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Is there a "Cache" connection to "Janet Planet???"

posted 20 days ago by joi2049 (5584)
21 replies | jump to latest

https://thecinemaholic.com/michael-haneke-cache-explained/

Is LACY like Pierrot:

"Pierrot senses an inaccessibility to his parents who seem to be so engrossed in their own professional and social intricacies"

Is JANET like Georges:

"our mind possesses the power to manipulate our historical reality, and more often than not, we repudiate the truth in favor of our own version of it."

Is there a Cache connection to Janet Planet???

CACHE (2005) is a film about BEING WATCHED ... and in JANET PLANET Janet tells AVI that she feels like her daughter Lacy is always "watching her."

And there's also an indication in Haneke's film that Pierrot (the young son of Georges and Anne) was also watching his parents (due to the way the film ends with Pierrot seen speaking to Majid’s son ... which might also imply they're co- conspirators who've manipulated the Georges character).

Does the CULT LEADER AVI also watch people like LACY does??? Don't they both also have a PUPPET show collection which may also symbolize or represent their manipulation of others???

Does the "TROLL Doll" Lacy is given (which she places into her puppet collection) represent Wayne? Later Lacy also places a small piece of the cover of the NEW YORKER Magazine (which formerly belonged to Regina) onto the wall of her puppet collection. Is this tiny little object meant to represent Lacy's getting rid of Regina the same way as she did Wayne?

Do the rest of Lacy's puppet dolls also represent others that Lacy manipulated and ran off ? At one point they also wear hats made out of the candy wrappers of her piano teacher ... who also had the Red Riding Hood doll ... which turns into the Grandmother when it's turned UPSIDE DOWN ... and it also turns into the face of the "BIG BAD WOLF" once you lift up the Granny's BONNET and turn the Doll around to face in the opposite direction.

Could Lacy also be a sly character in disguise like the Big Bad Wolf character? Be a clever child who manipulates the life of her mother and others as a way to try to keep what she sees as other Wolves away?

When Lacy shows up at the place where Regina works selling ice cream, note the way Regina avoids Lacy. Because once she sees Lacy standing in line, Regina suddenly disappears and is replaced by another employee. Then we also see Lacy watching Regina smoking a cigarette as she walks along the side of a road in front of a huge barn.

And still later on Lacy comes home with lots of ICE CREAM STAINS all over the front of her T-shirt (a situation which she also dismisses as being no big deal ... after her mother asks if she's ok ... and wants to know what's happened to her). Is it possible those stains were the result of some kind of a hostile encounter that took place between Regina and Lacy that day?

Also Note the way Lacy sits there "watching" as one of Avi's other cult members (who played the drums at Avi's puppet show) collects Regina's belongings for her (including the cover of the NEW YORKER Magazine that he removes from the wall ... which was attached to the wall with a piece of cellophane tape ... before Lacy then removes it and then attaches what's left of it to the wall of her puppets). Does this represent a victory trophy for Lacy? Is it a symbol of still another opponent that Lacy has defeated the way she did Wayne when she gets rid of him?

Also note the way Lacy spies on and "watches" Regina speaking to AVI from an open window up above before we see Regina leave with him. Why does Regina have the drummer collect her things? Is Lacy the reason why she's reluctant to enter the house and gather them herself? Does she fear having still another hostile encounter with Lacy?

Still another thing to note is when Regina orders Lacy and her mother not to answer their own phone, how Lacy chimes in to say the call could be for them (to which Regina responds by saying let the call go to voice mail). And this also happens right before Regina gives Janet some kind of drug that she claims would help them sleep, which also leads to the argument with Janet over the awful tastes that Regina says Janet has in the men she dates.

Is it possible Lacy represents another version of the young Pierrot in Cache and/or AVI? Could she also grow up to become a manipulative CULT LEADER like Avi one day? Or could she become an alienated adult like the Georges character in Haneke's CACHE story ... who at the age of 6 also manipulates Majid ... the young child that his mother plans on adopting ... by getting rid of him by plotting against him ... the same way as Lacy does Wayne and Regina???

