So, Will Ferrell's serious/sarcastic role in Everything Must Go was relevant for me in my life right now, so perhaps that is why I enjoyed it so much. Sure, the subject matter was depressing--an alcoholic who gets fired from his job for inappropriate conduct at a convention the same day his wife leaves him for their joint AA sponsor. Rough stuff.
Yet, I love how this movie tackles one of the taboos in our culture: starting over. The American Dream encourages, no, insists, that you have to always be moving forward at all times. If you aren't, then you are a loser, or at the very least, "behind schedule."
What a terrible message this is that penetrates every aspect of our society. This way of thinking can truly petrify you to make the necessary sacrifices and changes taht you need to make, and that Will Ferrell's character definitely needed to make in his life. By selling all his "stuff," his character realizes that he needs to focus on himself, not his possessions, house, or even career--he needs to figure out how to make himself happy and deal with his demons.
This means going against what society says which is accumulate, accumulate, accumulate. The more stuff you have, the happier you will be. If you don't collect things, you have nothing to show for your life.
The reality is, sometimes having stuff is just a safety net to make you feel like you are on the right path, that you have something to show for your life, that you are a successful person. But even though Ferrell's character had a good job, wife, nice home, and plenty of toys, he was still unhappy with himself and needed to get his life on a better path.
I feel strongly about this movie I think partly because we recently had to sell our truck, some of our precious "stuff," and move out of our house in order to get on a better path. Some people like to judge these choices just like Ferrell's character was judged. But the reality is, it was the best thing for him, and it is the best thing for us. There's something to be said for being able to pick up and go, and sometimes, it is the best choice.
I also enjoyed Ferrell's rant to his neighbor about the fact that we all wear masks. His tirade urges people to live authentic, transparent lives--or at least recognize that the supposed masks you try to wear to make your life appear so wonderful are not full-proof and usually, people can see you for who you really are anyway. So, put energy into living a better life and being a better person instead of just pretending to be.
Excellent, insightful, and heartbreaking yet uplifting script by Dan Rush. Looking forward to seeing lots more by him!