I've always believed that Ryan speaks so little because he was obviously taught/forced to learn that he should not be seen or heard and because nothing ever changed for the better in his world when he did communicate. He's always been discounted, ignored and neglected. He's so intelligent and perceptive and chooses his words so carefully and wisely, yet no one pays attention. Unbelievable.
That Sandy would allow a 15-year-old kid in his care to even be put in that situation? Never with Seth- not even on the table for discussion. Just how valued should Ryan feel to know that he is still expendable? What if he knew that Sandy had just asked Kirsten if he had made a mistake by bringing Ryan into their home? He'd be devastated (even more) that the man he sees as his savior, mentor and hero thinks so little of him- although he has proven it. I wanted to shoot Sandy and there should have been emotional consequences that we saw played out. If that meant there had to be physical repercussions to necessitate it, then there were ways to handle it without being extreme, but to make the possible outcomes very, frighteningly real.
Ryan would have been in shock, but he's been in so many precarious situations that I think he would still have that sensation of time slowing down, as it often seems to in those cases, and any images he did hone in on would have been painstakingly vivid with connectivity and detail.
Ryan definitely lives in the moment as the survivor he is and as the kid who has never had the luxury of worrying about the next day. His plate is full enough and he knows too well how quickly everything can be transformed so unpredictably. It's not that he expects not to live, but he knows that family, a roof over his head, and so many basics that people take for granted are fleeting in his world. He can't count on anything or anyone from one day to the next. After what's happened to him, anything is possible. My take on his comment to Kirsten was that he chose the age that should have been the ideal. At 17, kids can drive and are at the pinnacle of their freedom without the responsibilities and tranisitions that follow at 18- typically. At 17, most are carefree, reasonably, enjoying the end of high school and still don't have the worries that come with the next phase of life. That wouldn't have been the case for Ryan, since no year fit that bill, but I think he pegged Kirsten as someone who had that idyllic sort of growing up and probably was the homecoming queen, prom queen and still treasured that year when she looked back. For him to have said 16 would have been too pessimistic. If he had said 15, then he would have been trying to just act his age- which he knew wasn't possible.
I do hope you go back and just don't go ALL the way to the bitter end. I would really like to read how you would expand each one into a much more developed story with multiple perspectives- meaning the Cohens as well to really flesh out their role, their awareness of their grave, costly errors and how this changed them.
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That Sandy would allow a 15-year-old kid in his care to even be put in that situation? Never with Seth- not even on the table for discussion. Just how valued should Ryan feel to know that he is still expendable? What if he knew that Sandy had just asked Kirsten if he had made a mistake by bringing Ryan into their home? He'd be devastated (even more) that the man he sees as his savior, mentor and hero thinks so little of him- although he has proven it. I wanted to shoot Sandy and there should have been emotional consequences that we saw played out. If that meant there had to be physical repercussions to necessitate it, then there were ways to handle it without being extreme, but to make the possible outcomes very, frighteningly real.
Ryan would have been in shock, but he's been in so many precarious situations that I think he would still have that sensation of time slowing down, as it often seems to in those cases, and any images he did hone in on would have been painstakingly vivid with connectivity and detail.
Ryan definitely lives in the moment as the survivor he is and as the kid who has never had the luxury of worrying about the next day. His plate is full enough and he knows too well how quickly everything can be transformed so unpredictably. It's not that he expects not to live, but he knows that family, a roof over his head, and so many basics that people take for granted are fleeting in his world. He can't count on anything or anyone from one day to the next. After what's happened to him, anything is possible. My take on his comment to Kirsten was that he chose the age that should have been the ideal. At 17, kids can drive and are at the pinnacle of their freedom without the responsibilities and tranisitions that follow at 18- typically. At 17, most are carefree, reasonably, enjoying the end of high school and still don't have the worries that come with the next phase of life. That wouldn't have been the case for Ryan, since no year fit that bill, but I think he pegged Kirsten as someone who had that idyllic sort of growing up and probably was the homecoming queen, prom queen and still treasured that year when she looked back. For him to have said 16 would have been too pessimistic. If he had said 15, then he would have been trying to just act his age- which he knew wasn't possible.
I do hope you go back and just don't go ALL the way to the bitter end. I would really like to read how you would expand each one into a much more developed story with multiple perspectives- meaning the Cohens as well to really flesh out their role, their awareness of their grave, costly errors and how this changed them.
Blame me!