In other words, was Lacy deliberately acting out as a way to get rid of Wayne & Regina the same way as Georges got rid of Majid? (By lying about using Regina's shampoo and leaving her hair on the shower wall, spending almost an hour sitting on the toilet to keep Regina from using the shower, repeatedly asking Wayne why his daughter doesn't live with him, etc.)???

[–] joi2049 (5584) 20 days ago

Did Lacy also get rid of Avi as well when she suggested that her mother "STOP TRYING" to make men fall in love with her???

Janet: “I’ve always had this knowledge that I can make any man fall in love with me, if I tried. And think it’s sort of ruined my life.”

Lacy: “Can you stop… Stop trying.”

At least Wayne didn't slash open his throat like Majid did on the night when he appears in Janet's yard and prostrates himself (as both Lacy and her mother secretly watch him from the window up above). Later on we also see Lacy doing the same thing when she prostrates herself in front of her puppets (after she's also seen her mother doing the same thing ... by repeatedly making a pledge to be more truthful with herself about her self-image):

Janet: "Truth before Ego ... before the desire to be liked ... which is a very female thing ...

My own liberation depends upon the ability to put truth before the desire to be liked ... the desire to be loved ... to put truth before Ego.

My own liberation depends upon my willingness to see truth beyond my own self-image."

Unfortunately the Georges character in CACHE never makes any such pledge to himself about his self-image. '

Once again The Cinemaholic article describes the way the mind of GEORGES works:

https://thecinemaholic.com/michael-haneke-cache-explained/

"our mind possesses the power to manipulate our historical reality, and more often than not, we repudiate the truth in favor of our own version of it."

After Regina offers Janet the drugs, we witness her attempt to repudiate the truth. But later on ... after her encounter with Avi ... (which takes place after her confrontation with Regina ... and her other conversation with her daughter Lacy) ... Janet also seems to have changed her mind about accepting the truth about herself ... instead of repudiating it ... the way that Georges does in Cache ... (when he takes a drug in an attempt to HIDE the truth from himself about himself).

But then the JANET PLANET story also ends with what appears to be an anxious Lacy sitting there wondering if the dancing that she observes her mother doing will lead to her bringing home still another unwanted person with whom to share their home.

The Cinemaholic article nicely sums up the situation for us:

https://thecinemaholic.com/michael-haneke-cache-explained/

"knowledge of our children and our parents is always inadequate."

In other words, Janet appears to WAKE UP to the truth about herself, whereas Georges goes back to SLEEP again and ignores it. However, in the ending scene we're also presented with the possibility that the AWAKENING of Janet may also only be a temporary situation rather than a longer lasting life lesson.

Continued in the next message:

[–] joi2049 (5584) 20 days ago

Whatever the case may be, both CACHE and JANET PLANET remain "open ended" stories where it's up to the viewer themselves to decide how to interpret what they've seen happening in them.

So do you think Janet's liberated herself by the end of the story?

Do you think Lacy will end up being an "alienated" adult like Georges, or become a manipulative cult leader like Avi?

Keep in mind how she deliberately LIES to Regina about not using her shampoo or putting her hair on the shower wall. And she may also have "HIDDEN" the truth from her mother about whatever happened the day when she "watches" Regina walking along the road and then comes home with ice cream all over her T-shirt.

So perhaps the question to ask LACY is the same one that she's asked her mother:

“Can you stop???"

"Stop trying" to alienate others (like Wayne, Regina, and Avi) because of the way that your mother too easily falls in love with them???

And didn't Georges also alienate Majid due to the way that his mother fell in love with him???

Could his son Pierrot have acted out as a way to get rid of some of the dinner guests and other friends of his parents who annoyed him the way the friends of Janet did Lacy???

