So interesting, this scene sets the scene for the rest of the video. Two people have met their match: a player that plays with people. The thing is when you are a player, to the other person you are serious. They fall into the trap, and you end up winning and leaving.
In this characterization of the players, they go in with open eyes. They know its a game, and they know the other player is well aware of the game. Then no one that is a fool. What is the point of playing then, if the person knows its a game and will not take it seriously? It's not going to be the usual, where a person goes and 'falls in love' and someone 'broke their heart'. I think the challenge then becomes, not if they can play each other out, but if the player can mean enough to the other person..therefore leaving them will resonate deeply with them leaving them with a broken heart.
Players don't get their heart broken because the heart was never out in the open in the first place. Everything they did was to get what they wanted (sex, affection, attention, etc). Once they get bored with the person, they move on to the next conquest. Conquering and chasing sometimes becomes more exiting than actually having what they so hard fought for. Going out with the person then is not the big joke, the big joke is falling in love. Playing the fool in big boy's game, knowing you were hoodwinked from the start. Interesting.
Like Taio says 'bring it on,' they both put on their shades and the video starts.
Ludacris comes on with shades. Shades represent hiding, as when someone has shades you cannot see their eyes. This works great when someone is lying (the person being lied to doesn't know it as they can't see the full emotions that can be seen when looking to the eyes). The eyes are seen as 'windows to the soul,' so it can be argued that when those are covered.. the person is blinded. Their 'soul' is hid away from you, so you cannot look deeper. Then Ludacris says something about 'you gotta respect my honesty.' Yeah, I guess. Taio Cruz tells us how he feels: 'they call me heart breaker; I don't want to deceive you.'
Honestly, I do appreciate the honesty. Imagine if your worst relationship would have came with a disclaimer 'this person will later on break your heart, and you will learn to love this person in a way you never thought would be possible.' The truth is that we don't know the future. People do not come with disclaimer(bummer), but luckily this is a pop song. A visual and vocal way to hear a person's thoughts.
Taio Cruz is doing us all a favor: he has come with a disclaimer. The disclaimer is 'I'm only going to break, break,break,break your heart.' Now the question is, will you still take his proposal? The thing is, if both parties are aware of what the situation is, then no one's heart should be broken. The heart gets broken when one falls in love or gets obsessed with the person (you can't see yourself living without them, happens to the best of us). So why take this proposal? Because, just like the girl, if you are a player this is a nice experience. Both know what they are getting themselves into.
The relationship then, without all the smoke and mirrors that lying creates, becomes a reflection of the state of relationships today. Completely versatile, the new era of 'open relationships' (thanks, Europe), and people being more scared than ever of being vulnerable enough to fall in love. ooo, but let's see the rest of the video.
Taio steps out of the car. He does not go to the other side to let the girl out (how very un-gentlemanly of him). This says that this new era of people (the players) they do not believe in that pish-posh manners stuff. She's a girl, she's independent, she can open her own door. So he doesn't even try to pretend he is a gentleman, and let her politely decline his offer of opening the door. He doesn't go for it. Matter of fact, he doesn't even wait for her (the nice thing to do when you are with someone, wait for them, then walk together and if you are really sure of your relationship, may even hold hands). He walks ahead, and the girl, knowing her role does not try to catch up. She's on to the game, they don't want to let on that they are together.
The girl has a bikini (indicating its summer time, maybe going to the beach). Both of them however are wearing leather jackets, so maybe some windy weather. Both of them have shades, of course (look cool and hide your eyes). Interestingly enough, the girl takes off her shades (a physical reflection of being more 'open' than Taio, who is still wearing shades.) He looks at her, and to be honest with you I think the look they share is deeper than holding hands. Long lasting couples will know that the way a couple looks at each other will say more than anything else. Sure, holding hands will be an obvious, this is my man don't touch. But she is letting him go ahead (nothing holding him back from what he wants to do). This tells me she is extremely confident not only on herself, but also whatever she has with him (it is unclear from the video whether this is brand new relationship that started in the car conversation, or if its been a couple of months).
In a way as well, I think this is very healthy. They are giving each other space (how annoying is it when the person you like is around all the time). When the song goes into the chorus, the girl is singing it as well for a couple of clips. This is interesting because it means the words apply to both: ' If you fall for me, I'm not easy to please. I might tear you apart, told you from the start,baby from the start. I'm only going to break, break, break, break your heart.' The video goes, they are walking to a boat party. Perfect, Taio is singing the song and looks back at the girl, kind of like 'i'm talking to you.' They both have smirks on their faces, almost like a secret joke. The game is definitely on.
On to the boat, there are clips of Taio getting comfortable with all these girls around him. He is getting way too close to one of the girls as if he is going to kiss her (definitely too close when you are in a relationship). The girl is having fun too, she is with a beautiful model-looking guy in a crisp white suit. While they are both having fun, they look at each other, definitely with the game-is-on smirk on their face.
