The Art of Getting By (2011)

   This existentialist-fatalist turned inspirational movie is a touching movie to watch. The Art of Getting By is set in the cityscape of New York with main character George (a mature Freddie Highmore), a teenager who feels like nothing is worth anything in this mundane thing called life. Having those feelings consequently leads him to be in constant trouble in his school and at home. His artist’s spirit always distracts him from doing meaningful work and he is close to being expelled. He then meets Sally (Emma Roberts), where they start out as friends, being like-minded and all-- things develop like how life does, unexpectedly.

             

Sally and George

   The Art of Getting By takes the viewer like how they would take on everyday life. Life as we know it isn’t so full of climaxes and exciting unbelievable events; life is real, sometimes depressing and it hits you in the face. I appreciate that the portrayal of the movie as such since it gives a pretty accurate description of how life doesn’t turn out like it does and it can get pretty depressing. However, even if things don’t work out as it should, this movie shows us that it doesn’t mean that there aren’t any bright sides to look forward to and that there’s always a reason for living.

             

     George’s character is sensitive, artistic and reluctant, almost skeptical about the meaning of life. We see his character make a sharp turn-around after things start to go tumbling down. It’s a lesson that I agree with—sometimes you just need to do whatever needs to be done even if things aren’t working out. At least you got something done, and there’s a higher probability that it’ll work out better. George’s character really goes introspective at some point and it can be easy to see him as lame, and unmotivated. I believe that everyone has a different set of motivation and we can’t put anyone in a mold since things will come around for anyone who tries.

               

George

    Some people may find this movie hard to appreciate though since it is anticlimactic and George’s character may appear to be overly self-important while Sally’s is a tad complicated. This movie is recommended towards a younger audience since I think that the older working generation will find the characters to be pathetic when it seems like they are throwing away perfectly good opportunities for their future over some self-conscious dilemma. The Art of Getting By may be, in a stretch, a representation of the feelings of some teenagers today (although I think a lot of other teenagers will appear more petty and vain than these characters).