the most disturbing part is that so many kids grow up like this. escaping into a fantasy world where everything is normal, scared of their reality at home and scared of being like the rest of their family
That's how I was. The internet, mainly RUclips, art, and video games were my escape. Sometimes I would even dread coming home from school. My family has gotten better though, I'm doing fine.
I think she didn't eat it because her real parents (next door) didn't feed her so she danced because she got food also her parents telling her don't mind the house across the street is her saying to herself don't go through the abuse
I notice that Claire seems the calmest when she’s with her dad. With her mom, she has a look of pure terror, and with her grandpa, she appears uneasy. But with her dad? While she’s not exactly happy, her face is the most relaxed compared to how she reacts to the other adults. It’s likely that her dad is also a victim of abuse. In the flashback, we see him calling 911 while the mom is hitting him. So, while he’s not a good person by any means, it’s evident that he’s also a victim within the household. Both the grandpa and the mom are shown trying to grab Claire, but her dad doesn’t. This suggests, in my opinion, that her dad may not be physically abusive-only mentally. Meanwhile, both her mom and grandpa seem to be both physically and mentally abusive. Claire also appears to favor her dad in her imaginary world, where she portrays herself as a ‘daddy’s girl.’ In that world, her mom and grandpa rarely touch her, whereas her dad does, further supporting the idea that he isn’t physically abusive toward her. In contrast, her mom and grandpa are shown as harmful in both physical and emotional ways. *To be clear, I am by no means defending him. He is still very much in the wrong.*
The father uses childish dialogue to describe himself. Growing small etc. he says I’m still growing why is everyone hard on me. He doesn’t talk about himself as an adult so he can avoid responsibility or accountability.
her caretakers set an example for her. they indulge in their own forms of escapism so much that all she knows how to do to cope is indulge in her own escapism. a viscious cycle.
Well it's all she has. She's a child while the rest can something as an adult. The grandfather could stop smoking, the father could stop looking into mirrors and the mother could try to end her addiction. Hopefully claire can escape the cycle because she knows what she is doing. She understand what she is doing and seems to understand it's not good to do it but there's nothing else in reality yet that sees her.
But, the positive thing about it, is that while her family doesn’t realize their form of escapism, Claire/Opal does. She knows it’s not real, but her family doesn’t
I like how a running theme is, she can’t be seen, not by the grandpa, nor the dad, or the mother in her drunken state, it’s a horrifying metaphor about her being used
Some people have already mentioned this but all of the adults just want to be seen too. They were probably raised in similar households, and there's a chance that their treatment of Claire will cause her to end up the same way
I never noticed that Claire’s fake dad sweats when Clair looks at the house, and I realized that she’s in her subconscious, which means that it wasn’t her fake dad that was getting scared or stressed that was her, getting stressed even just thinking about her house. That’s actually so sad
I don't believe that's a sign of the imaginary dad sweating. It's a sign that rain is falling, falling upon the billboard, which means that Claire will have to go back inside soon. It seems that she goes outside and stares at the billboard at times, imagining a better life, but when rain starts to fall, she'll have to go back inside. Both due to not wanting to get a cold or get wet, as well as symbolically as a sort of "sweat out of fear or anxiety on her imaginary father's head", due to her having to face reality once again.
"Momma needs a baby girl to hold her hair..." So Claire isn't just being neglected, she's being parentified. The fact she seems to be the only one "taking care" of Grandpa, and that shot of someone frantically dialing a phone number, adds to this theory. She has to take care of all these selfish adults who aren't taking care of her in return.
That line also implies she had to hold her mother's hair back as she throws up from the amount of alcohol she drinks, since that's usually something someone would do for someone who needs to throw up
I believe the frantically dialing number is the dad running from an abusive mom before being disfigured (shown by the shriveling face, after) leading to his obsession with his appearance
Here's my take: the phrasing of Virtuous Cycle is key. "Momma needs a little girl to take good care" is a phrase that could be read two ways: mother caring for the child or child caring for the mother. It's pretty apparently the latter. The flashing through dialling and wine spilling coupled with the image of the mother's eyes rolling back is likely a flashback to when Claire had to call 911 due to her mother ODing on pills/alcohol poisoning.
Yeah its crazy how talented of a voice actor he is, like everyones always talking about the art music or the story but jacks voice acting is honestly top notch stuff.
I love how, when they're all banging on the door, they're all pleading for help. Pleading for an escape. They're all reliant on her, which is why its hard for her to leave
That, and the little scene that immediately follows shows her as things they're all dependant on. She's her grandfather's eyes, her father's mirror, and her mother's pills.
