Weekly series. Do please send suggestions via email, twitter etc. You can send a theme and/or specific movies. Each week we feature three movies with meaning, so send in a movie with a sentence or two on the core meaning you take from it and a clip from the movie that speaks to that meaning.
As a trained and practiced coach, in my work as a sounding board to leaders, I am always deeply listening. In this, I seek to understand the perspective of the individual or group I am listening to. Sometimes my role is then to give my perspective as an impartial and outside observer, sometimes to help them see the source for the perspective they have themselves (which they may or may not be conscious of!).
There is real power in deep listening. As Stephen Covey advises, “listen with the intent to undestand, not to reply”.
Numerous movies have utilised the idea of different perspectives to dramatic effect in telling stories. As a practice for yourself in taking time to see things through the eyes of others, perhaps watch one or more of these three movies.
Rashomon (1950)
If this recommendation serves only to introduce you to watching the work of Akira Kurosawa, that is more than enough for me.
Rashomon is a masterpiece, telling a story from multiple and contradictory individual perspectives. Many movies since have used the “Rashomon effect”, this is the original.
Gone Girl (2014)
David Fincher is one of my favourite film makers.
This thriller is brilliant, with powerful acting from the leads. I won’t spoil any of the plot other than to say this comes from different and contradictory perspectives.
Vantage Point (2008)
This movie takes the Rashomon effect to new levels, with no fewer than eight different pespectives on an event (the shooting of the US President at an event in Spain).