The director shows a lot of contrast between Edward and Vivien’s life. The opening line from the magician was “No matter what they say, it's all about money.” This gives you an indication of what Edwards’s life is about. The first time you see this is in the opening scene of the film. "In Edwards world, it shows a close up on money, which shows you that is all Edwards life revolves around, and that he has plenty of it. He breaks up with his girlfriend because she says that he puts business before anything else. He then goes to look for his ex-girlfriend Susan, and asked her if she spoke to his secretary more than him. Susan then told him that his secretary was her bridesmaid.
When you first see Vivien, she is on her way to a bar, which is used by street gangs to find her flat mate Kit. Vivien has to leave her dingy flat though the fire escape because her she can’t afford to pay the rent. Edward lives in his huge Bel Air mansion, whereas Vivien lives in a not very pleasant flat, which she shares with her friend Kit, and between them they can’t afford to pay rent. So again, the difference between the two characters is because of money. When Edward takes Vivien to the penthouse suite in the hotel Vivien is shocked by the size of it, but it is just normal to Edward, as he regularly stays in it, because it is the best. Edward seems to be more civilised than Vivien, because when he sits on a seat or chair, she always perches herself in the most awkward place. When you are shown Vivien’s world, the colours are always vivid and trashy, but in Edwards’s world, the colours are always grey and black.
The first time you are given an indication that Viv and Edward are going to meet is when the camera cuts between Edward driving and Viv making her way to the bar. After Edward and Vivien have met and they are in his hotel room framing is used when they are beside each other to show that they are close. Edward then sends Vivien to Hollywood Boulevard to shop, and she is rudely told to leave. A close up on Viv’s face and the type of music that is played shows that Vivien has been offended by this and is upset. The hotel manager is an unprejudiced character, who seems to be fond of Vivien, puts words in her mouth to help her when she is flustered by the whole embarrassing experience.
At first when Vivien takes a bath in Edwards’s hotel room there are lots of bubbles, but now they are both in it together with no bubbles, which shows they now have nothing to hide from each other. Edward takes Vivien to a polo match and even though lots of women are nasty to her and make spiteful comments like “So you're the flavour of the month” which was from the Olsen sisters Gwen and Gretchen, Vivien just learned to smile, and shock them. Framing is then used to show that Edward and Vivien look like a perfect couple and are happy in each other’s company.
From the beginning of the film Vivien and Edward are destined to be together because even though they are different in many ways. The first time we see this is when they meet, and she is talking to Edward and she says, “Did you know your foot's as big as your arm, from your elbow to your wrist?” he sees Viv is knowledgeable and immediately takes a liking to her. When Vivien and Edward are together their surroundings are always in pastel pink colours. When Vivien is in his toilet, Edward suspects that as she is taking drugs, and he walks in, but then realises that she is only flossing her teeth, and then Edward sits and watches Viv lying in front of the television laughing at a programme. These two incidents make him smile, and this shows that he likes her because he realises that she is just an innocent young woman, who really doesn’t want to be working as a prostitute.
Later in the film when Viv and Edward fall out, he leaves her money on the bed, but Viv leaves without taking the money, which shows that this is now more than a business arrangement. Edward apologizes and Viv goes back to his room. Later, Vivien kisses Edward on the lips, which shows that she doesn’t see this as a business arrangement anymore, as she says that she never kisses on the mouth. Edward and Viv take a walk in the park, and montage is used to show the story instead of listening to what they are saying, because it is particularly important, because all you need to know is that they are happy in each others company. When Vivien had left after her week Edward he takes a day off of work, which was very unusual, and goes to the park. There is a connection shot between his bare feet in the park, and her bare feet in her flat. At the end of the film when Viv is getting ready to leave for college, and there is cutting between both of them to show that they are thinking of each other. Edward then goes to Viv’s flat in a white Limo, which represents a knight on a white horse rescuing her, which was her dream. Edward is petrified of heights, but overcomes this to climb up and meet Vivien.
I learned that directors of films use camera techniques to make you have a certain opinion of something, and that music and other film techniques can be used to give the scene a certain feeling. I really enjoyed this film, because even though it was about a romance, it was also quite funny so you were able to like it more. I liked the story of how the two main characters, who were having totally opposite, but still miserable lives, met by chance and then both became much better people, and were happy together. The only bad point in this film was the slight glorification of prostitution, but it didn’t this spoil the enjoyment of this film for me and I thought the happy ending was very good, although, it left you wondering what would happen next.
Written by Laura, Greenock
