We Were Awesome by Jesse Coane

Summary

The short film “We were awesome” directed by Jesse Coane follows a conversation between two childhood friends as they meet up to watch the sunrise on the top of a hill. The two men, named Adam and James, have many years ago had the tradition of hiking up that hill. They have an estranged relationship since they both moved away and have not seen each other regularly in years, but are both back in their hometown for Thanksgiving. In the midst of the cold night, while sharing some beer, they reminisce about the past. About how they were dumb and awesome because they used to sit on the hill in t-shirts with sunglasses. They awkwardly try to rekindle a friendship that was once very strong. Lastly, the sun rises and the pair silently sit and watch the spectacle shoulder to shoulder.

Analytical essay

We were awesome directed by Jesse Coane, explores the themes of growing up and friendship. In the beginning, the viewer can already sense some tension between the two. They discuss shallow topics such as their Thanksgiving feasts and the good old party days while one of the guys mocks the other by playfully punching him. As they approach the top of the hill, the film title slides on to the screen behind the men. (00:40-00:49). In the background, a melancholic score accompanies the atmosphere. We were awesome is chosen as a title because of their fading relationship, they were friends and they were awesome together. Both guys have different takes on being adults. One is in a committed relationship with a woman named Kate. They live together and she is not comfortable sleeping without him there. He also states that he is not into partying and drinking anymore, indicating he has matured. The other guy, wearing a leather jacket, teases the guy in a relationship because his girlfriend bought him his jacket saying, “You look like a foreskin. An uncut dick on a hill” (02:15-02:21) clearly showing his true colours, that he is still quite childish. It seems like he wants to stay a youngster and not grow up. The leather-wearing guy immediately hands over a beer, but only he takes a sip. They continue the awkward conversation by discussing when they will head back to L.A., where they supposedly both live now.

Both guys begin to reminisce about the good old days and have a good laugh about it, but never discuss current events. They tend to drive the conversation towards when they were good friends because they do not have anything in common anymore. Another indication of their current relationship is the little gap between them as they sit on the bench, stiffly pointing their knees straight forward. They do not even look at each other whilst conversating. The setting is simplistic with only one location, the hill. It could symbolize how they once thought they were on top of the world and the opposite, how they already have reached the peak of their friendship. In the one of the last shots of the film, they look straight at the rising sun (06:24) framed symmetrical, which hints that they are both on the same page on where their friendship is going. The guy in the leather jacket earlier stated, “There’s a moment when it peaks and it’s just, time stops”. He has a desire to stay in the past, time may have moved too fast for him. As the sun lights up the once starry black night, he says, “That was it, that was the moment” (06:31-06:34), which can be interpreted as the end of their friendship. He friendly punches the other one last time and they leave the hill in silence.

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