持夢菲
《少年斯派維的奇異旅行》(The Young and Prodigious T. S. Spivet)是法國著名導演讓-皮埃爾·熱內執(zhí)導的第二部英語長片,改編自美國作家賴夫·拉森的小說,講述了美國西北部蒙大拿州的十歲天才少年T. S. Spivet以領取“貝爾德獎”(Baird Award)的名義獨自遠行的故事。Spivet不辭而別,搭上了一輛開往芝加哥的貨運列車,開始了他穿越美國的奇異之旅??伤麨楹我x家出走?離家之后又會有怎樣的奇遇?這些我們都可以在影片色彩斑斕的畫面中找到答案。熱內是位極具個人風格的導演,因電影《天使愛美麗》(Amielie)成名,在《少年斯派維的奇異旅行》這部影片中,熱內用天馬行空的想象力與別具匠心的復古暖色調為電影營造了清新唯美的氛圍,通過Spivet的智慧、童真、懵懂、孤寂與痛楚展示了成人世界的虛偽和早慧兒童內心的脆弱無助,并讓觀眾跟隨Spivet踏上了一場告別過去、獲得諒解的奇異旅行。
第一站:無言的煩惱與傷痛
位于美國西部大分水嶺以北的派厄尼爾山脈中有一片一望無垠的原野,當中矗立著一棟美麗的紅房子,這里就是Spivet的家。年僅十歲的Spivet在家中排行老二,是個身體羸弱、頭腦發(fā)達、癡迷于科學創(chuàng)造和發(fā)明的天才少年;他的雙胞胎弟弟Layton生來愚笨,但卻更多地繼承了爸爸的強壯基因,小小年紀騎馬、射擊不在話下;姐姐Gracie是典型的青春期少女,渴望走出蒙大拿,成為萬人矚目的選美冠軍;媽媽Claire是位嚴謹?shù)睦ハx學家,一直致力于尋找新的昆蟲物種;而爸爸則沉迷于19世紀美國西部牛仔的一切,過著一個多世紀以前的牛仔生活。盡管Spivet把爸爸和媽媽之間的不同比作白天和黑夜,盡管家里的每個人似乎都有著截然不同的特性,但這個家庭依然在某種莫可名狀的默契里健康運轉。他們過著田園牧歌般的生活,平淡的日子里有歡笑,也有煩惱。
或許每一個天才兒童都會因為太過與眾不同而不被理解、不受待見,因而內心敏感而孤寂。在Spivet小小的心里,他是一個媽媽不管、爸爸不愛的孩子。他羨慕弟弟Layton天真無邪的性格,羨慕他矯健靈活的身軀,羨慕他可以坐在高高的木架上大聲呼喊,可以坐著小拖車從秋日金色原野中的小山丘上呼嘯而下,可以跟爸爸學習騎馬、射擊、套繩等有關牛仔的一切。每當看到爸爸用欣慰和贊許的眼神看著Layton,Spivet就知道,比起自己,爸爸更愛Layton。而專注于科學研究的媽媽只把他當成小大人,極少關注他的內心。姐姐Gracie跟他更是如同生活在兩個世界的人。能夠讓他緩解孤寂的只有科學的世界和弟弟Layton純真的笑靨。然而有一天,意外發(fā)生了。Spivet在與Layton玩耍時,Layton因槍支走火而喪命。事后,沒有人責備Spivet,也沒有人提起這件事,一家人深藏著無言的傷痛,裝作若無其事地繼續(xù)過著“平靜”的日子。直到有一天,一個來自華盛頓的電話打破了這種“平靜”。
Jibsen: Hello, I would like to speak to T. S. Spivet. This is Miss Jibsen. I'm Secretary of the Smithsonian.
Spivet: Hold on. [Spivet假裝叫爸爸過來] Father! Phone! My father is all yours, Miss Jibsen.
Jibsen: Hello, Mr. Spivet.
Spivet: Yes! My dad is listening.
Jibsen: Could you hand him the phone please?
Spivet: No! My father is mute, Miss Jibsen. He can hear you, but can only respond in sign language. I will translate everything for you.
Jibsen: OK. You are the T. S. Spivet that has just invented the magnetic wheel (Spivet設計的一種靠磁力運轉的永動機)?
Spivet: One second. Father is saying ... Yes, I only sent you the blueprints (設計圖), because I didn't have the time to build it.
Jibsen: The quest for perpetual movement! I mean, it's the Holy Grail of inventors. Look, Mr. Spivet, your invention has won our prestigious (有威望的) Baird Award. Our 150th anniversary gala (慶典) is in a week's time and it'd be perfect opportunity for you to, you know, make your acceptance speech. Of course, we would provide you with a sign language interpreter.
