Greatest Gen vs. Boomers: Harry & Son (1984)

A fake, fraudulent ass Paul Newman stan is chiming in to say I haven't actually seen all of his films. Which, I feel is generally reasonable. Seeing all of anyone's films outside of like James Dean (who only had three cuz he's an idiot) is like, incredibly normal and sane. Watching all of anyone's films, who has been acting or acted for decades, is actually mentally ill.

But no one with a blogspot blog is even a little bit close to achieving or maintaining any semblance of mental sanity or fortitude, so, it's like actually a real problem for me that I haven't seen all of Paul Newman's movies. And it's not like I'm Ethan Hawke or anything sad like that - I'm not making a whole ass documentary on my man. I just wanna actually know all his work so I don't get called out for being a fake fan and only watching Paris Blues and ghetto ass Long, Hot Summer all the time and ignoring all his other shit because it looks like some boring, ultra-guy movie where he's like right next to Robert Redford the entire time and they never once exchange cumloads.

Anyway!!

So I've actually seen a lot of his movies, and I'm trying to go thru what I'm calling his "backlog": basically what I decided are semi-irrelevant movies because they're not talked about all the time when I see people thirsting over Paul.

I think I've seen all of his super-famous movies, so I was left to watch random shit like Exodus (Left me basically speechless in a bad way. Sal Mineo was great tho. Wouldn't recommend. Not even if you're a Mineo stan tbh.), Sometimes a Great Notion (*cute* Not great, but not bad. A cute movie. It's actually depressing and all the characters suck lol. There is one really good scene that devastated me, though. If you know you know!), The Color of Money (an abomination? Throw Tom Cruise in the mix and suddenly Fast Eddie Felson is a likable character? Pretty sure that's wrong), and the movie I'm talking about here today: Harry & Son.

This was the only movie I genuinely liked out of those four that I've recently churned through. None of those movies were like, aggressively horrific or anything (Exodus actually might've been lol), but I wouldn't say I particularly cared for any of them. When they were done I was like: Great! Lmao. But Harry & Son kind of stuck with me, so here is this blog post about it. When blogger finally deletes itself and takes all my shit with it will be a great day of celebration. But, until then:

The blue-eyed twink is introduced straight away with his shirt off in tiny shorts washing cars. I must point out that Paul Newman directed this film and I think took part in writing the story. Make of that what you will...

I love how this shot tells you so much about the main character before even really meeting him. It is kind of heavy-handed imagery-wise, but I think it's a great way to tells us a lot about the character of Harry without having to suffer through a bunch of boring, cringe expository word vom. And mind you, this movie *can* have its cheesy moments, but I feel like there's a good balance of being obvious and showing/not telling

It's really cute how Harry gets Howie a beer. That's like one of the few times I will say something nice about Harry or acknowledge his humanity (he would not do the same for me). I do have a question about the beer thing: What was happening with that? I tried to think it was like some generational divide thing happening. Like the young generation is kind of blase about...replacing beer in the fridge? But I honestly got a distinct feeling that Howie was attempting to be romantic with his father? Please. Please, but like, he was? I thought he was drinking out of the beer can and leaving the last half for his dad as like...a romantic offering? Did I totally misread this film? (NO.) I watched this twice and still don't really get the beer thing. If I'm being charitable and trying to not get arrested, I will chalk it up to Howie being young and irresponsible. Even though, I don't know, I didn't read Howie as irresponsible. I feel like if he wasn't replacing the beer or was drinking the "live half" and leaving his dad the "dead half" it was all intentional? I think I might've incorrectly watched this film lol. My brain is severely damaged from lots of trauma and also from being an Aquarius and also a girl I think.

Please the jammy jams??

????

In no way did I incorrectly interpret Howie's character. He's romantically interested in his father. That's what's happening. That's what this movie is about. Howie being in love with his dad and his dad acting out because he doesn't want to accept that the greatest love of his life is his weird, twink son. That's what this movie is about. That's what it's about. I know it to be true.

Please it's literally romantic? WHY THE FUCK did Howie set ambiance and make dinner for his father WHAT IS HAPPENING he's like the little wife I feel sick

Want to trade heads? I'm speechless. This is not a real movie.