“The thing that actually made me think, I want to write this movie, was picturing evaporating your mother’s boyfriend with your brain. I remember feeling that way at eleven, as though I had a little wizard brain. And I have met a lot of eleven-year-olds now, from my auditioning process, and they all have wizard brains. I really feel like they’re all wizards. So, what if spiritual longing and destructive desire and love for one’s mother and the power of inanimate objects could all be harnessed to evaporate a mother’s potentially nefarious new boyfriend? That was what the movie was about for me.”

~ Annie Baker

[–] joi2049 (5584) 18 days ago

Still more thoughts:

Although Lacy didn't literally "evaporate" Wayne or Avi with her mind, it is still very curious how BOTH Regina and Avi suddenly and very mysteriously DISAPPEARED in 2 scenes.

Regina suddenly disappears when Lacy shows up at her place of employment and Regina sees her standing in line for some ice cream (which also indicates she obviously didn't want to have an encounter with Lacy for some reason).

Avi suddenly disappears after reading a poem to Janet at a picnic dinner (after we've also seen Lacy prostrate herself before her puppets ... perhaps praying to them to help her get rid of him).

And since we also saw Wayne SLAM the door in Lacy's face prior to Janet breaking up with him, one can't help but wonder if the same kind of an overheated and hostile encounter that took place between Wayne and Lacy could have also taken place between Lacy and Regina as well.

Janet to Lacy: "You have a kind of — a forthrightness, you have a kind of aggressive quality

Lacy to Janet: “Every moment of my life is hell... I don't think it will last though."

Is the reason why Lacy "doesn't think it will last" is because of her knowledge that her plans to get rid of the friends and lovers of her mother's that she doesn't like always seem to work out for her???

Janet to Lacy (about Avi): It really surprised me how nice he was ... I thought he'd be a Narcissistic artist type of guy.

Why does Janet consider an Artist to be Narcissistic?

What if her daughter also becomes an Artist one day as well???

Would that also put Lacy at risk of becoming Narcissistic???

🤔

Also Found this interesting article:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/great-news-artist-share-common-traits-with-psychopaths_n_571fa9d1e4b0f309baeed0b1

A recent study published in the Personality and Individual Differences journal concluded that you may want to be wary of the artists, actors, and musicians in your life, seeing as they often share certain neuropsychological features with individuals exhibiting "psychopathic traits."

creative individuals often exhibit higher levels of emotional disinhibition, as well as dishonesty and risk-taking.

Is it possible Janet Planet could have painted for us a portrait of an 11 yr old on her way to becoming a psychopath???

In MARE of EASTOWN, the actress who portrays the part of JANET was also the mother of another young child who was arrested for murder.

And in HBO's other show called SHARP OBJECTS we also encountered another 13 yr old psychopathic killer.

If we get a much desired SEQUEL story to JANET PLANET, what can be done to keep Lacy from also resorting to murder as a way to get rid of some of the unwanted friends and lovers of her mother???

As you may recall, the reason why the 13 yr old in SHARP OBJECTS kills the other young girls was so that she could decorate the bathroom FLOOR of her DOLL HOUSE (which was a miniature version of her mother's house) with their teeth.

Hopefully things won't progress to the point where Lacy also does the same kind of thing???

FYI:

If you have access to HBO/MAX, at the 7:56 TIME MARK you can also see a "very creepy looking ceramic character" that has ears that look like the horns of a devil, and it also has a HUGE tongue that extends out of its mouth and way down past it's feet.

And there's also the head of another Body-less creature sitting on top of a book next to it. And both of them also sit on the shelf that sits on top of the theater area with the curtain Lacy closes.

And Lacy also winds up the Music Box that plays Mozart ... which displays the hands of a PUPPET MASTER manipulating what looks like a couple of ballet dancers.

And when she adds the TROLL DOLL to her PUPPET COLLECTION it also has CENTER STAGE, and stands next to a chubby looking lady in pink (actually a salt shaker) over to the right side, and next to another WEIRD looking character on the left hand side (who looks like they have an ice cream cone shaped head and are wearing some oversized sunglasses on their chest area).

There's also a tiny little boy in the collection ... and an even smaller girl ... and another strange looking yellow colored character on the far right hand side of the stage. And to the far left hand side there's also a brown faced character with yellow hair that sits next to a Buddha looking character.

