后裔：生命無常，大愛無言

在歷屆的奧斯卡獲獎名單中，不太受重視的最佳編劇和最佳改編劇本獎往往由一些或深刻或特別的影片獲得。第84屆奧斯卡最佳改編劇本獎的得主《后裔》(The Descendants)就是這樣一部特別的影片。影片頗為籠統(tǒng)的名稱讓人有點不知所云，其實觀眾也只有看完了這部影片才能慢慢體味這個詞的深刻內(nèi)涵。

簡單地說，《后裔》講述的故事并不復雜，地產(chǎn)律師Matt的妻子Elizabeth因為一次意外變成了植物人，并且大限將至，令Matt倍受打擊。與此同時，Matt還不得不忙著處理他繼承的一塊夏威夷處女地。就在Matt因這兩件事而焦頭爛額之際，他又從女兒口中得知妻子在出意外前曾對自己不忠，由此又引發(fā)了一系列的故事。

家庭與土地

影片以主人公Matt的一段自述拉開了序幕。

Matt: My friends on the mainland think just because I live in Hawaii， I live in paradise， like a permanent vacation. We’re all just out here sipping mai tais (雞尾酒的一種)， shaking our hips， and catching waves. Are they insane? Do they think we’re immune to life? How can they possibly think our families are less screwed up (弄糟的)， our cancers less fatal， and our heartaches less painful? Hell， I haven’t been on a surfboard in 15 years. For the last 23 days I’ve been living in a paradise of IVs (靜脈注射) and urine bags (尿袋) and tracheal tubes (導氣管). Paradise?

由影帝級明星喬治·克魯尼扮演的男主人公Matt是世代居住在夏威夷的中年地產(chǎn)律師，由于常年忙于工作，他與妻子和兩個女兒逐漸疏遠。直到妻子Elizabeth在一次快艇比賽中受傷變成植物人，Matt才不得不接管繁雜的家庭事務，代替妻子照顧兩個女兒——17歲的Alex和10歲的Scottie。對Matt來說，他要面對的是從未有過的挑戰(zhàn)。

Matt接管家庭事務后，才發(fā)現(xiàn)自己曾令人艷羨不已的家庭如今已經(jīng)是千瘡百孔。大女兒Alex在收費昂貴的貴族學校酗酒、鬧事，還交了一個不靠譜的男友。小女兒Scottie在學校也是麻煩不斷，她拍下母親躺在病床上奄奄一息的場景，并將這些照片當做藝術(shù)課作業(yè)在課堂上發(fā)給同學看，結(jié)果把很多小朋友都嚇壞了。Matt因此批評了小女兒Scottie。

Matt: What’s the matter with you， showing those pictures of mom for your art project?

Scottie: I’m a photographer， Dad， a real photographer.

Matt: No， you’re not. You’re overdoing it.

Scottie: I saw it in a book. Some famous photographer lady took pictures of her mom in the hospital while she was dying， and they’re considered art. That’s what I’m doing.

Matt: First of all， your mother is very sick， but she isn’t dying. And second of all， we don’t share personal stuff with strangers. What’s going on with your mom is private.

不僅如此，Scottie還嘲諷了一位身材肥胖的同學，Matt不得不帶著她去同學家道歉。離開同學家時，同學的母親與Matt的一段對話引出了影片的另一條線索。

Woman: Luck with the sale. They say your decision (指Matt對夏威夷處女地的處理決定) will have a major impact on Hawaii’s real-estate world， not to mention the whole landscape of Kauai (夏威夷的考艾島). Hundreds of millions of dollars， yeah?

Matt: Yeah. It’s a big decision.

Woman: My husband’s family is from Kauai， Hanapepe， born and bred (在……出生與長大). They hope you don’t sell.

原來，這位同學的父親是夏威夷土著的后裔，世代生活在夏威夷的考艾島上。而同樣作為夏威夷土著后裔的Matt因擁有高貴的家族血統(tǒng)而掌握著祖先留下來的一大片未開發(fā)的處女地。Matt作為這片土地的委托人要代表整個家族與開發(fā)商進行談判。很多開發(fā)商都開出巨資，意欲開發(fā)這片包括海灘和原始雨林的美麗土地。

Matt: As if Liz’s (Liz即Elizabeth) coma weren’t enough already the whole goddamn state is following my decision on who’s gonna buy 25，000 pristine (原始狀態(tài)的) acres on Kauai that my family has owned since the 1860s. A lot of my cousins are broke， and the sale will make us all very， very rich. My family meets in six days to approve a buyer. But ever since my father died， I’m the sole trustee which means I alone hold all the cards.