Jesus. Should I mention that Paul's character Harry is like on the verge of passing away the whole movie? He has some vague movie sickness and you know pretty much right away he's finna pass away. Couldn't even focus on that. Literally WHY is this movie about an old man having a romantic relationship with his twink hippie son???

This scene clearly demonstrates that Harry should not be working on a construction site, but they were also just generally being irresponsible here? Like why did that guy walk in front of a moving crane boulder lol? Shouldn't he have also been fired lmao like why did he do that?

Why is every scene between them either romantic or sexually charged? Am I schizophrenic? I feel like I'm going INSANE

Kind of hate when people say "Aw, he doesn't mean it". You're speaking about a horrible, abusive man. No one has to put up with that. If you want to, that's your choice, but don't try to bring other people into your toxic, fucked up nonsense. #triggered But honestly it's so Boomer-coded of Howie to try to brush off chronic emotional and verbal abuse. Oh, that's just how he is. Um, he needs to be taken out back and shot. Be glad that's not happening. Be glad we're all domesticated and trying to fake like we're not apes anymore. If this was olden times probably Harry would piss one cave person off and have his entire head completely ripped off his body. Be glad we're not back to those days and keep quiet.

In this cap Howie seems like he's tryna guilt-trip his sis into seeing their terrible, abusive father. Hmm whose fault is it that Harry hasn't seen his grandbaby since the hospital? Howie get on my nerves sometimes with his keep the peace ass attitude. You know that old man is insufferable! Aint nobody tryna chill with him! Get that thru ur thick, pretty skull!

This lady was saying how she hadn't spoken to her father in 15 years and the minute she did she regretted it. That totally sums up this entire film, I think. Just the vibes of that. And there's a lesson there. She probably had a mean old asshole daddy just like terrible Harold lol.

Now why is his old sickly ass doing this? You know damn well you finna die and shouldn't be doing that. You know damn well your bladder is filled with asbestos and your old nasty stupid mean ass is blind and can't see shit! It's weird, tho, because this is another scene where I am like why is Harry's sick old ass on a construction site? But also, why is the site so dangerous just in general? Where's the harnesses? Where are the safety measures in place? Is this how construction sites are? This movie makes me feel like no construction sites should exist lol like what's going on?

So Harry's pissed his kid was a valedictorian but is, at present, *only* some kid who works at a car wash. He's getting all pissy with him mostly, I feel, because he himself can no longer work due to his illness. It's giving go on disability? Did that not exist in the eighties? I hate how he is projecting his anxieties and fears onto Howie. He is so nasty about it, when he could be opening a dialogue and they could work together and become really close and he'd genuinely have someone to emotionally lean on. Instead he wants to keep his struggles to himself and act out by emotionally and verbally abusing pretty much the only person in the world who cares about him when he is frustrated or afraid. Which is, like, super common with parents for some reason. Watching Harry move in this movie is so annoying. Especially cuz his son is so sweet and I feel like just trying to figure things out for himself. Tho I know a part of Harry is worried about what Howie will do when he is dead. At least, I think that's what he's partially worried about. I hope it's not all just about him and his ego and he does actually give a shit about this kid, in his own terrible way.

"Get yourself a real job" - erm, he has a real job? He washes cars and also he's a writer? One thing about me? I cannot STAND Harry's old, nasty, judgmental, classist, evil, haggard, decrepit, sickly old ass lmao

What sort of fit is this for a job interview? It's funny, Howie is a boomer but he has so many moments where I'm like he's so me-coded (I'm a mid-lennial) or I'll think he's giving very much gen-z vibes as well. Time is a flat circle probably. I also think a lot of the times he has gen x moments, too, but no one cares about gen x so let's just move on

Ma'am?

Howie could not be anything BUT a Pisces. He is so Pisces-coded that it's scary and seems demonic somehow.

What is this?

What is happening in this movie? What kind of interview is this?

Paul Newman directed this. Keep that in mind.

Can you see Howie back there? Look how he is like beaming as soon as he sees his old man. And this is in every scene. He looks at that old man and he is just smiling ear to ear. Is this one of those situations where you discover the sub was actually the dominate the whole time? What if Howie is secretly evil and is like spiritually draining his father somehow and that's why he is sick and dying? Is Paul Newman secretly a genius? (No)

Cute mother/daughter vibes

What is this scraggly, raggely ass hair-do? Morgan, you know better than to show up at work looking like this smh

Morgan been one thousand years old since he dropped out the womb chile

Silent Gen accusing Boomer of ruining America. And did he lie?...

