Page 113 - Metropolis Megazine No.120 International

NATALIE

Natalie is the presence that re- what has not been said, and pre-
mains in the shadows for a long venting things from falling apart.
time, but she is also the one who She is also a conciliatory figure,
understands early on that, in order especially with “Uncle” Jimmy
for chaos not to collapse complete- (Oliver Platt), who invests in the
ly, someone has to stand up. Unlike restaurant. Natalie is pragmatic,
Carmy, who fled to haute cuisine, caring, and practical and rarely has
and Michael, who vanished en- room for her fragility. She acts as
tirely, Natalie chose to stay. She a counterweight to her mother's
stayed to deal with the remnants absence, a bridge between what
of her family, her memories, and has already been lost and what can
her mother. At first, she hesitates still be salvaged, but the more se-
to approach the restaurant but cure she seems, the more we realise
eventually becomes a central figu- that she too is at risk. She doesn't
re, not so much for her technique scream or implode, but she carries
but for her ability to maintain the a heavy burden—and there are mo-
balance of those around her.Her ments when her silence weighs as
role is the most unrewarding—or- heavily as the emotional noise that
ganising the invisible, resolving surrounds her.

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