In Two Hands, Rose Byrne plays Alex, a teenage resident of Mudgee, New South Wales. While on holiday in Sydney’s Kings Cross to visit her brother, Rocket, she meets Jimmy (Heath Ledger), who sparks her interest. Alex and Jimmy’s romance blossoms over two sweltering days in 1999 and, by the end of the film, they are jetting off to the north coast together so that Jimmy can start a new life as an apprentice boat builder to Alex’s uncle. In the space of 48 hours, Alex appears to fall in love with Jimmy, despite the fact that all she knows about him is that he is a strip club tout with aspirations of working for the local crime boss. When he’s at his lowest, she offers him hope and redemption whilst never revealing her own goals or desires. Alex displays all the hallmarks of a manic pixie dream girl, but is she? Is there more to Alex than meets the eye?
Do Something
While on his way to his first job for gangster Pando, Jimmy is sidetracked by Alex, who he spots outside a Backpackers with a camera slung around her neck. She takes Jimmy’s photo, and when he takes her photo in return, he asks her to ‘do something’.
Her response can be viewed in several ways. At first, she appears blank, expressionless. Then, as we slowly dolly in towards Alex, her lips part and she is no longer an empty vessel, but a siren. At this moment, Jimmy sees her as a potential love interest rather than merely Rocket’s little sister. But look closer. Jimmy’s 'male gaze' may reduce her to an object of desire, but what she has actually done is remove her mask, revealing a depth of sadness and vulnerability. This is a damaged person who is crying out for help. Maybe it was when she heard that Jimmy had beaten Kiwi Bob in a bare knuckle boxing match, or when she saw him carefully roll a cigarette for a burly transvestite, that she realised that here was somebody who could protect her from whatever trauma she was running from in Mudgee. Here was someone who, if nudged in the right direction, might even be willing to leave his life in Kings Cross and join her as she runs away to greener pastures.
Where Ya Goin’?
Other than the occasional quirky hobby or eccentricity, one of the defining traits of the manic pixie dream girl is a lack of information regarding their interests or background. The same can be said to be true of Alex; except that she is given the opportunity to divulge this information on two occasions and chooses not to. First, when Jimmy asks her what it’s like to live in the country during their brief chat outside the Backpackers, and second, while she is literally waiting by the phone in Rocket’s apartment for Jimmy to call her. There, she is ‘cracked onto’ by Jimmy’s co-worker Les. Les is also a strip club tout who aspires to one day being ‘in’ with Pando’s crew. Les does what all men are led to believe is the right thing to do when meeting a woman (show an interest, ask questions, be a good listener). Again, Alex is reluctant to share any personal information and, as Les isn’t blessed with looks or charm, is rejected by Alex. She prefers her men to be humble, capable and good with their hands.
What About Tonight?
On her date with Jimmy, Alex displays genuine concern for his predicament. The only interest that Jimmy shows in her is whether or not she will call her uncle for a job interview. Alex’s suggestion that he speak to her uncle may seem like an act of benevolence, but it is actually a very subtle expression of Alex’s desire and agency. By manipulating Jimmy for her own agenda, she proves herself to be more than just a catalyst for male change. Alex may not be a manic pixie dream girl, yet her treatment by Jimmy relegates her to that role; a role that she willingly plays to get what she needs. She is his ticket out of the hole he’s dug for himself in Kings Cross, and he is the safety net she needs to start her life over in a new town.
Are you good with your hands? Been for a dip recently at Bondi Beach in your jocks? Done a nice job on Kiwi Bob? Then this custom design based on Heath Ledger’s tee from the final act of Two Hands might be right up your alley.
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