這條與祖先遺產(chǎn)相關(guān)的線索貫穿于影片始終，使影片超越了普通家庭劇的范疇，賦予影片一種脫離瑣碎現(xiàn)實的哲學意味，帶給觀眾一種俯瞰人生的角度。

寬容的大愛

雖然這部類似家庭劇的影片涉及死亡、出軌以及遺產(chǎn)繼承等極具沖突性的主題，但整部影片的基調(diào)和氛圍都有一種喜劇的超然感，在細膩的人物沖突中處處體現(xiàn)出一種尊重個人生命的生活觀。當醫(yī)院傳來關(guān)于Elizabeth的壞消息時，醫(yī)生的結(jié)論和建議就很耐人尋味。

Doctor: I wish I had better news， Matthew.… She has no eye movement. She has no papillary (瞳孔的) responses. She has no brain-stem reflexes whatsoever. I mean， the machines can keep her alive but the quality of her life would be so poor， basically the way it is now.… I can’t tell you how sorry I am to tell you this. And you do have your daughters. There’s just nothing more that we can do.

Matt: So if we do go ahead and take her off the machines ...

Doctor: There’s no “if.” It’s “when.” I have a legal obligation. You know that.

Matt: How long will she last?

Doctor: Well， it’s hard to say. It could be a few days; it could be a couple of weeks. For planning purposes， I think you should work off the shortest possible scenario. I know I’ve gotta get the ball rolling (開始做某事) on the organ donations right away. Elizabeth has many friends. She has a big life. If you’re gonna let everybody know to say goodbye， which is the typical protocol for these situations， you start now. Then when the last day comes they’ll feel more ready， or as ready as they can feel for something like this.

醫(yī)生告訴Matt，陷入昏迷的Elizabeth永遠不會醒來，他們將不得不撤除Elizabeth的生命支持系統(tǒng)，讓她自然死亡。在談話間，醫(yī)生談論最多的不是家屬的感受，而是Elizabeth的quality of life以及她自己的意愿。從Doctor說自己有l(wèi)egal obligation可以看出，Elizabeth曾經(jīng)簽署過有關(guān)文件，表明自己能或不能接受哪些醫(yī)療救助。這種文件在美國中產(chǎn)階級以上群體中普遍存在，其出發(fā)點就是確保自己有尊嚴地死去。而醫(yī)生最后建議Matt通知Elizabeth的好友前來道別，同樣是基于對Elizabeth本人、她的過往人生以及她朋友的尊重。像這樣對人生尊重的基調(diào)貫穿影片始終，使影片中所有的困難、背叛和不幸似乎都變得更容易接受。

得知噩耗的Matt和小女兒一起把大女兒Alex從寄宿學校里接回來，希望全家人一起面對Elizabeth的離世。

Matt: They just told me she’s not gonna wake up. We know for sure now. The doctors are gonna stop caring for her. Your mother wanted it this way. She has this ... she has this will， see. That says that we have to do it this way. We both do. You understand what I’m saying? That’s why I got you. Honey， we’re letting her go.… And I have to go around and tell people what is happening， family and a few close friends. They have the right to know， and they have the right to say goodbye.

但是當Matt要求女兒和自己一起去通知親友的時候，Alex卻相當排斥。原來，在Elizabeth出事前，Alex曾和母親發(fā)生激烈爭吵，兩人因此鬧翻，只是Matt一直被蒙在鼓里，對爭吵的原因毫不知情。面對母親即將離世的消息，Alex終于向父親和盤托出事情的真相。

Alex: Dad， mom was cheating on you. That is what we fought about. When I was home at Christmas， I caught her with a guy. It made me sick to see her near him. I went back to school thinking that that was it， that I was just done with her. I was gonna call and tell you everything and then the accident happened and ... I was waiting until she woke up， I guess. You didn’t even suspect， right? It disgusted me too. You’re always so busy.

Matt: Caught her with a guy? What does that mean?

Alex: I was on my way to swim in the Black Point pool and suddenly I see Mom and some douche bag (討人厭煩的人) walking into a house. His house， I guess.

Matt: Just some guy， it could be anybody.

Alex: No， he had his hand on her ass. It was gross (顯而易見的). Then they went into the house. A few days later， I told her I knew what she was doing.

Matt: And?

Alex: And first， she acted like she had no idea what I was talking about， and then she got， like， super mad and yelled and denied it. That was when I decided that I didn’t want anything more to do with her.