This is a mood

Look how nervous he is to tell his daddy he got fired on his first day lol. But he don't seem too nervous posted all up in the jacuzzi in the middle of the day. He really is Boomer down.

Why my mans got jean shorts on in the 'cuzzi? Sometimes I be lowkey agreeing with Harry when he be dragging Howie lmao. But I be quiet cuz if Howie's on ten, I'm on eleven.

First of all, your head is big as shit. But I don't like how Harry just discounts Howie's creative work, his writing. It seems he sticks to the writing. But isn't this every parent when their kid does creative stuff? If you aint making checks right away it's irrelevant to them. And of course, we live in a society where you need money to live and eat and shit but it's kind of lame for him to ignore that Howie *does* stick to something, it's just something he doesn't personally place any value in.

Howie does work - he's a writer. Also he details cars. Harry is so annoying lol. Just running his mouth to run his mouth.

This is Katie, I think. Kate or Katie. Howie dated her but she got all weird I think and ghosted him to fuck a bunch of guys and now she's with child. Doesn't know the kid's dad. Incredibly ghetto and messy. But Howie's a simp so of course he gonna swoop in with his captain save-a-hoe cape on lol. Honestly, I detect parallels between Katie and Harry. Something about how careless they both are with Howie's love but still receive it from him in abundance despite doing nothing to earn it. Therapy for everyone.

This old man yelling at the sea scene was generally shocking, but at the same time triggering cuz I def personally know someone who would do something like this lmao (not funny at all actually!). Harry looked, and this is a severe understatement, completely fucking deranged

Literally me! Just stunned and confused chile. I feel so bad for Howie - his pops is nuts, old, and a goddamn lunatic lol

Look at him. He looks insane. Lock his ass up!! Get a 51/50 on this bitch ASAP!!

Howie comes home from the beach and Harry's insane old ass complaining about some garbage being out and dishes not washed. Howie is like okay did anyone die? Exactly. Just deranged. Nevermind that the twink is basically your housemaid and cleans up any other time. Like, can he relax at the beach for once? Just crazy and hateful

Howie finally getting in that old man's face and threatening to whoop his ass. Do it for real, tho. He won't, but he should.

Another romantic moment where Howie is saying that he's a son of a bitch and Harry is an asshole and that those two things cancel each other out. Who says stuff like that in a non-romantic context? Is my thinking just corrupted? Also, he's like, embracing his daddy's face and speaking all close and passionately. It might just be me who is wrong but I don't think so. I know Paul Newman did all of this on purpose. He's a January Aquarius. They are very dark-sided and evil.

Me crying on the first day of any job LMAO. Howie is honestly so relatable sometimes. Him being nice all the time is, however, NOT relatable, and it enables me to keep a mostly objective distance while watching :)

Why do I keep shipping this nubile twink with any old man he interacts with in this movie? (He had *moments* with both Morgan Freeman and Wilford "Diabeetus" Brimley as well) (I KNOW that Paul Newman did this on purpose - there is no such thing as a coincidence)

Literally......WHY does Howie keep having *moments* with old men in this movie? Paul Newman did it on purpose I don't care what ANYONE has to say. I will not be gaslit! But how ghetto of this old black man to charge someone to drink a beer in his home lol. I aint never seen such ghetto shit. Pretty sure he offered Howie the beer too like is this who we are??

Raymond might be a broke ass bum but at least he's still giving us juicy DSLs and luscious, brown, barely wrinkled skin coming into his seventh decade on Earth. If you black with big, juicy lips, you can never be broke. Hit the strip, bum! I kid, tho. It's fucked up he's literally a senior citizen and has to worry about where his next meal is coming from. I think in the movie his character was like two years off from retirement but he was injured on the job and couldn't make it. I think that was the case. Howie's ole naive, idealistic ass is like Bro, that's fucked up! They can't do that! Howie being a boomer saying stuff like that is so funny. It's all a cycle becuz now Boomers are very bootstraps and "figure it out" and "life's not fair" and yadda yadda. So it's just interesting to see him react to Raymond's plight how I'd imagine a millennial or gen-z would react today.

