Dog Day Afternoon

Iata ca revad un film care mi se pare din nou cu vremurile tulburi pe care le traim, cand se prolifereaza jafurile de toate felurile, cand lipseste o scanteie ca explozia sociala sa se produca, cand deziluzia si depresia e omniprezenta iar revolta pare singura solutie.. Cam la asemenea chestii ma gandeam, vizionand celebrul DOG DAY AFTERNOON, unde se recunoaste imediat culoarea decadei marilor filme, adica anii 70 (care mie nu-mi plac altfel deloc), cu depresia lor post-Vietnam, post-sixties si obsesia mostenita de la decada anterioara, adica revolta anti-Sistem, o obsesie devenita acum difuza.
Alte motive pentru care place acest film, al carui subiect a fost reiterat de atunci de sute de ori, este refuzul de a se inscrie in tipicul filmelor de actiune, absenta sofisticariilor tehnice si mai ales teatralitatea lui, in sensul restrangerii scenelor la un spatiu restrans, circumscris in jurul cladirii THE FIRST BANK IN BROOKLIN. De la primele cadre si aproape pana la sfarsit, pana la drumul spre aeroport ramanem claustrati alaturi de cei mai ghinionisti hoti intre peretii bancii, in caldura inabusitioare: ideea de sufocare e transmisa subtil de la cele mai mici detalii, incepand cu paznicul care sufera de astm (si care mi-a amintit de vajnicii pazitori pensionari pe care ii vedem si pe la bancile noastre si prin hipermarketuri si care par gata oricand de colaps datorat unor cauze naturale).
Ceea ce mi se pare mai putin reusit este episodul cu Leon, iubitul lui Sonny care are nevoie de bani pentru schimbarea de sex si care constituie una din ancorarile reale ale povestii.Problema este ca tocmai episodul intrarii lui Leon in scena pare cel mai fortat, plus neverosimil (cineva jefuind o banca pentru a plati o operatie de schimbare de sex??) Motivatia jafului pare in acest punct neverosimila, cu toata autenticitatea faptului, consemnata de eroul real al ei (care a primit pana la urma banii pe care ii cauta in acel jaf tocmai din vanzarea drepturilor de ecranizare..).Oricum, nu acesta e singurul motiv pentru care Sonnny jefuieste banca, iar suita lor va fi dezvaluita cu arta, gradual, reveland o existenta strivita de sistemul opresiv si de tot amalgamul de motive pentru a decreta o viata ca fiind ratata (lipsa slujbei, a banilor, distrugerea casniciei, etc) Ultima incercare disperata a  lui Sonny de a iesi din acest infern este tocmai jaful, care incepe si se termina prost, insa savoarea e data tocmai de momentele in care acesta pare a se reabilita, pare a reveni ca stapan a situatiei.  Aici intervin multimile, care sunt antrenate de un fior de la "68, aclamandu-l pe Sonny si transformandu-l intr-un erou al clipei.

Este momentul in care, ajutat si de transmisiunea tv, Sonny are intuitia de a exploata un alt eveniment asemanator, in care vina a fosta politiei, care a impuscat si nevinovati: Attica, Attica! Iata o alta obsesie-mostenire de la 68 isti, ura contra politiei, cea mai elementara forma de autoritate sistemica de care se ciocnesc mereu rebelii.
Televiziunea,  iata cealalta forta care il poate transforma pe Sonny in erou, cu toata ura pe care o are el pentru ipocritii oameni de televiziune (a se vedea dialogul in direct care se intrerupe dupa cateva replici acide ale lui Sonny):
Sonny: [on a TV broadcast over the phone] I'm robbing a bank because they got money here. That's why I'm robbing it.
TV Anchorman: No, what I mean is why do you feel you have to steal for money? Couldn't you get a job?
Sonny: Uh, no. Doing what? You know if you want a job you've got to be a member of a union. See, and if you got no union card you don't get a job.
TV Anchorman: What about non-union occupations?
Sonny: What's wrong with this guy? What do you mean non-union, like what? A bank teller? You know how much a bank teller makes a week? Not much. A hundred and fifteen to start, right? Now are you going to live on that? A got a wife and a couple of kids, how am I going to live on that? What do you make a week?
TV Anchorman: Well I'm here to talk to you Sonny...
Sonny: Well I'm talking to you. We're entertainment, right? What do you got for us?
TV Anchorman: Well what do you want to get for it? Do you expect to be paid because...
Sonny: No, I don't want to be paid, I don't need to be paid. Look, I'm here with my partner and nine other people, see. And we're dying, man. You know? You're going to see our brains on the sidewalk, they're going to spill our guts out. Now are you going to show that on television? Have all your housewives look at that? Instead of As The World Turns? I mean what do you got for me? I want something for that.
TV Anchorman: Sonny, you could give up?
Sonny: Give up? Right. Have you ever been in prison?
TV Anchorman: No!
Sonny: No! Well let's talk about something you fucking know about, okay? How much do you make a week? That's what I want to hear. Are you going to talk to me about that?
TV Anchorman: [a "Please Stand By" graphic appears on the TV screen]
Sonny: Hey, what the fuck happened?
Mulvaney: I guess he didn't appreciate your use of language.
Sonny: Fuck him.