Each member of her family acts the exact opposite as their counterparts. The grandpa is excited to see Opal, but in the house he chases her off. The dad gives her the most attention out of all of them, but in reality barely acknowledges her as a person. And the mom is supportive, "You can do it!", but in her scene she says *"You're just as powerless as I am, Claire."*
The way her eyes were closed in the very beginning and she looked like she was concentrating really hard but also in pain until she opens her eyes to see the fake family and her face relaxes…wow Jack
and how u can see the reflection of the billboard lights in her eyes the entire time shes at the other house, but when the camera pans we see no lights and it just looks like the happy family is in a regular house(but rlly she’s just staring at a billboard the whole time). The beginning makes so much since after you watch the ending.
Another thing is this: focus on the beginning, the dad’s eyes are as the same as the one in the advertisement, so yeah, it might be her imagining things to relax during that situation. *edit: nvm, last comment pointed it out
When I first watched this, I thought the family pulling the curtains on Opal/Claire’s real house was really creepy, like the family was trapping her there, or there was a dark secret they were hiding from her. But the second watch... it’s just sad. It’s like Opal/Claire’s subconscious mind is trying to protect her from her life, trying to keep her happy for even a little while longer. This short is truly a masterpiece.
“I feel terrible for all the things… I feel terrible.” Just when you think some form of accountability will appear, the mother slashes that in half. Beautiful.
The lyric “and in our eyes you’ll stay” is actually pretty tragic when you think about it being something like “we can’t help, there’s nothing we can do except look at you and your house.” It’s almost like them apologizing that they can’t do anything and telling her that all they can do is watch as she undergoes her family’s abuse.
It's so depressing that she doesn't come up with a good line in her imagination, instead of "we love you opal!" It's just "we see you opal" she wants the bare minimum
i think it might also be linked to, just how she sees the house outside the window in the beginning, she wishes opal's/"her" family would see her from inside the billboard across the street. like she wants to believe that they Do look back at her, when she looks at them from the window.
The line could also relate to how her real family doesn’t really properly see her. Grandpa is blind, Dad is too busy focusing on himself, and mom is too drunk. So that’s why her imaginary family says they see her. Because she knows the opposite is the case for her real family.
i feel like opal is told that she's loved by her mother. her mom seems like the type to use 'loving' her daughter as part of how she manipulates her. like the whole 'i forgive you' line. she wants to be loved, really loved, but doesn't know how to ask for it. being 'loved' is such an abstract concept compared to being 'seen,' especially for a child who hasn't been loved. her motivations behind being wanting to be 'seen,' related to how her family doesn't acknowledge her aside from being a tool they can use, are probably synonymous with being loved, but she doesn't have the emotional understanding to articulate it.
None of them can see her. The grandpa is blind, the mirror man is too obsessed with himself, and the mother's vision is too poor to see her. When she is in her fantasy dreamland, they say "We see you, Opal". She just wants to be seen.
i think they can’t see claire in a literal and metaphorical way. Literally because the grandpa is blind, the dad’s vision is blocked by mirrors and the mom’s too drunk to properly see her. But metaphorical because they’re all too busy blaming the world for their problems and engaging in their bad habits to care for claire
Everything the mother says is bone chilling. I can't really attest to have grown up in an environment like the one Jack portrayed, but I know people who did and know specific people who act like the mother. All three of her authority figures are awful, but the mother takes the cake for me. Endless manipulation and a willingness to gaslight herself and her daughter to skew her worldview in her favor. It's, honestly, so gross that it hurts. Her song also shows how detestable she is. Using the one person that she is supposed to support as her own personal rock and punishing her when she doesn't.
The mother’s monologue plays in my head every few months - I’ve been thinking of Opal since its release. I dont know why this short makes me feel so strongly.
this video successfully taps into the very real human desire to nurture and protect the young, THATS why you feel so strongly, you have that innate desire to ensure the child's safety and wellbeing. as far as im concerned, those who lack this innate nurture drive are barely human, as witnessed by the "adults" in this video, they dont care, and they are seen as evil because of it (the mother is the worst offender in my opinion)
@@avery3834 Same here. Honestly, she's so realistic and disturbing to me because of how she reminds me of my own mom. (I'm out obviously, I'm an adult living on my own now)
@@at1laztheaveragefurry I mean, kinda. Like she says that she has changed and I think she did, but still she acts really aggressive and says things that I want to imagine she doesn't mean to, and I have to protect my little sister of her. So let's say I'm not as bad as back then.