Every scene is this man just being old and deranged. If he wasn't so abusive towards that sweet little twink I would stan cuz it's honestly kind of a mood ngl...

Me being nosy

Look at this man. Howie needs to put him in a home.

Why does Howie look like Prince Rogers Nelson?

Here is Harry saying to Howie "finally decided to get up" - making a sassy little comment, meanwhile his son had to sleep in becuz he was woken up in the middle of the night due to the police knocking on the door to drop your old crazy ass off. He really makes shit up to get an attitude with Howie about. He complains another time about Howie sleeping in and Howie explains that it was becuz, you know, he literally delivered a baby the day before. And Harry's response is that it "doesn't count". This man is evil and mentally ill.

Me re: any job lol

"That was a nice cop last night" lol. Howie be getting his little digs in, tho. He don't just be lettin' that old man slide. So I'll give him that.

I thought it was odd that Harry and his daughter shook hands and shared a professional cheek kiss. It was so...perfunctory and business-like lol. I feel like you can tell just in this interaction that they are the ones who are just alike. I think it would be interesting to get a version of this movie that focuses on Harry and his relationship, or lack thereof, with his daughter, who the movie does explicitly suggest takes more after him than Howie. But I feel like the movie would include almost no scenes with them together and be pointless lol. It definitely makes sense why she was the one who fucked off, meanwhile mr. sadomasochist pisces wants to be all up under him taking all forms of abuse with glee.

Harry bullying his son-in-law straight away

y r they feeding like a 3month old baby eggs cooked in bacon grease? any generation before younger gen x are entirely mentally incapacitated and their spirits are contaminated with black mold

harry bullying the son-in-law with just a look. evil, soulless, empty dead eyes lmao

keep walking, asshole..

What would possess someone to do something like this? Just an old evil hag.

This is the daughter screaming after Harry compromised the box they were setting the china in. Of course the son-in-law takes the box and all the china falls out of the bottom. The daughter is screaming at her father, saying she doesn't get it, why would he do something like that. Girl, you're confused? I'm fucking confused (RIP Big Ang). It goes beyond mental illness or just being bitter. This man is possessed with the spirit of an entity that has never known the Earthly plane.

The twink looking aghast at his father, utterly flummoxed. But at the same time it's like, is it really all that surprising? You are posted up with this evil man day in and day out witnessing constant horrors. Aint nothin' new. And don't try to act like it is, either.

The old man called Howie a chickenshit when he ran down to the beach to scream at the sea. Now Howie's doing it to him. I want to feel good about it, but really, I don't want to see Howie sink to that old nasty man's level. I feel the purpose of that old man is to do anything within his power to diminish his son's light. That is why he was put here on Earth. So I don't like to see glimpses of Harry's evil doings have any real affect on Howie who largely skips through this movie seeming mostly impervious to Harry's efforts. However, Harry deserves the dragging and anytime Howie comes for him he always looks shocked and sick and confused and it's really irritating to me because it's like the only time I ever acknowledge him as a human and lowkey feel bad for him. Ngl kinda want the world to burn.

He looked so cute here :') Pretty sure he was having a heart attack LMAO

This is random, but I thought it was cute how the daughter came out of the house laughing and her man was in the car like "tell me what happened" like he was so thirsty and curious and eager to know the tea idk I thought it was cute lol

What is Howie doing lol he's so cute :')

I'm pretty sure I missed something from being a dimwit, but I had no idea why they were like cleaning the gutters and washing windows in the middle of the night. Probably just some spur of the moment, deranged directive from the old man. Giving Joan Crawford Mommie Dearest teas, but that's none of my business. I think I took this screencap because Harry was wondering how the bird shit got on the house at the particular angle they were in and I thought it was funny becuz I've found bird shit in the most random of places like what do y'all avian hoes even be doing

This is Katie reading the story Howie wrote about his father. I think it showcases that Howie really understands his dad, but that annoys me because Harry has no sort of keen perception when it comes to his son. Just views him as a zesty bum, pretty much. Or maybe it's me who has no keen perception and I am misjudging Harry and really he sees his kid completely but is just choosing to be an abusive, ignorant asshole like intentionally for kicks, which is, like, much worse than Howie's view of Harry as like an old man from the old times with zero emotional intelligence who doesn't really have any sort of measured grasp on his expression of love and concern for his son. It just all comes out as abuse cuz that's just how he is. Anyway, this movie makes me depressed and want to kill myself :)

Raymond is very greatest gen coded. Like he was down bad: mistreated at work, then canned; jumps at the first chance to suck his fellow down badders dry as the repo man. Shows up in a snazzy suit like he didn't pay for it with money he got snatchin' cars away from people who are down on their luck, same as he was just a week ago. Interesting. Kill or be killed, I suppose.