妻子出軌的消息讓已經(jīng)焦頭爛額的Matt震驚不已，他匆匆跑去Elizabeth的好友Kai和Mark家問個究竟。在影片此處，喬治·克魯尼穿著拖鞋、失魂落魄地在路上奔跑的場景可以說是對他以往中年帥哥形象的一大顛覆。

Matt: I’d like to know who the guy is that my wife was seeing.

Kai: Matt， You’re angry. Well， you know what? I think we should talk about this later. I think maybe you just need to cool it…. Matt， look， you might not be able to hear this right now but it’s not her fault. Your marriage was not ... She was lonely.

Matt: So you’re gonna talk to me in clichés (陳詞濫調(diào)) about women? Nothing is ever a woman’s fault. Was it still going on when she had the accident? ... Who do you think you’re protecting， Kai? She doesn’t need your protection. It’s over. She’s gonna die.

Kai: Don’t say that.

Matt: It’s true. She’s never gonna wake up. You hear me? Do you understand what I’m saying? ... Does she love him?

Kai: How can you ask about him when she’s gonna die? Who cares? Yes， she loves him. She was crazy about him. She was gonna ask you for a divorce.

Matt: You still haven’t told me who he is.

Kai: I guess it doesn’t matter.

Mark: Matt， Brian Speer. His name is Brian Speer.

從Kai和Mark那里得知真相的Matt無限失落，但他還是得打起精神安撫兩個女兒，準備Elizabeth的告別會。實際上，在影片開始Matt的一段自述中，我們就可以看出他對病床上的妻子充滿愧疚。妻子出事時，他在外地出差；而妻子出事前，他們已經(jīng)數(shù)月沒有任何交流。如今，妻子出軌的消息對他來說如同晴天霹靂。但最初的憤懣過去后，他心里更多的是自責。所以，他可以自己偷偷對昏迷的妻子發(fā)發(fā)牢騷，卻不能接受大女兒對妻子的怨言。在妻子的病床前，Matt希望大女兒可以對妻子說些什么，原諒她曾犯下的錯。但大女兒顯然不以為然。

Alex: Hi， Mom. Sorry for being bad. Sorry for wasting your money on expensive private schools， money you could have been using on facials and massages and sports equipment. Sorry for everything.

Matt: All right.

Alex: I’m sorry we weren’t good enough for you， especially dad.

Matt: Stop it. That’s out of line (不當，出格).

Alex: Or what? You gonna ground (禁足) me? Ship me off to another boarding school?

Matt: I’ll tell you what， goddamn it. You have no right to talk to her that way. She’s gonna die in a few days. What if those were your last words?

Alex: I have every right to speak to her that way. I’m angry at her. How can you be so forgiving?

Matt: Let’s just think about the good parts. Don’t say that stuff in front of your sister. Don’t spoil her for Scottie. Say something different.

Alex: Look， Mom， I know that we fought a lot. I just … I always wanted to be like you. I am like you. I’m exactly like you.

Matt: You are like her. Mostly in good ways. Maybe some bad ways. It remains to be seen.

Alex: Yeah.

當深藏在心底的話終于說了出來，一開始還嘲諷母親的Alex最后也淚流滿面，不舍的親情戰(zhàn)勝了所有的矛盾，Alex終于原諒了母親對家庭的背叛，雖然母親已無法再傾聽女兒的心聲。但是父女倆還有另外一個心結(jié)沒有打開，那就是他們還沒有找到母親的情人——神秘的Brian Speer。一個偶然的機會，Matt與大女兒終于發(fā)現(xiàn)了Brian的行蹤，得知他在夏威夷群島的一個島上度假。Matt決定去找他，而理由則相當富有人情味：“Everyone who loves Elizabeth deserves a chance to say goodbye.”

Matt與大女兒追蹤到了Brian度假的小屋，驚訝地得知Brian不僅有家室，而且同樣從事房地產(chǎn)業(yè)，甚至還是Matt家族要出售的那塊土地的中介。如果Matt最終將土地出售，Brian會賺個盆滿缽滿。在Matt看來，Brian很可能是因為這樁土地交易才接近妻子的。帶著這樣的疑惑，父女倆敲開了Brian的房門。當Matt介紹自己是Elizabeth的丈夫時，Brian一時不知所措，他的妻子Julie則完全蒙在鼓里。于是Alex借故引開Julie，讓Matt和Brian單獨進行了一段堪稱影片高潮的對話。

Matt: Elizabeth is dying. We unhooked her from the machines this morning. She’ll be dead in a few days.

Brian: I’m sorry. I never thought it would come to this.

Matt: Look， I’m not here to wreck your life. I just wanna give you a chance to go to the hospital. You could be alone with her to say goodbye or whatever … How’d you meet?

