But it’s a start or the Girl in Portugal

The Girl is still touring, she has recently visited Portugal and here is a beautiful review. A big Thank You for that.

The Girl In The Cafe by An Invented / Real life

Oh well, before I even start saying anything else, I must say I feel like I’m cheating… as I’ve seen the film once before. But on TV, with subtitles and breaks that almost took longer than the film itself. On the other hand… I could savour it so much better on watching it for the second time and with no breaks :D

So the film begins: “Cold, cold water surrounds me now”, that’s what the music says and we can feel it in his life; this sort of utterly busy private solitude. He is an incredibly busy man, with such an important job, and yet… something is missing, he does not seem to actually live, he simply survives while fulfilling his duty in his job.

Until he meets her. She, in contrast, does “absolutely nothing” but has a rather particular view of things. I won’t say much about their first meeting – what else can one possibly say, just watch it! I love the way he seems like a little boy about to skip school when he asks his boss to excuse him to go meet her for lunch (and then they happen to go to the same restaurant as the boss – ouch).

And I love the way the addictive aspect of each other’s company is portrayed – he just can’t help calling her within a few hours of having met her. Which is how she ends up going with him to this place about which people are supposed to know one fact :)

The perhaps less believable part of the film – but also one of the more touching – is that one person does indeed end up making a difference to the fate of the less favoured part of the world. Especially as it is a difference made to a reality so easy to forget when one has access to something that seems so common as a DVD.

But of course she is then “invited to leave”. She has spoken way too much, and about things those people do not want to hear, even though it is supposedly what they are there to solve.

The music again. The same as in the beginning. But now we can see the situation is different. His life is changed. The “cold water” is of a completely different nature now.

To me, this film is about apparently impossible dreams that end up coming true. His dream (let’s put it like that, as I see it as a dream he discovers as the situations evolve) of being with her a little longer, even though he seems perpetually surprised by each moment they spend together, which is delightful (we do not know what happens next, but it is unexpectedly lovely that such a connection between them even happens), and her dream of making a difference. And dreams coming true is something just beautiful. Their lives (and so many more) have certainly been transformed by that casual first meeting.

Also, she ‘sums him up’ in a very simple and accurate way: “Thank you. You’ve been tender and true. And that’s unusual.” Precisely.

Well, you can see all my favourite quotes on the top right corner on www.thegirlinthecafe.com :)

So… what else can I say? Thank you, Richard. Thank you, Bill, Thank you, Kelly. And Thank you, Ingrid!

No, wait, I’ll say just one more thing – as it is never too much to repeat it:

Love can’t change
what’s wrong in the world
But it’s a start.

I’ll now pack The Girl nicely – as recommended – and send her to the next person on the list, hoping they’ll enjoy it even a fraction of what I just have.

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