It was sweet when Katie saw one of the million dudes she let cum raw inside her out in the wild and Howie moved to sit next to her to offer support like he is so sweet to the point that it cums across as mentally ill

????

They look cute 2gether in their matching pink fits. I still think it's weird Howie's babymama is filled with a seed that did not spurt from his own loins, but I will never understand the Pisces way of life, so let's just move on chile

Howie's babymama is going into labor while they're out shopping. Howie darts into the street to ask some old lady if she could give them a lift to the hospital. The old lady is like do u think I'm a looney, and implies she thinks he is a carjacker lol but then a guy on a motorcycle rolls up and is like do you need a lift which is so nice but Howie declines of course like he can't chuck his babymama on the back of a motorbike prob lol but I felt those interactions were very representative of the movie itself as a whole: the old bat has a evil reaction (I would've done the same lololol) but the younger motorcycle guy is helpful and nice. It's giving very Harry and Howie coded, idk idk!! But also I think this movie is very focused on the generational divide conversation and showcasing the evil old horrible bitters versus the younger more idealistic and empathetic set (still crazy to say this about boomers lmao but I guess when you going up against greatest gen you get to be the sweethearts in that pairing lmao)

I thought this was funny. America is terrible tho like why do we have to pay for medical care like get serious bitch!!

Loved this shot and the "female prick" slayed, she sure did!!

me

Love this shot for some reason and the look of this scene. Also obsessed with Howie stalking his dad down, like it's giving Michael Myers at this point. He is so romantically obsessed with this old man, like does Howie understand he came out of this old man's ball sack?? It's illegal, sweetie.

was afraid wen i first watched this scene of howie talking about delivering katie's baby in the back of a taxi. Expected Harry to drag Howie for wanting to wife a whore baby mama. What is this look? Is he impressed? I feel like he secretly views Howie as...better than him, but not sure. Like I think he sees him as not just a better person, but secretly more capable and clearly someone adapting to the "new world" with relative ease and aplomb. I might be going too far with that tho, lol. It could be just he genuinely finds Howie a curious little specimen (is madly in love with him)

Howie passionately talking about delivering Katie's baby was really cute. On the flipside, occasionally he comes across like he might be suffering from an untreated case of BPD lol

Hmmm...Harry staring off stunned into the distance as Howie goes on about Katie's baby and how he thinks he might marry her to secure himself an "instant family". Then like immediately (like literally one second) after this, Harry kicks Howie out of the house. I still don't know why he did that other than that the old man is evil and that's what evil people do. It was definitely a reaction to this news that Howie is now a "dad". Did Harry genuinely view himself as trying to "help" Howie finally become a "real grown up" by kicking him out? Not sure. Honestly lowkey came across like Harry might've been jealous and just wanted to hurt Howie out of jealousy, but again, not sure

Devastated. It's Harry's birthday, which should be a great day for celebration. What does the old hag do? Kicks his son out of the house and doesn't even congratulate him on the new kid or say thank you for his gift (Howie bought him a camel hair jacket??). Nice one!

Katie tells Howie she will name her baby after Harry (imagine looking at a newborn baby and saying "Yeah, that's a Harry" and writing that down on the birth certificate and everything). Howie is like "Why?" (he is me and I am he cuz I too am confused). Katie tells him "cuz you love him so much", confirming that I am not deranged (um) and that even the dimwitted babymama has noticed that Howie is sexually and romantically obsessed with his own father. Now, why this is cause to name a baby after her man's perpetual tormentor, I have no idea. But, Boomers, right?