Spivet: [想了想,決定說謊] I was just thinking, I can't come out to receive the Baird Award. I … I have too much work to finish. Thanks anyway. Have a good day!endprint
原來一年前在巴特歷史博物館,Spivet對科學未解之謎永動機(perpetual motion)產生了興趣,他給大名鼎鼎的史密森學會寄去了自己的設計圖紙,沒想到居然獲了獎。身為天才,困擾Spivet的問題之一就是不得不撒謊,因為沒有人相信一個十歲的孩子會做出這樣高深的研究,甚至包括他的家人。于是,在接到史密森學會負責人Jibsen的電話時,Spivet選擇了撒謊,拒絕前去領獎。
Spivet一直固執(zhí)地覺得自己是個缺少愛的孩子,尤其是在Layton去世后,爸爸變得更加沉默寡言,媽媽整日沉迷于研究一只可能根本不存在的蟲子,姐姐的脾氣也愈發(fā)暴躁,沒有人真正關心過他。在學校里,Spivet的天才表現(xiàn)不但沒有得到認可,反倒遭來老師的嘲笑和侮辱。沒有Layton的日子,Spivet變得更加敏感和寂寞。就連爸爸找他幫忙解決牧場的引水問題,他也認為這一定是爸爸的無奈之舉。
Spivet: [內心獨白] To know that my father had to resort to asking help from me, his only remaining son, the one who is useless on the ranch (大牧場), filled me with sadness. Layton should have been here, not me. One day, he shot a coyote (叢林狼) with his Winchester (一種槍) from 200 yards. Father was so impressed. He took off his hat and slapped it on my brother's head. It was a special moment. I knew it would never happen to me.
盡管如此,Spivet還是認真做了準備,想要幫助爸爸??傻人d沖沖地拿著自己精心制作的模型給爸爸演示解決方案時,卻遭到了爸爸的冷遇。Spivet知道,雖然爸爸不說,但Layton的離開是他心中無法愈合的傷口。這個傷口橫亙在家里每個人的心里。Gracie一心想參加選美,對牧場上幾乎與世隔絕的生活愈加不滿。而Claire也疲于應對家中的一切,要求外出尋找昆蟲,還邀請Spivet一起去。Spivet覺得自己對Layton的死負有責任,他自己才是這個家傷痛的源泉,于是拒絕了媽媽的邀請,決定離家前往史密森學會領獎。殊不知,他更多的是想要逃避沉痛的過去。經過深思熟慮地計劃后,Spivet帶上他自認為用得上的日常用品和食品補給、一枚年代久遠的指南針、他的吉祥物麻雀骨骸以及媽媽的日記本,給家里留了封簡短而又客氣的信,在黎明昏暗的天色中踏上了離家出走的旅程。沒走多遠,他與開著卡車出門的爸爸迎面而過,可爸爸卻沒有攔住他,而是徑直離開了。Spivet心中一陣酸楚:自己害死了爸爸最愛的兒子,或許本該被流放吧。
第二站:刺激又孤獨的奇遇
牧場望不到盡頭的土路上,Spivet拖著行李的身影顯得吃力而又倔強。為了搭上貨運列車,聰明的Spivet用一只大號馬克筆涂紅了信號燈,趁著火車誤停的間隙上了車。沿途美麗的湖光山色使Spivet心情大好,他在明媚的陽光下照著書本學習防身術,朝著溫暖的落日大聲誦讀太陽的化學元素和法國著名詩人波德萊爾的詩句,用望遠鏡觀察翠鳥從水中捕獲獵物的精彩瞬間。在空曠的大自然里,不知道是否出于幻覺,有那么一瞬間,Spivet看到了Layton的身影,他就坐在那里,陪自己說著話。這令Spivet倍感寬慰。
火車經過懷俄明州卡帕斯市時需要停留安檢,身材魁梧、表情兇惡的保安令Spivet十分恐懼,他東躲西藏,跑進了火車上運載著的房車里,還為了逃過檢查扮作了房車里的模特,總算有驚無險。房車里的食物模型逼真誘人,早已吃完干糧的Spivet饑腸轆轆,好在房車里的那張大床貨真價實,Spivet終于結束了露宿的日子?;疖嚱涍^寂寥的平原,穿過居民社區(qū),Spivet看見在秋千上玩耍的女童是那么快樂,開始有點想家?;疖嚨诌_內布拉斯加州時已是黑夜。Spivet趁列車停靠時下車買熱狗,在這里邂逅了流浪漢Two Clouds。Spivet介紹說自己在廚房出生,當時正好一只麻雀撞死在窗戶上,所以自己是麻雀轉世,名字里的S指的是麻雀(Sparrow),而Two Clouds則給他講了一個關于麻雀的故事。
Two Clouds: Once upon a time, there was a sparrow that was very ill and didn't have the strength to go south. "Go without me," he told his children. "I'll find shelter from the cold and I'll see you in spring." The bird went to an oak tree and asked if he could take shelter in his leaves. But the oak was a cold and arrogant (傲慢的) tree; he refused. The peach, the aspen, the willow, the elm, they all said no. Can you believe this? Then the first snows came. The sparrow took a last chance with the pine tree, who said: "I can't offer you much protection; I only have needles that let in drafts (通風氣流). But my answer is 'Yes'." Overjoyed, the sparrow took refuge there and you know what? He survived the winter. The children returned and wept tears of joy. Upon seeing this, the Creator decided to punish all the other trees for their selfishness. From that day on, every tree lost its leaves in winter, except the pine, who saved the sparrow. My grandmother told me this story. Had you ever heard it before?endprint
Spivet: The story is very pretty. But, the insulating (隔熱的) properties of pine needles could not release the heat to create a warm enough cocoon (保護層) for a bird the size of a sparrow. Your grandmother lied to you.