Brian: At a Super Bowl party. At the Mitchell’s. Does that help? Does that make it better?

Matt: And then what? How’d you get the nerve to ask her out? Was it about the deal? Is that when you decided she was for you?

Brian: No. It’s not what you think. It just happened.

Matt: Nothing just happens.

Brian: Everything just happens.

Matt: Was she gonna leave me?

Brian: She would have. But I didn’t want that. That never would’ve happened. I love Julie. Please don’t tell her. Please. I don’t know what I have done， but I am so sorry.

Matt: Did she say that she loved you? Do you love her? You don’t love her. You don’t love her. You were just using her to get to me.

Brian: I told you I wasn’t trying to get to you. It was an affair， an attraction. It was sex. At least， I didn’t say no to things that I should have. I love my family.

Matt: I guess it’s all working out. Her lips are sealed， and you don’t have to go through the trouble of dumping her.

Brian: Hey， that is so unfair. I have so much respect for her. She’s an amazing woman.

Matt: She’s at Queen’s Hospital if you wanna say goodbye. That is really all I came here to say.

這段對話本應是極具沖突性的，但在影片中卻以一種頗具喜感的方式進行。號稱不是來破壞Brian家庭的Matt還是忍不住問起B(yǎng)rian和Elizabeth的過往，但與大多數(shù)充滿陰謀論的影片不一樣的是，Brian與Elizabeth交往的確并非出于功利的目的，而是如他所說：“Everything just happens.”在某種程度上說，這句話正是影片的精髓所在。就像影片開頭所說，即使生活在天堂一般的夏威夷，即使坐擁一片廣闊的土地，Matt也不能掌控自己的生活，也一樣會有這樣那樣的不如意?！癊verything just happens.”你也許會莫名其妙地繼承一筆財產(chǎn)，也許會莫名其妙地遭遇一場災難。誰都不知道生活中會發(fā)生什么，我們能做的就是懷著對生命、對他人、對自然的尊重來面對所有的一切。

也許就是這樣的想法讓Matt最終決定終止土地交易，保留一片夏威夷的原始自然之地。

處理完土地的問題后，Matt一家為Elizabeth舉辦了告別儀式。如果影片最后存在什么懸念的話，那就是Brian會不會來參加告別儀式。出乎所有人意料的是，最后來的不是Brian，而是他的妻子Julie。原來，Matt走后，Brian心煩意亂，在Julie的追問下坦白了一切。Julie最終原諒了Brian，并代替他前來與Elizabeth告別。不過她對Elizabeth說的話不像是告別，更像是挑釁，不過這反而使原本沉重的場景變得輕松許多。

Julie: Elizabeth， I’m Julie. I’m Brian’s wife. I just wanna tell you I forgive you. I forgive you for trying to take Brian away. I forgive you for trying to destroy my family. Because I just ... I have to forgive you. I just have to forgive you， even though I should hate you.

把Julie送走之后，輪到Matt和妻子做最后的道別。

Matt: Goodbye， Elizabeth. Goodbye， my love， my friend， my pain， my joy. Goodbye. Goodbye. Goodbye. Bye.

這段話簡單而深情。影片最后，Matt和兩個女兒慵懶地躺在沙發(fā)上看著電視，繼續(xù)自己的生活。

尾聲

《后裔》是一部相當特別的影片，雖然擁有足夠的戲劇元素，比如死亡和出軌，但影片卻將這些內(nèi)容處理得輕描淡寫，仿佛有始無終，并賦予其一種喜劇氛圍。從某種意義上說，影片力圖表達的就是一種面對生活的態(tài)度。

這部影片讓我想起了馮小剛執(zhí)導的影片《非誠勿擾II》。如果《非誠勿擾II》像海南的宣傳片，那么《后裔》就是夏威夷的宣傳片。夏威夷的魅力在《后裔》中被展現(xiàn)得淋漓盡致：寧靜的日出、溫和的海灘、茂盛的植被，Matt家族擁有的那片處女地更是如天堂一般。和《非誠勿擾II》一樣，《后裔》也用喜劇的方式探索家庭關(guān)系和死亡這樣相對沉重的話題。不過相比《非誠勿擾II》，《后裔》顯得更加超然和輕松，雖然有著各種各樣的矛盾，但沒有激烈的沖突，整部影片溫和得像一幅夏威夷風情畫。從文化的角度說，這樣的溫和背后是無處不在的對人尊嚴的尊重，以及對人生和家人的一種超脫于個人利益糾葛的大愛。