godisinmyskin

the fact that the entire band had changed, had aged and had moved toward their own things because they all had people with them, had each other and the support, but elwood coming out of prison looking the same because he hadn't gotten any love, hadn't been able to change or age properly because it was just him, the outside world was changing and evolving and he missed changing and evolving with it.

that's why the ending and the buildup to the battle of the bands in bb2k is so important because it shows elwood opening up, and everyone opening up around him. it shows that he can love and he is loved, that there's people who rely on him after he relied on jake so long, he's changing. by the end of the movie he's completely different: he's happy, you can feel the love in the battle of the bands scene and the way he truly doesn't want to let go of anyone again because he loves them. by the end of the movie he's not stuck with curtis's kid, the bartender and the orphan mother mary gave to him; they become their own people in his mind, they become family members and at some point in the movie during the county fair scene you can see it change from the bartender and the kid to mack and buster, and cab changes in the revival tent scene because he finds all of this stuff out and begins to process it through song afterward.

everyone in the main four have their recognition scenes in the movie, whether it be elwood sitting on that log alone and having buster hyping him up, buster listening to elwood say the same to willie in the club, cab on the phone in his office realising curtis was his father and mack realising during looking for a fox that he's good at what he does, he's a good friend.

Alan appreciation post