Mix Tape Movies: Rock Bottom

Andy over at Fandango Groovers has yet another fantastic idea for a blogathon. He wants us to throw together a mix tape of sorts. Five movies with a common theme, plus one wild card.

I've actually been trying to think of a theme for a mix tape for weeks now. It wasn't until recently that one finally came to mind - Rock Bottom. I had an incident that didn't go my way not too long ago, it was totally out of my control, and no matter what I did, I couldn't fix it at that time. Plus, it happened on my birthday so I felt like my entire day had been ruined. It's pretty inconsequential looking back, but at the time I had joked "Where the fuck is bottom?" which is a line from a wonderful little indie film called Hello I Must Be Going. So that's what inspired my mix. Here's a few films where the characters had to hit rock bottom before they could rise above.

Hello, I Must Be Going

Amy is going through an unexpected divorce with little to no support from her loved ones. After face planting it in the above scene, she asks aloud "Where the fuck is bottom?" Well Amy, it's right there. Luckily, she pulls herself together and keeps her chin up.

Thirteen

Tracey's rebellious teen phase is out of control. It's only after her best friend turns on her, she finds out she's failing the 7th grade, and her mother catches her with stolen property that she finally realizes she's got a problem. This scene is shot so brilliantly with the color slowly fading out until it's nearly grey. I like to think the final scene of Tracey screaming her lungs out on the merry-go-round is her getting all of this off of her chest, and that she won't fall for this again.

Mysterious Skin

Neil's behavior is reckless. Even he knows that. Eventually, it comes back to bite him, and he has to take a long hard look at the life he has chosen for himself.

The Dark Knight Rises

Bruce Wayne isn't invincible. Bane proved that when he broke his back and sent him to the Pit. This gave Bruce the epiphany he needed to once again become the Batman, and to rise above all obstacles.

Smashed

Kate sort of hits rock bottom twice in this film. The first time, when she finally realizes she's got a drinking problem, and the second time when she decides to be honest about it, and ends up getting sacked at her job instead. Kate mentions at the end of the film that her life isn't as stable as it used to be, but she's getting up there, and at least she's sober now.

Wild card - Take This Waltz

Margot had no issues in her marriage until she met the mysterious new Daniel who lives across the street. Now she's pulled into an affair that eventually loses its spark and Margot is back at stage one, wondering if she's made a terrible mistake. This is my wild card because the order is sort of reversed. The previous 5 films all have their main character either trying to succeeding in something better at the end of the film. The end of Take This Waltz is when Margot realizes the problem in the first place.