And there's also a GRANDFATHER CLOCK and a piano seen on her PUPPET stage.

At the 26 TIME MARK you can also see the BLUE HAIRED TROLL DOLL has been removed from the CENTER STAGE area and sits over to the far right hand side of the stage (which also allows the PINK LADY to have CENTER STAGE again).

Around the 46 TIME MARK the PUPPETS are sleeping, and we see Lacy cover one of them up with a blanket that's fallen off of them.

At the 108 TIME MARK we see a Grandfather type of clock hanging on the wall of her piano teacher and then see Lacy examine the RED RIDING HOOD DOLL that sits on the couch.

[–] joi2049 (5584) 16 days ago

What on Earth could that "Creepy Ceramic Creation" (located at the 7:56 TIME MARK) with the HUGE TONGUE ... that we see sitting on the top shelf ... over top of the theater area ... possibly symbolize for Lacy? It's so strange looking that she must have also made it herself.

Notice how when we first meet Lacy she "manipulates" her mother by calling her and threatening to kill herself if she doesn't come and get her at the summer camp where she's staying. The next morning when her mother arrives to pick her up, we also learn Lacy's "LIED" to her campmates and her camp counselor (by telling them she's leaving because Wayne's been in a motor cycle accident). And she also refuses to let them meet her mother (most likely from her fear that they might discover she's LIED to them).

And after Lacy changes her mind and wants to stay there at the camp, Janet replies saying she can't because she's already gotten part of her money back again and that Lacy's behavior is also part of a "BAD PATTERN" (meaning she's also behaved this way before).

Still later on she also "LIES" to Regina claiming she hasn't used her shampoo or put her hair on the shower wall. And she may also have LIED to her piano teacher about not practicing that much the week when her instructor says she could tell she'd been practicing more.

Since "LYING and AGGRESSION" (like the hostility that we saw Lacy display with Wayne) are also traits of kids with psychopathic tendencies, the theory that Lacy's could use some therapy seems to have some validity. Perhaps Janet also doesn't believe in therapy (in the same way as she rejects the use of antibiotics)??? It is odd she wouldn't seek help for a daughter who threatens to kill herself (and may also have done so before if it's a part of the BAD PATTERN that she mentions).

In addition to the "Lies and Aggression" issues Lacy exhibits, this article also addresses the other issues of her "NOT having Friends:"

https://www.momjunction.com/articles/signs-of-psychopathy-in-kids-causes-treatment_00762512/#:~:text=Indifference%20towards%20others%2C%20narcissism%2C%20and%20risky%20or%20thrill-seeking,with%20the%20help%20of%20the%20YPI%20test%20questionnaire.

Do children with psychopathy have friends?

“They can have friends, but maintaining meaningful and lasting relationships is often difficult. This is because children with psychopathy lack empathy, making it hard for them to connect with others on an emotional level. Additionally, their willingness to manipulate and take advantage of people can lead to mistrust among potential friends.”

So perhaps this article might also explain the mystery behind Lacy's not having any friends?

At the 48:50 TIME MARK:

Regina: Wouldn't you rather be hanging out with your friends?
Lacy: I don't have any friends.
Regina: Why?
Lacy: I don't know. It's a complete mystery to me.

Lacy to Wayne at the 19 min TIME MARK:

I usually have a hard time making friends.
------------------------------------------

Does anyone else have any thoughts they'd care to share???

[–] joi2049 (5584) 15 days ago

Do you think Wayne was a nice guy? This is how one critic describes him. But note the way his daughter begs several people that she doesn't even know for money at the mall. Why wouldn't she ask her father for some money instead of strangers? Was it because he had no job and stayed with Janet "rent free" (the same way as Regina did)?

Also note the way Wayne doesn't respond when his daughter kisses him goodbye. No "see you next week," or "I'll call you soon," or anything. Likewise, Sequoia also doesn't respond back to Janet either when she told her "it was so nice meeting her." And, as far as we know, it was only Lacy that Sequoia spends most of her time with during her visit with them that day.

