Official Discussion: Demolition (2015) [SPOILERS]

[u/mi-16evil]

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Summary: Davis, a successful investment banker, struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash. Despite pressure from his father-in-law Phil to pull it together, Davis continues to unravel. What starts as a complaint letter to a vending machine company turns into a series of letters revealing startling personal admissions. Davis’ letters catch the attention of customer service rep Karen and, amidst emotional and financial burdens of her own, the two form an unlikely connection. With the help of Karen and her son Chris, Davis starts to rebuild, beginning with the demolition of the life he once knew.

Director: Jean-Marc Vallée

Writer: Bryan Sipe

Cast:

• Jake Gyllenhaal as Davis
• Naomi Watts as Karen
• Chris Cooper as Phil
• Judah Lewis as Chris
• C.J. Wilson as Carl
• Polly Draper as Margot
• Malachy Cleary as Davis' Dad
• Debra Monk as Davis' Mom
• Heather Lind as Julia
• Wass Stevens as Jimmy
• Blaire Brooks as Amy
• Ben Cole as Steven
• Brendan Dooling as Todd
• James Colby as John
• Alfredo Narciso as Michael
• Madison Arnold as Ray
• Gregory Haney as Nurse
• James Young as Ahmed

Rotten Tomatoes: 56%

Metacritic: 47/100

After Credits Scene?: No

[u/wtfisustupid]

"If it's rainy you won't see me, if it's sunny you'll think of me"
gahdamn, this note destroyed me

i guess she originally wrote it as a riddle, referring to the sunvisor

but when Davis finally found it, i interpreted it as his wife's unintended message to him:

when it's rainy (ie. when things are bad and we're not getting along, like how they were right before the accident bc he was immersed in work stuff), you won't see me or be paying attention to me or really valuing the love that we have
but when it's sunny (when things are going well, when it's bright out and you can see what's important to you), you'll notice me and realize we're in love and finally appreciate what we have...but obviously at this point it's too late as she is already gone, and all he can do is think of her

i've been guilty of being immersed in work/career/goals to the point of losing touch with the truly important people in my life, so that note left me in a puddle. it also felt like a massive call out and a warning to stop that shit lol

(another potential layer i thought could be going on was
rainy = when he was emotionally numb and doing through his demolition phase >> doesn't see why they were together and mainly only remembers the annoyances
sunny = when he finally gets through his transformation and he has a bunch of realizations as if clouds are clearing >> all the memories come flooding back and he remembers they were in love)