I JUST REALIZED: Claire's imaginary family members have rather creepy open eyes because they are giving their full attention, 110% of it, all to her. They have the same eyes as her as well: open, attentive, wanting to communicate and understand. Her imaginary family is one that *sees* her, which is emphasized by the character design. Jack is such a genius.
Another thing, whenever she looks at her imaginary house and family, you see the 4 lights from the billboard. And when she leaves her fake house, you see the 4 lights, which then come on and startle her and make her go inside.
Child Neglect can lead to this kind of stuff. Jack truly knows how to make music while spreading awareness at the same time. Either he knows what it feels like or he’s witnessed it. Truly a masterpiece.
It is a bit worrying rhat he perfectly captures the raw emotion and experience of child abuse and neglect so well. I hope he's never had to have went through it, especially cuz he's done a couple works on it (even if some of them are more symbolic than direct).
The really sad part is that when she imagines her perfect family singing to her, they don't even say "I love you." All they say is "I see you" and "hi, Opal." She can't even think about actually being loved. Her highest dream is just to be acknowledged.
The father is so self-absorbed, and this is probably exacerbated by the abusive mother who not only seems to have had a hand in destroying his face, but probably continuously puts him down, saying such things as “nobody else will love you now, you’re lucky to still have me”
If you look in the mother’s flashback, somebody hits her while she tries to call 911, and it looks like she drops Claire on the floor while she was a baby. It was probably the father, or the grandfather.
Has no one noticed that the fantasy-mom is encouraging Claire just by picking up a burger. saying things like "you can do it!" It really shows that Claire really wants her real mother to encourage her and show her attention for once even for the most simplest things
Also, notice how the fantasy-dad is trying to get Claire not to go back to reality, and how he is obviously looking out for her, unlike her actual dad, who is self centered and only sees himself.
Something I haven't seen anyone point out yet is how in Claire's fantasy, Opal's house is one level. In reality, each party lives on their own floor and don't interact out of their narcissism; Claire wants her family to stop separating themselves.
I don't think they are all on their own floor. The grandfather is on the bottom floor, the mother and father on the second floor, and Opal is in the attic. They are all segmented into their own rooms/realities though
I think the reason that the imaginary grandpa is saying, "Hi, Opal!" because her real grandpa doesn't greet her with a, "hi." Instead he says, "Claire? Is that you? Here, I need you to bring me my cigarettes." Opal just wants a simple "Hi" instead of "bring me my cigarettes" from her grandpa.
I think there's elements of that in her imaginary mom and dad as well. Her mom says "There she is" which implies a healthier amount of space, instead of the codependency her real mom is trying to foster. And her dad says "That's my girl" which puts the focus on her instead of himself. I might be reading a bit too into it, but I'm betting their lines were all chosen hint at what it is that she's missing in her relationships with their real-world counterparts.
So I love everyone picking this apart and pointing out all of the nuances to make the picture bigger. I noticed several things nobody has pointed out yet. She doesnt eat the burger, not because she doesnt know how to, but likely because eating it would snap her out of the fantasy, shes likely very hungry from being outside all day (assuming) and pretending to eat would worsen the hunger. On the way into the house an outside light comes on, scaring her. This leads me to believe that it was the streetlight coming on, and she needed to get inside for curfew. In the 80s and 90s, the streetlight coming on meant 'go home' for the kids who were locked out of the house during the day. Knowing the streetlights on are on, she knows that the people inside are more alert and waiting for her to show up at this time. She can read the sign that says 'opals burgers', so she is school age. So she likely was outside after school, where she probably eats the only meal shes given on a daily basis. All three adults in the house are narcissistic, not just the father. They all sing about themselves and what they want/need and they all need something from the child. The grandfather thinks the people on tv are talking to him and even tells her "they fight over me like dogs". He needs her to bring his cigarettes. The father sings about the events that led to his internal vanity complex and how he now feels the need to constantly fix and alter his appearance and how he represents himself "Sorry, my brain" he says after insulting her ankles. His severe god complex muddles the trauma from his abusive wife, he thinks he needs to make himself into a god. "Creating the wold its next new Savior" is one of his last lines. He wants the child to stay and listen to his monologue and show him sympathy and pity. The mothers song is self-explaining, she had the child for emotional support and to give her (the mother) unconditional love (from the child). Sadly this is the case for many children, people have babies for very selfish reasons. The mother wants the child to stay and take the physical abuse that comes from her anger.The music coming from her room is both beautiful and horrifying at the same time, it represents her sanctuary in a hellish place. The father continues to fix the mirror back to his face, and his voice goes distorted when the mirror reflects his forehead mouth, representing the chaos in his head. The light from the window reflects in her eyes as she makes her way through the house, representing her desire to get upstairs to safety. The mother is physically abusive to both the child and the father, at the end before Claire runs upstairs the mother lunges at her. "You're just as powerless as I am Claire, see?" She doesn't imagine them saying "we love you" likely because the word hasnt been used in the proper way towards her. Maybe the word has been said in in passing, but she's never been told "I love you". So she cannot imagine them saying it to her. As someone who lived a similar life as a child, I agree with the statement that art like this is meant to comfort the disturbed. I enjoy videos and art that represent the horrors i experienced, it gives me a sense of peace to know that my suffering was not a singular experience, and to see other people be brave and confident enough to come forward and say "this is what happened to me" and to stand up for the children today who need protection. The horror-esque type of art is meant to freak you out, because our childhoods felt just like that. A nightmare that we couldnt click away from or wake up from. The escapism into fantasy worlds was our only survival tool, and many of us are still holding onto it, long into adulthood.