And what about Lacy's father? Why is there never any mention of him? We also don't see any photos of him on display or see any pictures of Janet's parents either. In Lacy's room there's a photo of a hand on a book and a horse (we see these images right before the close up of the Creepy Ceramic Creature). And there's that other blurry looking image of what might be a woman with a child seen hanging on the bedroom wall (at the 29:12 TIME MARK).

Since Janet tells Regina she was with someone named Will for 3 yrs (before he moved to New Mexico to be near his grandkids), could he have created the blurry image? Could the image be his interpretation of Janet with Lacy? Before he moved away, did he ever invite Janet to move with him to NM? Is Will the reason why Janet said she was concerned Avi might be a "Narcissistic Artist type?"

And why would Janet want to get involved with someone that Regina just broke up with? When they're high on drugs (and after Regina claims what she said to Janet about not kidding herself about her terrible taste in men was said out of love for her), Janet lets Regina know she doesn't think love was involved in Regina's remark (which she also describes as "Stepping on her Toe)."

Likewise, how is love for her friend involved with Janet dating Regina's former boyfriend? Janet also begins a relationship with Avi because he said he wanted to discuss why he broke up with Regina, but then Janet told Lacy they never discussed the matter (probably because Avi was too busy saying the same kind of goofy stuff that we later hear him saying to Janet and Lacy at the dinner table ... which also makes him sound like he's taken the same drugs Regina gave to Janet). Whatever the case may be, doesn't dating Avi feel more like a backstabbing betrayal of Regina?

If we do get a sequel to this wonderful story, here's hoping we'll also get to see another confrontation taking place between Janet and Regina, and also see one between Regina and Lacy. Perhaps, for instance, Lacy could ask Regina why she didn't gather together and collect her belongings herself when she left? Then Regina could explain how she didn't want to have another hostile encounter with Lacy again like the one they had on the day when Lacy visits her place of employment before coming home with ice cream stains all over her shirt.

Maybe the "forthright" Regina could also suggest that Janet get Lacy some much needed therapy due to the kind of lies she tells. And it could also be interesting to see Lacy and Sequoia end up together in some kind of a group therapy session, a place where we might also be able to discover some other things about their parents that were kept "HIDDEN" from us in Janet Planet.

This is also what makes "Janet Planet" and the "Cache" (meaning HIDDEN) film so outstanding ... is the way that both stories are so open-ended that the questions we have about the characters in them seem to be never ending.

[–] joi2049 (5584) 4 days ago

Still another thing to NOTE is the STORY Regina tells about her father sending her away to live with her grandparents ... because he received an anonymous letter ... claiming she was doing drugs and keeping company with some older boys.

Then 30 yrs later after Regina discovers it was the mother of her friend who sent the letter and mentions it to her father he says:

WHAT LETTER???

Which also seems to indicate her father USED that LETTER as an excuse to GET RID of a daughter that he didn't want around in the first place ...the same way as WAYNE also doesn't seem to want his daughter hanging around him.

Because WHY didn't Wayne invite Sequoia to SPEND the night or a weekend at Janet's place (especially when he also knew how much Lacy would have loved that)???

Perhaps the answer is because Wayne didn't want Sequoia around him anymore than Regina's father wanted her to be around him???

🤔

[–] jacotodd47 (2189) 4 days ago

"And since we also saw Wayne SLAM the door in Lacy's face prior to Janet breaking up with him, one can't help but wonder if the same kind of an overheated and hostile encounter that took place between Wayne and Lacy could have also taken place between Lacy and Regina as well."

