Jesus Alvarado
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“The Modern Man Is Beat”
"This Modern Man Is Beat" takes its audience on a captivating cinematic journey full of
thrills and unexpected twists. It begins by showing a man named Habib walking outside a motel,
where you can see in his eyes that he is immersed in a deep depression. As the short film
develops, different stages are shown full of the protagonist's emotions of "happiness" and
moments of overwhelming sadness that fall into a terrible post-traumatic depression. The
narrative structure and the emotions of the characters are masterfully designed to delve into the
complexities of human emotions, how a person can feel really happy and from one moment to
the next be completely sunk in a great depression due to the consequences of our actions.
During the man's moments of happiness, memories of happiness and joy were intertwined
with that beautiful woman by the river, highlighting the love and peace of the moments shared
between the man and his wife. The protagonist's happiness shone in his eyes as he spent a lot of
time with his wife. All of his memories of him with his partner during the short film were full of
love, affection, and tenderness that they had as couples. These memories show that they were
really in love, that they had common interests, that they accepted each other as they were.
Furthermore, the moments of happiness were reflected in the peace they had when they were
caressing each other on the bank of a river.
In this short film the man feels a deep sadness when he stares at the horizon in the desert,
where his gaze reflected a person with a lot of pain and depression. As he walked with his lost
Jesus Alvarado
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gaze, he felt abandoned, fragile, and that his heart was really broken. Furthermore, he felt lonely,
isolated from the world, and with great pain in his heart. This serves as a stark contrast to the
desolation of the desert, emphasizing the profound impact the past has on the protagonist's
current emotional state.
The emotional climax occurs when the protagonist reveals the dark truth about his past,
taking all viewers by surprise. As he recounts a chilling incident with his beloved, the weight of
guilt and remorse is palpable. Since in this revelation he reveals that he murdered his wife in a
moment of fury and anger. It details each moment when he murdered his wife with a pillow in
the bed, showing a critical and aggressive state that ended with his wife's death. With tears
streaming down his face as he faces the irreversible consequences of a moment of anger and his
overwhelming sadness. This revelation transforms the narrative, surprising both the audience and
the characters in the store.
"This Modern Man Is Beat" is a moving exploration of human emotions and the lasting
effects of trauma. Through a skillful combination of plot structure and character emotions, the
film traces the protagonist's journey from happiness to anger and, ultimately, to overwhelming
sadness. The non-linear narrative serves as a metaphor for the fragmented nature of memory and
the lasting impact of past actions. The protagonist faces the consequences of his momentary slip,
underscoring the fragility of human emotions and the tormenting power of regret.
(Schroeder, 2021)