Love all of these details omg Also the “she didn’t know what to do with the burger” argument never really sat right with me. The “snapping her out of reality” makes a lot more sense to me
as someone who maladaptive daydreams, I never eat in them. it's such a mundane task and there is no benefit to it. all the focus is on dialog because you are basically improvising a movie in your head.
The fact that Claire has never had a burger before and ends up dancing around it because she doesnt understand what you're supposed to do with it is heartbreaking
I think it’s interesting how Claire takes the name Opal in her fantasy family instead of her actual name. It shows how she literally cannot fathom anyone showing any interest in her. She has to be someone else to be able to feel loved.
She takes the name opal based off opals diner because you can see how happy abs loving the family looks there 10:43 and the reason the song says mile away if you look closely the sign says 9 miles away.
Honestly as someone raised in an enviroment as terrifying, and getting dissociative identity disorder from it just to survive, this really shows the reality of it tbh
The reason her family says "we see you, opal" instead of something like "we love you, opal" is because she don't wants to be loved, at least the way her family does it. Her grandfather loves her, but only because she gives him his cigarretes. Her dad loves her, but only because she gives attention to him. And her mother loves her, because she uses her daughter as an escape of her horrible self. Opal has never seen true love, the only love she's ever experienced is toxic, crooked. She doesn't want to be loved, she wants to be seen as something else, not something that's just there to satisfy their awful addictions.
It's more than that too, being seen is the one thing she's not, no one sees her clearly, her grandpa is nearly blind to such an extent he can't even recognize her, her dad is constantly looking in a mirror and not at her, and her mom is so drunk and high she can't see straight
Considering the last thing Jack did for Adult Swim was essentially a lighthearted grocery store allegory for self-improvement, I didn't expect this one to rip my heart into pieces...
The first time you watch this, the horror comes from the fact that you have no idea what could be in "that house across the street." The second time you watch it, the true horror sets in from knowing exactly what's in the house. The horror of a hopeless, inescapable reality.
Notice how the dad, right after the song, tells Claire he doesn't know why they always have to talk about these things. But *they* didn't talk about anything. Claire didn't say anything. He had full control over the topic of the "conversation", yet he still blames Claire, unable to see any fault of his own, not just physically but also in his actions and he projects everything onto Claire.
Claire is less sacred of the father because she knows that he will not lay a hand on her, but she is still visibly upset and uncomfortable when he starts talking. I noticed that when she speaks with her grandfather and mother she is terrified and stays scared through out their whole interaction. But with her father she is able to relax slightly. The father is a narcissist. He is obsessed with how he looks. He sees the world literally revolving around him. In his song he calls him self a god. He couldn’t handle being rejected. He controlled the conversation. He guilt trips her into talking with him. He says things like “I actually look really good in that glad I don’t have your ankles tho” he could not just say hay I like your outfit today but instead had to give himself a compliment while also putting Claire down. He also blamed Claire when he broke his mirror saying “ you know how that makes me feel”.
there are many other examples of narcissism in her short interaction with her father. She has no safe adult or person that she can turn to for comfort or support. My heart breaks for her and all the other children who are or have gone through this.
