Close Reading #2

“The Game is All-Consuming, at Least Until the Outside World Intrudes” http://movies.nytimes.com/2012/10/19/movies/brooklyn-castle-directed-by-katie-dellamaggiore.html?ref=movies

            In the review, “The Game is All-Consuming, at Least Until the Outside World Intrudes”, Manohla Dargis portrays “Brooklyn Castle” to be a touching, engaging, and exciting documentary. She does this through her usage of diction and figurative language, and the details that she incorporates.

            Throughout the article Dargis shows the reader how the film is captivating and emotional through her word choice. This begins in the very first sentence of the review when she refers to “Brooklyn Castle” and an “irresistible documentary”. Also in the first paragraph while describing the chess matches in which the team featured in this film partake, Dargis says, “…you come to know these children…as you witness their pulse-quickening matches”. The use of the word “pulse-quickening” emphasizes the tension brought about by the film that ultimately results in fascination and excitement. These feelings show that Dargis is trying to portray the engaging qualities of the film. The article also exhibits diction that presents a feeling of tenderness that comes about from the film. For example in the fifth paragraph Dargis says, “…their students, who can wear their burdens heavily, with worried eyes and anxious jittering”. By including the adjectives “worried” and “anxious”, the reader feels bad for the students experiencing anxiety, making the plotline touching and heart wrenching.

            In addition to her diction, Dargis also uses figurative language to emphasize the emotional and exciting aspects of the film. For example in the first paragraph she says, “The child chess champions…don’t take long…to crush you”. In using the phrase “to crush you” Dargis demonstrates the effects that the conflicts in the film have on the audience. By using these words rather than saying “makes you sad”, it emphasizes the level of attachment that the audience develops to the students and how touching the film becomes. Dargis also shows how exciting the matches in the documentary are by referring to the winners as “conquerors” in the third paragraph.

            The details of which Dargis includes in her review of “Brooklyn Castle” also contribute to her representation of the film being touching and engaging. For example, in the second paragraph she lists some of the hardships that certain members of the chess team are facing and their dreams to fix them. By including these details, feelings of sympathy arise within the reader, thus showing how emotionally touching the story is. Another example in which details contribute to the overall representation that Dargis is trying to portray is when she says, “It’s deeply satisfying watching these public school, hard-knock kids win…” in the final paragraph. By not only including that the film is “satisfying” to watch, but also that the children win, the reader already knows that the plot will not be disappointing, and therefore full of excitement. The satisfaction also proves her point that they documentary is engaging.

            By making strategic use of diction and figurative language, while also incorporating relevant and meaningful details, Dargis reflects her feelings towards the documentary to the reader. Because of this, the reader feels that that the viewing of this film will be a captivating, exciting, and emotional experience.