Daily Dialogue — January 4, 2014

Will (V.O.): On New Year’s Eve, I met Rachel. She was interesting and smart and attractive, and for about five minutes, I had her convinced that I was, too.
Rachel: Are you in television?
Will: Am I in television? No. No, everyone else is in television. I watch television.
Rachel: Right, so you’re more in front of it instead of… in it.
Will (V.O.): It was torture. For five minutes, I realized what it would be like if I were in any way interesting. If I had anything to say for myself, if I did anything. But I didn’t do anything. And in about thirty seconds, she’d know… and she’d be gone like a shot.

— About a Boy (2002), screenplay by Peter Hedges and Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz, novel by Nick Hornby

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is New Year’s Eve.

Trivia: In the novel, the music that Will introduces Marcus to — and so in turn bonds with Ellie over — is not rap, but the band Nirvana. The book is actually set during the 1993–1994 period, and the story climaxes with the kids learning of and being affected by Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain’s 4/5/94 suicide (which within the context of the story has additional significance for Marcus). The title of the story is itself a pun on the Nirvana song “About A Girl”.

Dialogue On Dialogue: One thing about New Year’s Eve: Characters do tend to get contemplative. Makes sense. After all, we reflect on the past and ponder the future. So, too, here with Will, who is forced by his five minutes with Rachel to realize how lacking his life is.

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