There is also contrasting clips of Taio and the girl in a private little boat, just them too..how intimate. Then the girl goes over to where Taio is sitting, and it seems like they are fighting for the girl, who is going to kiss her first. Taio has met his true match. Not only are they playing around, trying to make each other jealous knowing it won't work, but then there is a bi-sexual thing going on her. The girl, trying to please Taio or maybe just the way she is, seems like she might be into girls too. So they playfully compete and Taio steals the girl (and the kiss that never happened on camera, I presume). The girl has her mouth open as in shock (Taio wins again).
On to the next scenes, in a club. Taio, of course, still being surrounded by beautiful women. He is the picture of the player guy. Extremely attractive, extremely confident, and definitely has swagger. But can any girl put up with his ways? In the song he warns: 'I know I got a problem, a problem with misbehaving.' We have been warned.
So where will this story go? Will they cheat on each other in front of each other's faces? Let's keep looking at the video. In the part of the song where he says 'a problem,' they show women's faces. His problem is women, I guess they are like an addition to him. Then the video shows Taio sees the girl, and she smiles at him almost as in saying 'yeah, I see you.'
Then they do their couple thing: they dance together. Wow, in front of all the women Taio was with? yes. In front of the guys the girl was with? yes. This is more bold than walking together or holding hands... Or even the romantic boat ride. The truth is, there is a comfort between him and the girl that is indescribable. I can never watch my man be that close to a girl's face without there being a problem. Maybe they have been together for years, or maybe there is a comfort that is just there. Like i said, they have met their match. Let's go on.
Then the infamous Taio does it again! He somehow turns away, starts dancing with another girl. The girl is looking for him, like where did he go? and he is not around. Then we see the clip with him sitting down around the gorgeous girls again. Seems like the girl is falling..... Just like the song says: 'If you fall for me, I'm not easy to please.' Couldn't have said it better, you will only get your heart broken if you fall (in love, lust, whatever they call it nowadays). Taio also warns he is not easy to please, meaning the girl could give him good conversation, good sex, good times, and he might still get bored. Like I said earlier, players sometimes get addicted to the act of chasing more than the actual conquest. Can this girl do it? Can she keep his interest more than a couple of seconds of dancing? Let's see.
Ludacris comes on to co-sign on Taio Cruz's lifetyle. He says he will 'break your heart into tiny bitty pieces...losers, weepers.' This shows again, how falling in love is the big joke. Why fall in love? you will lose (by having your heart broken) and you will end up in a corner weeping. It is really not the girl's inability to be interesting that the guy leaves, is that the guy is stuck in showing off his manhood by the amount
of his conquests. Also, he is looking for something outside of himself to complete him. Like a bad addiction, one most come back to keep drinking from the fountain that is not filling. If it would ever fill the need, then one would stop looking. Almost at the end of the song, Taio is showing some maturity and reflection: 'I know karma is probably going to get me for being so cold.'
While he is singing that, him and the girl seductively look at each other (also, like are you ready for this?). Then they kiss other people (at the same time, almost scheduled, rehearsed, like an act). The interesting thing about it is how one can separate the matters of the heart with physical affections. Who Taio is kissing and who the girl is kissing doesn't matter. To them, kissing is a sport. You do it to have fun, to pass the time, let the best player win. It is telling by them looking at each other that they are just using the other people (you cannot kiss yourself), but also as an instrument. To make each other jealous? To show each other that they are not falling for each other? It's hard to tell the delicate intriquicities of the heart, one thing is for sure.
They sure do care for each other, because they keep paying attention to each other throughout the party (no matter how many beautiful eligible candidates are around). After the kiss (almost theatrical), they then look at each other and are lovi-dovey (I don't know how to spell that word).
Now let's just stop. When was the last time you kiss someone and then right after they go and hug someone else? This is not normal, but it gives a clue to the casualness of this whole thing. Forget casual sex, these people are casually kissing (some people say that is more intimate than sex, the reason why hardly any kisses in Pretty Woman.) They also look to each other to bounce off reactions, is this ok? Are you seeing this? Then they look and hold each other afterwards, the way two people might after a rollercoaster ride (do you believe that I just did it? The courage!).
Then the video has Taio and the girl in a bed, all cozy. He's still singing, then more clips of their boat ride together. In the party, Ludacris does a toast with the girls (maybe not getting your heart broken?) and the infamous Taio Cruz, once again, does not disappoint by kissing one more girl before they leave. In the end, they are together and escape in the boat.
This song and video say a lot about the state of relationships today. Do people see catching feelings as losing, and not doing so as winning? Does the person who cares less the one who wins? This is all a fake sense of relationship. But it's not really what a relationship is (mutually exclusive).
This open relationship (the guy is a player, the girl is bi it seems like) how can trust harbor under these conditions? Does this video and song depict some people's view of relationships today, just a more honest version? (we all know the boyfriends who cheat and lie about it, then before all is done, the girlfriend finds out and she never trust guys again.) Are they just two confused broken people scared to like each other but obviously doing so? I would say the latter as they keep going back to each other. Until one is tired of the games, it will all keep going to the vicious cycle. But hey, at least this video makes open relationships seem like a party (where your boyfriend kisses other girls, and the girl kisses other boys). Everyone goes home afterwards, like nothing has happened. But don't get any feelings (can you stop them??!?!?) then you might 'break your heart' and 'losers weepers.'
No comments:
Post a Comment