Two Clouds: So where were you headed, T. S.?
Spivet: To buy me a hot dog.
Two Clouds: Hurry, it closes in fifteen minutes. Bye, Sparrow! I'm sure you will find your tree.
Spivet的智慧使他顯得老成,他也因此無法享受童真的快樂,但在內心深處,他仍舊是一個不諳世事的孩子。盡管他知道童話故事是虛構的,但此時的他卻正像一只流浪的麻雀,渴望找到溫暖的棲息地。在Two Clouds的祝福下,Spivet避開警察,買到了美味的熱狗,返回火車開始踏上下一段征程。路過電話亭時,Spivet十分想往家里打電話,卻僅僅止步于幻想。想象中爸爸媽媽和姐姐接到電話十分激動,但真實的情況會是怎樣呢?他不敢去賭?;疖囋俅伍_動,Spivet盯著窗外的萬家燈火,心里五味雜陳。如今他終于承認自己只不過是一個離家出走的兒童,也會害怕,會想家。
Spivet: Maybe somewhere in one of these houses, a boy just woke up from the sound of my train. Maybe he is wondering what it would be like to climb aboard and cross the desert. God, I just wanted to switch places with him, and just watch the train go away into the unknown. I had to admit it. I was not a careless drifter (漂泊者), just a ten-year-old boy, who ran away from home.
晃動的火車上,Spivet輾轉難眠,翻開了媽媽的日記。
Claire: I still catch myself wanting to wake him (指Layton) up for school.
Claire: "Stopped everything? What do you mean, in a maternal sense or a scientific one?" T. S. came to see me in my study, for the first time since the accident. I'm not really there for T. S. anymore ... I'm like an empty house.
看著媽媽的日記,Spivet眼里蓄滿淚水。原來看似冷淡的媽媽內心也充滿柔情,也深藏著煩惱和痛苦。他有些明白了,面對至親的人,敏感和患得患失也許是每個人都曾有過的感受,不僅僅是他自己。在媽媽的日記的陪伴下,火車駛進芝加哥線條優(yōu)美的建筑群中,到達了終點站芝加哥。Spivet藏好行李,帶了一個便攜書包,準備向華盛頓出發(fā),不料卻在出站前遇上了一位難纏的巡邏警察。Spivet歷經辛苦,終于甩掉了那位喋喋不休的警察,但他卻磕到了肋骨,摔碎了指南針,自己的吉祥物麻雀骨架也成了碎片。Spivet難過極了,把它們都扔進了河里,來到路邊搭車。一個好心的卡車司機把他帶到了史密森學會。
第三站:困惑與無助的尋找
一開始,Jibsen并不相信Spivet貢獻了永動機的圖紙,直到他一字一句地講出永動機的原理。大人總是俯視小孩子,總是懷疑、輕視他們,自以為是地誤解他們,而在發(fā)現(xiàn)他們的天賦之后,又立刻變得貪得無厭,開始利用他們。Jibsen在聽Spivet說自己是孤兒并看到Spivet的智商測試結果后,像一個無利不起早的商人一樣嗅到了絕妙的商機。她大言不慚地騙Spivet說自己是權威,想要將Spivet包裝成最具噱頭、最有利可圖的重大新聞,甚至要求為Spivet杜撰演講詞。Spivet拒絕了被安排好的演講詞,在頒獎典禮上,面對一群面帶虛偽笑容的各路大人物,他的演講無比真誠。Spivet首先感謝了史密斯學會的授獎,其次指出自己此次設計的永動機的局限性,最后講到了Layton之死?;蛟S他需要的原本就不是什么科學界的認可,也不是同情的淚水,他需要的僅僅只是一次傾訴的契機,一次悔過的救贖。只是他不知道,他的聽眾中還有一個意想不到的人——媽媽Claire。
