I can’t believe Netflix made this show Flowers in 2016 then 2018, total of two seasons, and I only watched it today. I never heard of it before. The only thing I know is the lead female actor who plays the mum in the family won the Oscar for her role in The Favourite.
This show shakes my view on a few things, it makes me to think more on the difficult things in life, suicide, depression, mental illness. This crazy family’s story was told in such a beautiful, weird, dark and humours way. The last episodes in both Season 1 and 2 break my heart to pieces, but the same time make me feel a strong sense of power that is hard to describe.
One line in the 2nd last episode of the show, when the daughter discovered she probably has the same mental illness as her grandfather, and this illness runs like a family curse, she said :” I can take this hell and turn it into heaven, I can do it.” I wonder how many times when someone struggling with severe depression or mental illness tell themselves that they can do this, they can fight this. I have family and friends who have been through this. Some of them don’t make it in this fight, they depart early. Sometime we wonder can’t they be a bit stronger and hold on a little longer for the ones who love them deeply? But then who are we to judge? You can’t see the pain they are going through. Some of them can not even describe how they are feeling.
In this world right now with so many conflicts and divides amongst people, its rare to watch something so raw and beautiful. The young Japanese boy who stays with the family, his story is just so heart breaking. How does a person survive when they lose everyone he loves? We praise those who carry on and survive day by day, it takes tremendous amount of courage. The 1st season revealed his courage in such a sad and funny way, his whole body language is screaming of making the effort to carry on. The 2nd season continues to tell his struggle and pain so vividly. It’s so hard not to feel the pain, but at the same time this darkness has its own unique beauty which is near impossible to describe it.
We are lucky to be born and grow up. If you ever held a baby you know how fragile and small it is, for this tiny being to grown up , requires a lot of love, help and care. Life is a miracle and I do firmly believe it. But sometime we forget death and life are side by side, there are small differences between them. For those who holds the wisdom and clarity to understand this, it may be a burden to carry.
All I want to say is that after watching Flowers, I think I understand a bit more of other’s struggle and pain. Also gained a glimpse of why some people make certain decisions as they do.
LIYANG'S THOUGHTS 