Death of a Salesman and a Rebirth of my Anxiety

 Films hold the power to make or break a story. This statement especially holds true to film adaptations based off of iconic works of literature and the famous Mr. Arthur Miller is no different. 

The film adaptation of Miller's Death of a Salesman is nonetheless a work of art and is a great example of literature translating into a film adaptation. Released in the mid-1980s, the film closely follows the plot of the novel and brings to life the characters we love (or hate) in the best way.

Dustin Hoffman's performance as "Willy Loman" is unbelievable. His ongoing ambition masked by his declining mental state is powerful and incredibly depressing. When reading the literary adaptation, I panned Willy as a sad, older man; broken and torn by the capitalistic systems in our country-- that still very much exist today might I add. Although, Hoffman's performance portrayed Willy farther gone and way angrier than I initially read him to be. Truthfully, his performance sparked a few panic attacks during our viewing in class as a result of all of the intense emotion and yelling-- I am triggered by louder noises and yelling. 

As for Kate Reid's performance as the loyal Mrs. Loman, I did not like her at all. While I understand Miller's approach to her character,  her presence in the film was irritating and at times felt forced. In comparison to Willy's character, Linda Loman's character felt more present and made more sense in the written adaptation versus the film. 

As for the boys, both John Malkovich as "Biff" and Stephen Lang as "Happy" had wonderful chemistry together. With the boys written as adult children, their performance was believable and made the contrast with Reid and Hoffman perfectly. Both characters and their respected actors made the film enjoyable in my opinion. Malkovich in particular was acting his pants off and I found myself weeping towards the end of the film as a result.

I have always been a fan of Miller (let's be real who hasn't?) and diving into this renowned piece of his has been rewarding in a unique way. The journey with his novel angered me, made me anxious, and made me even more upset about the working conditions in our country. Seeing the exhaustion and delusions Willy Loman faced are a reality for many today and with the everchanging world we are trudging through today  I fear I will grow into my own version of Mr. Willy Loman.  

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