Thing One and Thing Two
The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan won an Academy award for a short film in 2010. After first view, I did not think much of the film but I then read through an article written about the film. It explained many of the recurring themes that were very apparent in the movie. The movie follows a boy and a “thing” trying to find a niche in society. From being lost all throughout the movie to finally finding a role at the end.
The movie follows a citizen named Shaun who collects bottle caps. It seems that it is a unique thing about him compared to all the other bland people. He then finds a “thing.” The thing at first doesn’t seem to be active but after a few short moments hops up and begins to act like what seems to be a dog. Shaun then grows fond of the thing after time playing with it. After a while when the day began to draw to end Shaun realizes that his new friend was lost. Lost in society. Shaun then takes the thing into his home but to the dismay of his parents must find a new home for it. The new home is found for the thing in a small alley, a place that doesn’t seem fit for Shaun’s new friend. But after seeing all the other misfits in the same place the thing seemed to fit, although leaving a bittersweet taste in the mouth of the viewer. He did not belong there. He belonged by Shaun’s side in the real world.
The major recurring theme of The Lost Thing is that not all people fit into society no matter how hard they attempt to. Although the thing found a group of others who he kind of “fit” in with, it seemed weird for Shaun to give him up. The thing found where he fit in with Shaun but was forced to be with other things that didn’t fit in. I believe that one of the best themes to take from this movie is that even if you find yourself with a group of people like you, that doesn’t mean you fit in. It is better to have one true friend than having a group of fake friends. Everyone is an individual with their own thoughts and passions.