Depiction of Adversity in 'Billy Elliot’ and ‘Missing Her’
An adversity is an inevitable occurrence in one’s life and impacts individuals. A bildungsroman film, ‘Billy Elliot’ by Stephan Daldry and short film, ‘Missing Her’ by Michael Weisler, outlines the interplay of adversity and both collective and individual experiences. In adversity essay we will see how both films explore maternal instincts can be considered as a form of adversity, playing a large role within a collective experience for mothers. However, adversity comes with a range of aspects and assists individual’s internal growth.
The responsibilities of being a mother may lead to internal adversity to the individual, however, the role of maternal instincts, allows them to personally develop. In Stephan Daldry’s film, ‘Billy Elliot’, the mother’s death in Billy’s family represents a major adversity. The mid-shot where Jackie closes the piano aggressively, outlines his frailty and incapability to cope with adversity. However, Billy’s calm reaction shown in close-up shot captures the juxtaposing emotion to Jackie’s hostile and irritated behaviour. This indicates their contrasting characteristics where one adapts to change while the other is incapable of doing so. Also, the keepsakes of his mother, a piano and jewelleries helped them to overcome the socio-economic adversity. The capacious and clean dance room contrasts with his clamped bathroom, demonstrates the struggles of Billy’s family, resulting in the destruction of the piano for firewood and the sacrifice of his wife’s jewellery for Billy. It highlights a moral deliverance that adversities can only be overcome through gradual steps. Thus, Daldry, exemplifies that the adversity of losing a mother, allows the character development of others and their ability to get over upcoming adversity.
Similarly, the short film, ‘Missing Her’ by Michael Weisler explores the values and defines a mother as an adversity and further influences them to internally growth. Weisler repeatedly uses low-key lighting throughout Henry’s stay in Melbourne, which contrasts to the setting of bright stars, symbolising his sense of lacking belonging and heightening the grief of his mother. Further, the harsh dietetic sound of the telescope destruction emphatically foreshadows the deterioration of his relationship with his mother. However, preserve in his facial expression from close-up shot contrasts to keeping preciously with him all the time. The ending scene, where he comes back to his room surrounded by the brightness of the stars on the ceiling, demonstrates the extended metaphor of his mother’s presence even in a room as well as the value of a mother’s love. Weisler displaced the symbols in the film to depict that the individual must confront adversity in order to advance. Therefore, individuals reflect their perspectives once they go through an adversity and overcomes.
If an individual overcomes adversity such as gender stereotypes, it may lead to the outcome of achievement in their personal goal or dream. In ‘Billy Elliot’, Daldry portrays the town of Durham as a stereotypical and homophobic society even through Jackie’s stereotypical statement of, ‘lads do football or boxing or wrestling. Not ballet.’. The use of polysyndeton with the lists of masculine sports emphasises the restricted human experience that disturb Billy from achieving his dream. However, he achieves his dream by becoming a ballet dancer, finally on a stage dressed up like a ‘Swan Lady’. Billy plays the role successfully; it shows that he overcame the adversity of gender stereotype. Also, Billy’s friend, Michael’s homosexuality had determined throughout the film by himself such as when he wears dress and lipstick which is not defined as a social norm. However, as he overcomes, he becomes assertive and confident as shown at the end of the film where he sits in a public with his makeup on. Therefore, Daldry establishes the social issues into his film to convey if an individual has overcome adversity, it leads to achieving their dream.
Correspondingly, Weisler conveys that individual may overcome adversity of alienation to feel a sense of belonging as a result. At the beginning, the use of subtitles when him and the taxi driver speaks, clearly indicates the language barrier against her. At the dinner table, Henry imitates the father while he does not lay eyes on the mother. This portrays his strong intimacy between him and his dead mother which made him unpleasant that adopted mother is replacing the place of her. Through the over the shoulder shots from both perspectives, the eye contact between them does not happens. This suggests Henry’s lack of acceptance and uncomfortable towards her. However, at the end, he does not refuse her kissing on his face shown by the close-up shot which epitomises that he accepted the reality and feel a sense of belonging as a result. Consequently, this emphasises that overcoming adversities such as disconnection may bring a positive result to individuals to develop into what they really are.
Therefore, the short film, ‘Missing Her’ appropriates to the bildungsroman film, ‘Billy Elliot’ and conveys the understanding of how adversities contributes to individual and collective experiences and how they are overcome. The role of motherhood is demonstrated through an adversity and outlines how it is significant in both texts. Also, the protagonists, Billy and Henry demonstrate the positive results in the aftermath an adversity that are comes from different aspects. Ultimately, an adversity is crucial within an individual’s life journey as it allows personal growth, development and achievement.
