Sometimes, life doesn’t turn out the way we’d like it to.
We forget the looming future sometimes in college, buoyed by the cushions of support, the people who care about us and the ultimatum of graduation that lays dormant, waiting. We try not to think about the real world, but it eventually catches up to us.
Death of a Salesman — the 1985 Dustin Hoffman/John Malkovich made-for-TV movie on CBS — is a case of real-life work world gone terribly wrong. The lucky ones have seen it in high school English class already and have witnessed the beautifully explosive struggle that manifests itself in the pent-up emotion from Malkovich and Hoffman.
Most made-for-TV movies are subpar, but Death of a Salesman is an exception. There’s nothing extraordinary about the filmmaking — the power is in the superb acting, showcasing the true power of Arthur Miller’s landmark play. Hoffman and Malkovich show off some of their best performances here as heroes Willy and Biff Loman, respectively, after starring in the 1984 Broadway revival of the play. It’s a testament to the power of vulnerable, believable acting to make or break a film.
The glorious American dream didn’t work out for Willy Loman, the tragic hero of Miller’s masterpiece. It didn’t work out for his son, Biff. They so badly wanted it to, and if they had just done what truly made them happy, maybe they would have found success. Miller’s sharp text and dark themes serve as a reminder as graduation creeps closer with each day: Be realistic about yourself, and more importantly, be who you are.
[ READ MORE: LIST: Movies you need to see before graduating ]
