The Break-Up is about the relationship between an advertiser and a consumer. They've agreed to meet in a restaurant. The man's feeling perfectly happy, until the woman makes the announcement that she wants a divorce. In the course of their conversation she makes it clear to him why she is leaving him. And he makes it very clear that he doesn't care much.
Self-study activity:
To be honest, I didn't know what to make of this short film beyond the analogy of a couple's break-up and that of a consumer and an advertiser, so I have decided to keep it to a simple activity: Just watch the video clip and try to understand as much as possible. Then complete the gaps in the transcript below.
-Hi there, long time no see looking good.
-Yeah. Let's just keep this simple. I want a (1) ... .
-What now?
- I think you heard me just fine.
-Come on, this is me. What's wrong?
- We don't talk any more.
-I just put down a mill on a TV commercial just to talk to you.
-Exactly. You do all the talking. I never get a (2) ... to...
-You can have a look at the website, can't you?
- Sure. If I want to say "Order this product".
-See.
- It's not exactly a dialogue.
-What about the print campaign, hmm? You can't tell me you missed the (3) ... in Times Square. That was like a 200 (4) ... tall declaration of love.
-You're saying you love me but you're not behaving like you love me. It's not genuine.
-I don't know. The agency said that I was genuinely being funny, genuinely being charming. They said you would love everything I did.
-Would you keep your voice down? You're not doing a radio commercial. Look, whether you're funny or not, it's just, I've changed. And you haven't. I mean, we don't even (5) ... ... the same places any more.
- Hmm.
- And you're not even listening, are you?
-(6) ... . You want (6) ..., don't you? Look, come by the store, I've got two words for you: Loyalty, production. Am I right? That was it, wasn't it? Let' just (7) ... .
-If you knew me, you'd know I don't care about that.
- Know you? Sweetheart, I know everything about you. You're 28 to 34, your online interests include music, movies and (8) ... ... ... . You have a modest but (9) ... ... income. Am I the only one not getting a problem here?
-I'd better be going.
- Oh come on, don't be like that! I tell you what, come back here tomorrow, I'll give you the (2) ... to win a Bahamas vacation. There's a small (2) ... , minuscule, but technically still a (2) ... . I want it to be like the old days.
Key:
1 divorce 2 chance 3 billboard 4 foot 5 hang out 6 coupons 7 hug 8 laser hair removal 9 dependable disposable
