some martyrdom, spiritual retreat and purging during Act 2, which worked for me. Why? Because I've had a crush on Gregoire since the 90s. So much so, that I did such an intense Gregoire Colin Fan to filmstar raindance out into the universe (I once put the moves on a coworker for the simple reason he looked like him), that my child was born on July 27. If you're a Gregoire Colin aficionado than this is the film for you.

OK, back to Full Contact. The Third Act. This is where a curve ball is thrown. Quite honestly, the film could've done without the very last shot and for not this minor (but not so minor if that makes sense - watch the film!), Act 3 would've been perfect. What stuck to me about the last act was the metaphor of how when a person or experience penetrates your soul it pretty much sets up the rest of your journey on earth. When a person or experience encompasses your thoughts, the very fiber of your genetic make up, you start seeing and reliving it. In everyone. Everything. Kinda how Joe DiMaggio dated Marilyn Monroe look alikes after their break-up. In Ivan's case his painful punishment at the hands of a coach and opponent or a chance to channel his masculine mojo inside another lady.

Longing for the contact. To be unburdened. No matter how or from who. Is it subconscious? On purpose? That person or circumstance engraved. Nothing matters. Just the connection. The longing and pursuit to be freed (or chained). You punish yourself. Either by medicating, retelling through therapy (science is proving that out of sight/out of mind actually is effective) or sordid coping skills. Perhaps one may achieve another day where the past becomes a distant memory or a new opportunity to evolve.