I watched The Roses in the theatre yesterday (if you’re in Oakland it was the Rialto, a delightful neighborhood cinema), and it made me feel a little homesick for England, despite the fact that it was mostly set in California.
There was one word in particular—used several times throughout by Olivia Colman—that made me feel particularly fond of the country I was raised in. A word that I absolutely can’t use in the same way in California.
In England, this word is used as a term of affection at least as often as it’s used as an insult. A word that you can precede with “oh, you cheeky…” and cause no issues whatsoever. It’s funny, endearing and warm.
Language is a funny thing, and the things we hold close to us can be very strange. I didn’t anticipate that I’d miss using this word out of love toward friends, nor how hearing it would feel… comforting?
I love things like this. Small things, familiar only to a few people that you might know or bump into when you live thousands of miles from where you were born. Things that bond people in the strangest of ways.
Anyway, watch the movie. It’s a good movie. It has a wonderful cast. It’s worth watching for Olivia Colman’s performance alone. It’s funny, and emotional, and familiar (to some) and I’m so thankful it was made.