The New Life of Paul
Sneijder, based on the novel by Jean-Paul Dubois
There is only one chance in a billion to have
an event like the one that lays the foundation for this film.
An elevator accident starts the
New Life of Paul
Sneijder
Thierry Lhermitte is excellent in the leading
role.
Alas, neither his performance nor the movie
have attracted almost any attention.
Only one user of IMDB has bothered to write a
few words and the same number of critics have noted on it…
We are doubling that figure, here and now.
If one is to sum this narrative, it could be
under the banner of Coping with Adversity and Trauma…
This is one important area of Positive
Psychology and there are two ways out of a trauma, one much more common than
the other:
Most men and women that have the tragic experience
of losing someone close suffer from what is called:
Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder
There is also a phenomenon called…
Post Traumatic Growth.
The hero of this film, Paul Sneijder, is starting
a new life as is clear from the very name of the motion picture.
Moreover, it could be argued that he
experiences both:
PTSD and Post Traumatic Growth.
Before the unbelievable accident, Paul Sneijder
had been what is generally called a “successful man”.
Only part of the appeal of this film rests in
the fact that it provokes audiences to think about fundamental issues:
What is a successful
life?
Alas, most humans think in terms of money, important
position, material goods, power, fame and we can look at The Donald to see into
what a mess all these can translate.
After the tragic accident that kills his
daughter in a falling elevator, Paul Sneijder is forced to face new challenges
and questions.
After an initial, normal breakdown, once the
PTSD seems to be weakening, the hero has the chance to cope with the adversity.
Besides, this is a chance to understand what
matters and what is irrelevant, the fact that his senior position means nothing
to him.
In fact, he becomes a…dog walker and if this
makes his entourage classify him as a mental case, the protagonist enjoys it.
Well, not all the provocations that come with
the job are exhilarating- take the collection of dog feces.
There are some characters he does not like and
he refuses to engage with, like the lawyer who wants to represent him.
Paul Sneijder can obtain a large sum that in
court, but he hesitates for a long period, in spite, perhaps in part because,
of his families wishes.
The hero even wins a cup in a beauty contest
for dogs, shows that this viewer is familiar with…
We used to have five borzois, Russian hounds
that took part in and won a series of Dog Shows…
One could look at the New Life of Paul Sneijder
and perceive it as a real, happy portion that had been denied before the tragic
death of his daughter.
When the family does not stop pressing for a
settlement that would bring in so much money, the protagonist refuses…
What about the education we can get with that
sum?
This is exactly my point…I do not want the
death of my child to be used and make it pay…
The result? I will not disclose it; I will only
say that the family is very cruel.
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