**SPOILERS**Zelly and Me is just about the most total chick movie there has ever been. I say that in the kindest way possible for a guy to do. Most guys would rather have their groin set afire and run screaming through a pool of gasoline than have to sit through this movie. I admit that the first time I saw this I had visions of bolting for the door to ride my motorcycle to freedom. That said, let me tell ALL guys why they should unequivocally watch this movie - because unless you can sit through this movie, and unless you can get something out of this movie you will NEVER begin to understand women. As I just turned 39 years old, I realize that women, all women have a functional form of Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD). It is normal for all women to have several (or a lot more) women living inside of them. Which is why men get so confused when they try to understand women. You can meet a woman one night and she might be the wildest , carefree spirit you ever met. The next morning she might be a totally conservative, shy and quiet thing. While you are trying to figure out if you are hallucinating you remember this movie and you start to understand the excellent weirdness that is womanhood. Many facets of what it is to be a woman, what it is like to be a little girl, and how a grown woman can be like a little girl in one moment and a completely sexual adult in another are illustrated in this movie. In this film Zelly (played by Isabella Rossellini) bridges the gap between the cruel grandmother (CoCo) and the little girl (Phoebe) that she is in charge of as her nanny. If nothing else, this movie tries to show how women are so many people at once. As Zelly attempts to protect little orphan Phoebe, and keep her job by not offending her disfunctionally stern grandmother CoCo, she illustrates the strength of women. As she plays with Phoebe, (as childlike as Phoebe herself ) - interacts as an adult with CoCo - and becomes romantic with Willie (played excellently by David Lynch) we get to see the many sides of a woman and how we as men will NEVER understand the complexities of being a woman. As men, we are raised in the role of dominate persons. Our personality is so much more simple to understand because of this. We pursue things, we aggress, we penetrate life. Women have it so much more difficult. They want to submit, to acquiesce, but also they want to pursue and to dominate. Just think about how difficult it is for a woman to be daddy's little girl, to be a sexual person with a man, to be a mother, and to be someone's boss at the same time. ---------semi-spoiler alert-----------
One moment in the film that really illustrates this is when Zelly goes to Lynch after being fired by CoCo. They plot to take Phoebe, and Lynch moves in to kiss Zelly, she pulls away and says something like she doesn't want to kiss him with her cross on. He takes it off and she kisses him and later we find that they have made love. Here is a little girl who is supposed to be pure, daddy's girl that shouldn't want to make love, but at the same time she is a sexual person who desires this man. How complicated is that? WAY more complicated than being a guy. Can you imagine how messed up a woman could get if her parents weren't good at helping her work out all these seeming contradictions? Whew, thank god I'm a man! If you are a guy and you have any woman in your life - your mother, a sister or some woman that you are in love with, watch this movie. For them, for yourself, for that little girl you may one day have (or already have). It offers some insight into what it is to be a little girl, a woman in her prime and one past. It will also show you just how powerful women are, in a way that you will never understand, but should try as long as you live. It made me appreciate my mother, my sister and my wife a whole lot more. Ummm, after I got over the urge to grab the clicker and turn the channel to The Man Show, football, anything other than this. Chicks, I love 'em. I won't ever understand them, but it's a fun trip while you try. And the best part is they put up with us while we never get it.
One moment in the film that really illustrates this is when Zelly goes to Lynch after being fired by CoCo. They plot to take Phoebe, and Lynch moves in to kiss Zelly, she pulls away and says something like she doesn't want to kiss him with her cross on. He takes it off and she kisses him and later we find that they have made love. Here is a little girl who is supposed to be pure, daddy's girl that shouldn't want to make love, but at the same time she is a sexual person who desires this man. How complicated is that? WAY more complicated than being a guy. Can you imagine how messed up a woman could get if her parents weren't good at helping her work out all these seeming contradictions? Whew, thank god I'm a man! If you are a guy and you have any woman in your life - your mother, a sister or some woman that you are in love with, watch this movie. For them, for yourself, for that little girl you may one day have (or already have). It offers some insight into what it is to be a little girl, a woman in her prime and one past. It will also show you just how powerful women are, in a way that you will never understand, but should try as long as you live. It made me appreciate my mother, my sister and my wife a whole lot more. Ummm, after I got over the urge to grab the clicker and turn the channel to The Man Show, football, anything other than this. Chicks, I love 'em. I won't ever understand them, but it's a fun trip while you try. And the best part is they put up with us while we never get it.