With Wayne, I believe it was a cumulative affect. The door slam was certainly part of it. But he displays other bizarre behavior as well. I wont say what he does so as not to spoil it for potential viewers of this movie. Wayne displays enough bizarre behavior that even kind hearted Janet has had her fill. With Regina, I believe a discomfort existed after a disagreement with Janet. Janet is trying to justify, in her own mind (while speaking out loud), some of her bad decisions. Regina, in a kind way, agrees that Janet has made some bad decisions. THis makes Janet very defensive. Janet basically retorts by insulting Regina, who is living for free at her home. I dont think Regina was comfortable after Janet's insults. Thus avoiding Lacey, and leaving Janet's home. COUld there have been an explosive encounter between LAcey and Regina? Its possible but one doesn't think so. Regina is not the type to respond violently. Dealing with rejection by leaving is more true to her nature.

[–] jacotodd47 (2189) 4 days ago

"So do you think Janet's liberated herself by the end of the story?"

I dont know. Janet has a bad history with men which unfortunately has affected her daughter. In fact, her daughter can see it more than she can. However, we do know Janet took a pass with Avi.

My guess would be Janet may still go down a bad road, but she won't do it as quickly. The "STOP TRYING" comment will continue to flash in her brain.

[–] jacotodd47 (2189) 4 days ago

Good stuff JOI 2049.

"Did Lacy also get rid of Avi as well when she suggested that her mother "STOP TRYING" to make men fall in love with her??? "

Interesting possibility and perhaps true. Lacey had already gotten rid of Avi in her own mind. To her, he was simply another in a long line of bad men decisions her Mother had made. Thus, indeed , she asks her Mother to "STop TRYING". Did this have an affect on Janet? Its quite possible. I saw Avi as making his move on Janet. SHows up with a bottle of wine. Janet, being very kind hearted and free spirited, has him for dinner. Janet does become a bit captivated by Avi, while lacy, her daughter, remains unimpressed. The affect could be construed as this. Avi is gearing up for his big move, he wants Janet, physically. He takes her to a remote place for a picnic and really starts playing his game with poetry and compliments to Janet. Soon thereafter he disappears. We don't know why. TO me it was as simple as Janet knew where he was going and got rid of him - probably politely sent him on his way which was her nature (to be kind). He's gone, nothing happened. COuld Lacey's "STOP TRYING' comment have influenced JAnet? Its certainly a reasonable possibility.

[–] joi2049 (5584) 4 days ago

Hello jaco,

Thank you very much for your very much appreciated replies to this topic.

Did the thought ever cross your mind that Janet may have also LIED to LACY about having dinner with AVI as a way that she could have some TIME to herself ALONE away from Lacy???

Due to the very mysterious way that AVI vanished so suddenly and abruptly (like Regina does when Lacy's waiting in line for some ice cream), that was still another possibility that occured to me (that Janet might have been having a DAYDREAM where she only imagined AVI reading the poem to her).

🤔

[–] jacotodd47 (2189) 4 days ago

Hello to you. Your posts here are very interesting. As to your question.....

"Did the thought ever cross your mind that Janet may have also LIED to LACY about having dinner with AVI as a way that she could have some TIME to herself ALONE away from Lacy???

No, if you are referring to the picnic, janet does let Lacey know she is invited. Lacey isnt interested, and Janet doesn't push the issue. Its almost as if janet is happy Lacey will not be coming.

"Due to the very mysterious way that AVI vanished so suddenly and abruptly (like Regina does when Lacy's waiting in line for some ice cream), that was still another possibility that occured to me (that Janet might have been having a DAYDREAM where she only imagined AVI reading the poem to her). "

Hhmmm, well, then why tell Lacey of the event? She does tell lacey Avi has invited her to a picnic and that lacey is also invited. So, one doesn't think it was a daydream. More a case of, Janet didn't want lacey to come in the first place. During the picnic itself, Avi and Janet are alone, and he does disappear. I took this as janet rejecting Avi's sexual overtures. It is perhaps possible Janet did reject Avi due to laceys previous "STOP TRYING" comment.

But ultimately, we dont know. You can only speculate on what actually happened. If your version is it was just a daydream, this is entirely as possible as my thoughts on it.

[–] joi2049 (5584) 4 days ago

Lacey isnt interested, and Janet doesn't push the issue. Its almost as if janet is happy Lacey will not be coming.