Spivet: My brother died this year. He shot himself in the barn. No one talked about it. No one ever said "Layton shot himself in the barn". No one. Layton and me, we were always very different. I'd be doing my science experiments, and he was shooting empty bean cans and coyotes with his Winchester. So, I came up with this idea to make sound waves match the gunshots. That way we could play something together. He would shoot, and I gathered data. And then, one of his Winchesters jammed. I held the bottom of the rifle (步槍) to help out. I didn't even touch the trigger (扳機). There was an explosion. Layton flew across the room. Blood ... dripped off the hay. He was there, but he wasn't my brother anymore. I was alone….endprint
臺下的人們?yōu)镾pivet流下了同情的淚水,可沒有一個人真正關心Spivet的感受。他們才不管Spivet想要的究竟是榮耀的光環(huán)還是真切的關愛,他們只知道Spivet是十歲的天才發(fā)明家,有著悲慘的過去,是教育體制成功的典范,滿足了吸引大眾眼球的所有噱頭。Spivet的事情被傳得沸沸揚揚,甚至吸引了白宮方面的注意,他的日程被拍照和采訪占得滿滿當當。閑下來時,Spivet終于給家里打了電話,卻無人接聽。他想象著家門口空蕩蕩的秋千,任由Jibsen擺布,然后被推到了直播訪談的聚光燈下。
終點站:圓滿而幸福的回歸
巴掌大的直播間像一個小丑的戲臺,鏡頭和燈光跟隨導播的手勢前后移動,主持人接二連三地拋出不懷好意的問題,并不斷打斷Spivet的話,把焦點轉向Layton的事故,無情地揭開Spivet心中的傷疤,只是為了創(chuàng)造噱頭和看點。在一群小丑的包圍下,Spivet臉色蒼白,手足無措,小小的身軀在喧鬧的人群中倍顯無助和孤獨,幸而被節(jié)目組請來的媽媽Claire拯救了他。母子倆無視所謂的直播,終于有了一次傾心的交流。
Claire: When your child disappears, well, you lose your sanity (失去理智). Some will channel their anger by kicking goats out of barbwire (帶刺鐵絲網). Others will search for beetles that don't exist. Those who disappear merely take a train that's never coming back, so sometimes you just stop by the tracks, and stare at the rails. So you read my journal ...
Spivet: I'm sorry. I know it's not right.
Claire: What about giving a gun to a child as a gift? Or letting two kids play with a gun in a barn, unsupervised. You think that's right? It wasn't your fault, T. S. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't. It wasn't anyone's fault. It was an accident. As your father said, what happened just happened.
Claire不管節(jié)目正在直播,果斷將Spivet帶離了這個虛偽的、令人作嘔的直播間。Spivet的爸爸也隨之趕來,背著Spivet離開。經過數(shù)日的漂泊,Spivet終于找到了溫暖的依靠。他伏在爸爸背上,問爸爸自己離家那天為什么沒有阻止他。爸爸說他那天真的沒有看到車外的他。他心中頓時釋然了。原來爸爸是愛他的。在離家前,他曾遭遇一條大蛇,當時他以為自己會那樣死去,是爸爸救了他。那時爸爸第一次拍了他的肩膀,他那會兒不知道那是對他的責備還是來代替擁抱,但他現(xiàn)在知道了。爸爸、媽媽和姐姐,他們只是太難過了,難過得沉湎于一些事情來排解痛苦,難過得忘記了關心他的感受,難過得忘記了他們之間都還需要關愛。其實他們沒有怪他,他們跟他一樣,都在深深地責怪自己。若不是Spivet的出走喚醒了他們,也許這個家就會在日復一日的痛苦中崩潰。
故事的結局十分完美,Spivet回到家里,一家人不再沉湎于過去,而是選擇了相互關愛。Spivet可以專注于自己的發(fā)明,爸爸用上了Spivet發(fā)明的引水方法,媽媽又生了一個孩子,Gracie正在為選美做準備,一切顯得美好而有希望。他們仍舊愛Layton,但他們更愛現(xiàn)在擁有的一切。因為他們知道,有時候,放下過去和學會自我諒解并不是在為自己的過失尋求解脫,而是為了能夠更好地珍惜現(xiàn)在,珍惜身邊的人。endprint