Me when I realize I just made the biggest fucking mistake of my life

Me anytime that hag Harry is on the screen (but also, can we address why Joanne Woodward is talking like a 1930s gangster the entire film? I don't have any complaints, just wondering lol)

Hmm, Harry's face when Katie's mom was talking about Howie, basically saying he's mr. eazy breazy and a tough kid who doesn't care what anyone has to say in regards to how he moves. Harry's expression is kind of giving a mix of pride and jealousy, but again, not sure. Harry is kind of hard to read which I like but it's annoying all the same because I want him to explicitly display his love for his sweet boy (if he does have love for him) and if he is proud of him I want to see it. We kind of see later, when Howie sells a story, that Harry is genuinely proud, but even then I felt like it was mixed with jealousy and him feeling dumb as hell for not taking Howie's writing seriously. Like it can never just be a straight moment of pure love and joy and pride for his son and that's what I want but of course he is not that guy. Why do I want more from Harry than his own damn son smh

This is an explicit romantic moment, and also it made me want to cry? :')

Harry bringing Howie's babymama flowers in the hospital? For a kid that is not even technically his grandson?? I don't know how to feel about this old man...

Stop tryna make me like the old man! It WON'T WORK!

No, like, Howie looks exactly like Prince? Am I crazy? (yes)

Look how he's lookin at that old man. I don't care whatchall say..

plz it was so cute wen that old man slammed a bag of pistachios (that his kind child purchased for him!!) on his sweet son's head god i will cling to any small nothing of affection that old man throws his kid's way jesus i feel sick i don't like feeling sorry for boomers i don't like relating to his character and feeling sick for him and wanting him to be loved and swaddled god this movie is giving pro-boomer propaganda vibes and i am planning to sue, or i would if the boomers hadn't sucked all the coffers dry and had any money to pay a bunch of morally bankrupt lawyers to assist me with my lawsuit!

Look how he's looking at him! I am NOT CRAZY *my head immediately bursts into flames*

my sweetie sold a story :') proud of him so bad. and i know it was some loving tome he wrote about that evil old man. wanna die :) Look at the old man - he's so shocked and impressed. I know his old hating ass feel stupid as fuck

They look like a couple. An old predator queen and some runaway rentboy twink he scooped up from the side of the road. They are also, father and son. Harry is so proud of his little boy. I want to think it's cute and I do but more than anything, I want that old man dead :') And there's no true happiness until he is in the ground. (Just noticed that he's wearing the jacket Howie bought for him. Wanna kill myself)

Howie is prostituting his father in this scene. And no, this is not just me being mentally ill, this is actually happening in the movie. He has sold his father off to a nympho whose charms, I'm certain, Howie has also enjoyed. What did that f-word Freud say about fathers and sons sharing the same cumhole? I'm sure his nosy, meddling ass had something to say about a father and son being eskimo bros. Cuz this needs addressing.

What is miss thang finna do with this sickly old man? Can he even still get an erection? Is his semen even viable? When he cums, if he can, is it not just sputters of dust? Well, miss thang seems pretty spicy, I'm sure she'll figure it out (both a compliment and derogatory)

The old man acting like a virgin who just got laid for the first time after being assaulted by the secretary.

Paul Newman looking lovingly at his irl wife Joanne Woodward after directly calling her a nympho (pretty sure it was a wink wink inside joke from *things* I have heard about them ahem)

Literally me watching this movie. Oh, also, Harry is finally dead. So anti-climactic after wishing for it the entire movie. He was a little bit becoming likable, so of course now is the perfect time to kill him off. If Paul Newman wasn't deceased I would hunt him down to rip his face off for that. But my boo is deceased and I can't do that so we're just gonna throw out a cute little RIP and keep it pushing!

Now Howard is left taking care of some bastard child that isn't his. Lovely end to the film! (Just now realizing I am almost a carbon copy of Harry, I mean it's uncanny and it's disturbing how I am only just now realizing this after talking so much shit about him this entire film jesus christ how do I move on from this)

I'm looking at all this unhinged shit I wrote and just wondering what is going on, how did it get like this. I think if Harry was my dad he would've killed me. Suddenly realizing that he indeed did love Howard, because he never once in the movie tried to beat him to death with a bat. If I was his kid for sure that would've happened really early on, like maybe even as early as the baby years. We don't really see all of Howie's life. It's possible Harry tried to kill him many times over the years but just failed, and we're meeting these two when Harry is too old to try again. But I think Howie is alive because Harry wanted it that way, because he loved him. What a sweet film :)