Remember how Lacy wanted to STAY there at CAMP after she saw Wayne had also come to pick her up???

This would be how Janet would already know Lacy would refuse the invitation to join her and Avi for dinner. IOW, perhaps the reason why she tells her she's invited is because she also already knows Lacy would refuse the invitation???

What's also interesting is how Lacy seems so much more RELAXED once she has the place all to herself for a change.

And it's also interesting how AVI disappears at the time when we CUT AWAY from AVI reading the poem at the picnic to see Lacy praying to her puppets (as if the ANGEL in the POEM had arrived to bring them to life)???

and when I feel
inclined to wait before the puppet stage, no,
rather to stare at is so intensely that in the end
to counter-balance my searching gaze, an angel
has to come as an actor, and begin manipulating
the lifeless bodies of the puppets to perform.
Angel and puppet! Now at last there is a play!

[–] jacotodd47 (2189) 4 days ago

"Remember how Lacy wanted to STAY there at CAMP after she saw Wayne had also come to pick her up???"

Yes, you could extrapolate t he events as you say. In my mind, when Lacey was leaving, others encountered her. They approached her in a very friendly way. One individual even gives Lacey a sort of going away gift. I think this meant a lot to Lacey. She , as she says, suddenly did feel as if she had friends there. Thus, she wants to stay.

On the other hand, your view could be right. Lacey is not happy that Wayne showed up to pick her up from camp. Her wanting to stay at the camp could have been to avoid Wayne.

" This would be how Janet would already know Lacy would refuse the invitation to join her and Avi for dinner. IOW, perhaps the reason why she tells her she's invited is because she also already knows Lacy would refuse the invitation???"

Yeah, I can catch you on this view, I don't think Janet really wanted Lacey to attend the picnic.

"And it's also interesting how AVI disappears at the time when we CUT AWAY from AVI reading the poem at the picnic to see Lacy praying to her puppets (as if the ANGEL in the POEM had arrived to bring them to life)??? "

Oh yes indeed - Lacey didn't want Avi around - but Janet ultimately makes the call. I believe what happened is she figured out where Avi was going (he wanted to sleep with her) and decided she wasn't going there. COuld Lacey's praying have had an influence, yeah I suppose if you believe in hocus pocus. I believe Lacey's "Stop TRYING" comment was still rolling around in Janet's brain. ANd the comment DID influence Janet to not let Avi go where he was trying to go. Thus, in his own massive ego, may have left in a huff, or Janet politely told him it was time for her to leave. I lean towards...

"Well Avi, this has been wonderful, but I have to go now, my daughter is ill"

"Oh, well can I come too?"

"No thats ok, thanks anyway".

My own extrapolation of the events, doesn't mean I'm right.

[–] joi2049 (5584) 4 days ago

"Well Avi, this has been wonderful, but I have to go now, my daughter is ill"

Great catch!!!

And isn't it also interesting how Janet was willing to leave her daughter ALL ALONE at a time where she might be ill.

But then we also know Lacy is fine by the way that we see her taking the antibiotic before making and eating her own dinner. And we also see her eating it in front of her PUPPET THEATRE (where it also looks like she's served them the blueberry ??? FRUIT that she said she didn't want with her dinner).

Also wonder if JANET served AVI any of the zucchini at the picnic that his CULT members had grown too much of (that Avi was also giving away after the other PUPPET SHOW was performed with Avi's PUPPETS)??? Avi had also asked for some donations as well. Do we ever get to see what's there on the plate that Janet puts away??? It's also curious how there only seems to be that ONE plate instead of 2 plates.

🍽️

[–] jacotodd47 (2189) 4 days ago

"Great catch!!! "

Thank you.

"And isn't it also interesting how Janet was willing to leave her daughter ALL ALONE at a time where she might be ill. "

Yes, you can extrapolate this. Perhaps Janet knew Lacey WOULD take the medication, thus knocking her out. Thus getting her out of the way so she could do whatever she pleased with Avi. This is a reasonable possibility. What bothered me is I don't think it's a good idea to let an 11 year old decide ANYTHING in regards to medication. But maybe, just maybe, Janet wanted her out of the way for the evening. Its a reasonable possibility.

