[Animated Film] The Addams Family

Watched on: 01/26/2024

Reviewed on: 04/07/2024

This is an animated film I really enjoyed.

The central theme of the film revolves around the importance of embracing individuality and respecting others' choices and willingness.

There is a kind of bird that can never be closed, for its feathers are shining bright.

The first half of film is talking about "implicit conflict" related to interpersonal close relationships.

In the movie, Wednesday Addams is tired of life in the spooky castle, and she wants to break free from her parents' control and explore the outside world. However, her rebellious behavior is quite the opposite of the average teenage girl in Hollywood movies. Instead of smoking, wearing sexy clothes and heavy makeup, Wednesday boldly wears a pink school uniform, which scares her mother Morticia. From this bold dressing choice, Morticia realizes that she is growing more and more distant from her maturing daughter. At the same time, Morticia also has to deal with the relationship between herself and her mother-in-law.

By the way, I really like the plot when Wednesday is at school!

Speaking of coming-of-age ceremonies, Gomez Addams always wanted to groom his son Pugsley into a man who would be accepted by the family. But Pugsley has no interest in and no talent for the most important part of the ceremony, the mazurka sword dance. The family's conservative elders are the ones who judge whether the coming-of-age ceremony is successful or not. If the sword dance fails, they won't recognize Pugsley as a member of the Addams family. He encourages his children to pursue their interests, yet finds himself struggling to break free from the constraints of traditional and outdated thinking.

The film takes a turn when external forces in the form of a developer encroach upon the family's domain, constructing a vibrant and cheerful town around their dark and foreboding castle. This stark contrast between the brightness of the town and the family's peculiar, shadowy lifestyle poses a significant challenge to their very existence.

Within the context of this narrative, internal conflicts are shattered by external clashes as the family is forced to confront the encroaching outside world, dismantling the delicate balance they had previously maintained.

I think that, in real life, we rarely have the chance to face significant external triggers. However, when dealing with internal relationship issues that resemble such triggers, it's essential to consider the following: Although people often say that external pressures can be stressful, and internal resolutions lead to growth, the film portrays a different perspective. Without external influences, internal breakthroughs may require overcoming greater environmental resistance.

To illustrate this concept, imagine an egg in deep water. The water pressure is high, and an external disturbance might reduce the external pressure to a certain extent, causing the egg to crack and adapt to its surroundings, leading to growth and transformation.