Will Ferrell never stops amazing me with his talent. Just a few weeks ago I watched his portrayal of George W. Bush in the Broadway parody that blew my mind, now in Everything Must Go, I got to see his vulnerable side, and what great moments a comedian can create when he underplays.
The most moving, and beautiful scene in the film comes toward the end, when Will Ferrel, in his extreme state of loneliness and depression, calls an old high school classmate’s Mom, and lies to her that he is putting together a high school reunion so that he can get the old classmate’s address. The whole reason for him to do it, is because she had left a note in his graduation book that showed her affection for him 20 years ago.
Then Will Ferrell comes to her house. The old classmate, played by Laura Dern, is now a single Mom with two kids. It’s awkward, showing up out of blue like this after 20 years. But Laura Dern can see that Will Ferrel is not doing well emotionally, and maybe she is still a little attracted to him. So she invites him to sit on the porch and catch up when her kids have dinner out on the lawn.
What follows is the moment that almost drove me to tears. When Will Ferrel is ready to leave, he gives Laura Dern a hug. He hugs for a couple of seconds too long, comforted by the brief companionship from Laura Dern. She senses that, and asks him if there is anything else he wants to say to her.
Even more awkwardly now, Will produces the Graduation album from his pant pocket, and shows her the note she left 20 years ago. It’s an incredibly sad moment, when Will, at his emotional lowest, makes his last attempt at affection, and sees that her reaction, although perfectly normal, is not what he has hoped. She is surprised that he came to find her because of the note, but at the same time, she tells him that he had a good heart, and that never changes. And maybe, maybe after he pulls himself together, they can have coffee together and see where that leads them.
Will Ferrell in this scene is incredibly vulnerable and sympathetic, and he portrays something that is within all of us. As simple as the the way the scene was shot, I felt the beauty is beyond words can describe. It’s the kind of beauty that we feel when hope is gone, yet we get a little bit comfort from people who truly know us, who tell us that there is still some redeeming quality inside of us. And infusing some romantic feel into this moment just makes it sublime.
Maybe this scene moves me so much because it reflects the current state of my life, but regardless the reason, the scene alone makes the movie compelling.