"But then we also know Lacy is fine by the way that we see her taking the antibiotic before making and eating her own dinner. And we also see her eating it in front of her PUPPET THEATRE (where it also looks like she's served them the blueberry ??? FRUIT that she said she didn't want with her dinner)."

You know what, you may be right here, I'd have to watch the film again. I thought Lacey took the medication, with milk, after the events you described. I'm not sure so I won't comment.

"Also wonder if JANET served AVI any of the zucchini at the picnic that his CULT members had grown too much of (that Avi was also giving away after the other PUPPET SHOW was performed with Avi's PUPPETS)??? Avi had also asked for some donations as well. Do we ever get to see what's there on the plate that Janet puts away??? It's also curious how there only seems to be that ONE plate instead of 2 plates. "

Yeah, Avi did ask for donations, which initially I thought was a bit weasely. But in fact, he ultimately says go ahead and please take the zucchini to the gathered people.

As to what was on the plates, this is a detail I missed. I was more focused on Janet and Laceys reaction to Avi's soliloquy (he starts talking about God, the big bang, thoughts sticking in your brain). Lacey remains unimpressed, Janet slowly becomes captivated. In any event, I have no idea what they were eating.

[–] jacotodd47 (2189) 4 days ago

"It's also curious how there only seems to be that ONE plate instead of 2 plates."

JOI 2049, you are more observant than me - I completely missed this detail.

[–] jacotodd47 (2189) 4 days ago

Yeah thats right.

I took that as lacey illustrating what she worshipped, her puppets.

[–] jacotodd47 (2189) 4 days ago

"But then the JANET PLANET story also ends with what appears to be an anxious Lacy sitting there wondering if the dancing that she observes her mother doing will lead to her bringing home still another unwanted person with whom to share their home."

Yes, there is an almost "Oh not again" look on Lacey's face. Interestingly enough, once she takes her focus away from her Mother, she breaks into a pleasant smirk.

What does this smirk mean? To me it was her enjoying the dancing and music. On the other hand, lacey COULD be plotting how to get rid of whatever new man her Mother gets involved with. We don't know. WHich is what makes "Janet Planet" so interesting. Much of it is left to self interpretation.

[–] joi2049 (5584) 4 days ago

Here's a quote from an article that also agrees with what you've said:

https://www.theartsdesk.com/film/janet-planet-review-teasing-dissection-mother-daughter-relationship

Baker leads you into the heart of a situation but then leaves you to make your own decision about it. She provides the ingredients for an explosion but doesn’t make it go off onstage, only in your mind, which may be why some find her work slow and uneventful.

Did you find the story to be "SLOW or UNEVENTFUL???"

I definitely prefer watching stories like this one that require one to USE their BRAIN as opposed to being SPOON FED everything the way so many movies seem to do these days (especially those other boring stories that they keep churning out with Comic Book Characters).

[–] jacotodd47 (2189) 4 days ago

No no no not at all. This film is not "SLOW or Uneventful".

First of all, plenty is happening. As to what the results of the events, a good majority of them, its left to you, the viewer to decide.

As I have been reading thru your posts JOI2049, I've given my views. But in fact, it is how I see the events. Doesn't mean I'm right.

That's the beauty of it!

Yes, you have to use your own brain. I'm hoping others out in Moviechat land will do the same. One would love to read additional viewpoints on the events of "Janet Planet".

[–] jacotodd47 (2189) 4 days ago

"In other words, Janet appears to WAKE UP to the truth about herself, whereas Georges goes back to SLEEP again and ignores it. However, in the ending scene we're also presented with the possibility that the AWAKENING of Janet may also only be a temporary situation rather than a longer lasting life lesson. "

OUtstanding, and exactly correct. We dont know what Janet will ultimately do. Its why, I believe anyway, you could go much further with these characters. There is much more story to be told.