November 9, 2011
Reader Finds Film that Speaks to Men (Movie Review)Some things matter and do not make a difference. Other things make a difference and do not matter. A man knows the difference
by Greg
Attention: Spoilers and adult content.
There are two types of males on earth, boys and men. There are two types of females in the world, girls and women. The film, 5 Star Day, which came out in 2010, is a wonderful indie film that demonstrates the differences between the two.
Actor Cam Gigandet does an impressive job as the lead character, Jake Gibson. It is Jake's 38th birthday. On this day, he loses his job; gets evicted, and catches his girlfriend banging a stranger on the kitchen sink. Finally, Jake's Porsche is stolen.
Jake dumps his girlfriend saying, "It's over (between us)." I like this scene because it defines Jake as a principled man, even in the wake of everything else that has happened in his 'Five Star Day'.
JAKE IS TAKING A DEGREE
For his "digital ethics" class, Jake has chosen the topic, "Astrology is Bullshit".
He goes on an odyssey to find his "zodiac twins" to see whether their birthdays were as disastrous as his. Jake defines himself as a man and is undaunted by any obstacles in his path. He has found the names and addresses of three other people that were born the same hour, the same day, and in the same hospital as Jake. Jake's premise is that there is no proof that astrology is valid, yet 46% of Americans believe in it and read their horoscopes daily.
Jake's first visit is to Sarah Reynolds. She works a low income job, is intelligent, yet not highly educated, is devoted to her daughter, maintains her home and family. Her boyfriend, Aaron, who steals from her and puts his daughter in jeopardy, is a heroine addict who has a restraining order placed on him to stay away from his daughter.
When Jake finds out that Aaron stole the pendant, he tracks Aaron to Manhattan , saves Aaron from a drug overdose, and gets the pendant back.
Aaron says, "Don't judge me. You don't know me." To which Jake responds, "I can live with that." Jake leaves. I think this is the most powerful scene in the film. This is where a man meets a boy. Jake does not judge Aaron. He does not want anything to do with him other than save his miserable life. A man does not compromise with boys, and Jake makes it very clear he can live without knowing this boy. It was a poignant moment when, with Jake's response, Aaron realizes the insignificance of his immaturity in the presence of a real man.
Jake then flies to Atlantic City to meet Wesley Henderson, who is a lounge singer. Wesley is a talented singer and Jake asks him why he is not well known. Wesley explains to Jake that Las Vegas was "too crowded" so he "went to New York and landed in on the Boardwalk."
An underlying theme that I liked was that through Jake's roommate
Sam, a math whiz, and Wesley, a talented singer, we see the untapped power of men in a feminist society.
Jake becomes intoxicated and Wesley takes care of him while in this vulnerable state. I liked this scene because it shows the intimacy of men and that men do not let their guard down unless they know a man is watching their back. "I've got your back", that is a compliment of the highest order among men.
Jake takes one of Wesley's CDs and shows it to an entertainment editor at a newspaper who sets up an interview with Wesley. Just as in the situation with the pendant, Jake knows when to get involved appropriately. Some things matter and do not make a difference. Other things make a difference and do not matter. A man knows the difference.
When he returns to Berkeley, His girlfriend tearfully asks him to take her back. His response to her is, "There are some things you cannot redeem." Jake stands his ground. His ex-girlfriend is devastated because 1) she got caught 2) she realizes she is a slut 3) she lost the opportunity of a lifetime-to live with a real man.
Jake is a man who chooses to live with a woman. There are no second chances in a man's world. Jake flies back to Chicago, meets with Sarah, and gives her the pendant. The film ends symbolically with the couple walking down a street in the rain, sharing an umbrella.
For me, this film clearly defines what a true man and a true woman looks like. It also clearly defines the little girls and boys of society and how miserable and not worth the time of day they are. I highly recommend this film for anyone who wants an uplifting film experience.
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Henry Makow is the author of A Long Way to go for a Date. He received his Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Toronto. He welcomes your feedback and ideas at