In Opal’s real life, her mother sings about needing a mama’s girl, but in her imagination, she’s a daddy’s girl instead. The attention to detail here is on another level.
Her father is probably the most "funcional".. he's not addicted to any fisical drug, and while the grandfather screamed at her to give him his cigarattes and her mother vented about how she (Opal/Claire) "didn't love her enough" (despite the fact it was her who was neglecting her daughter) and went as far as to attack her fisically when she grabbed her by the ankle. So I think out of everyone the father, though still abusive and neglectful, is the one Opal/Claire is the least scared of.
Interesting bit of symbolism here, maybe I'm reaching too far but: In her real house, she's only ever going up the stairs while she's running away from something. My guess that she associates running up the stairs with fleeing her family members to get to her "safe" place in the attic. In her dream house, it's a single story building, and her room is on the ground floor. She doesn't need to run from anyone, the entire house is her safe space.
wow, every time i come back to watch this I check the comment section for new takes and theories, and this is the first new one I've seen in a while and is absolutely fantastic
This doesn't necessarily contradict your theory, but I heard that Jack Stauber at one point clarified that the eery/heavenly music coming from the attic is the sound of Claire's crying and the reason Opal is running towards the sound is because she is worried that someone is in distress and she wants to help them. The fact that it turns out that it is her in distress, and that the only person there who cares enough to try to help is herself is just... heartbreaking.
“You’re just as powerless as I am, Claire. See?” As the mother went to reach for the bottle is so well crafted. The mother actively pushing Claire down to a sense of being equal or even lesser than her (the mother) is such a good captivation on how people who only see their own struggles push down others to make them feel better. It was the complete opposite for the dad, who was framing himself as the victim and constantly used the term “little” to refer to himself, blaming Claire for being so mean/mad at him for know reason (since he is a “growing thing”)
I also wanna point out the size of each character’s eyes. The imaginary family has big eyes making it easier to ‘see’ Claire, whereas her real family has small eyes in relation to Claire, not only meaning they don’t ‘see’ her as much but also creating a less innocent look for them. Perhaps Claire has big eyes because she wants to ‘see’ her family and to connect with them. Honestly this is one of the saddest yet best things Jack Stauber has created imo because there’s so much detail to pick apart
They all literally can't see her, as well. The grandpa is blind, and treats her more as someone who brings him his smokes. The father stares eternally into his mirrors, avoiding eye contact with everyone, only ever being able to see that their ankles are passing by. The mother is so hopped up on booze and what I assume to be painkillers, she can't see straight, though she does at least look at Claire's general direction, I suppose.
The family likely has smaller eyes to represent how they see nothing of Clair, and more importantly their actions to Clair. Whilst in contrast Clair is obviously effected more by their actions so she has bigger eyes. Honestly it could mean anything, smaller eyes are more realistic whilst bigger eyes look fake and cartoony, big eyes can represent innocence, or Clair is unblinded by the various things that have blinded the others from realising their actions (apart from actually being blind of course)
You don't think that maybe in an animation like THIS it's not just standard character design? I take it to mean that Claire is forced to see all the horrible things happening around/to her. She literally has to scrunch up her entire face to get away from what she's witness to, symbolizing how much effort it takes for her to shut out the world and escape to her own.
There’s every chance that Claire is just emaciated through her family’s ignorance of her and their own selfish desires . Not knowing how a hamburger works is a pretty big sign … again tho it may just be contrast as Claire may be the only person in the “home” with ability to see past themselves , sad that it only propels the cycle of delusion that seems to prevail there and retreat to a world where she’s noticed .
The fact that claires dream family say "we see you" instead of "we love you" probably means she doesn't even know what love is because of the amount of neglect she suffered so the closest thing she knows to love is attention. While that is an incredible detail, it is equally sad as it is incredible
The more i payed attention to this lovely little video created by a genius called jack stauber, the more I realized that Claire’s dream family sort of, ‘fixes’ what makes her uncomfortable about her real family. 1. Her grandfather in real life talks in a very low and kind of unsettling voice, so her dream grandfather almost never talks, and when he does talk, he just sounds like a nice old man. 2. Her dream dad seems to pay the most attention to her because in reality, her dad only pays attention to himself and doesn’t give a darn about his kid unless he wants to put her down so he can give himself a little self-esteem boost. 3. Her mother in reality abuses her a lot, so in her dream, the mother has her hands behind her back most of the time so that Claire can feel safe. I know I didn’t have to comment all this, but I just wanted to point some little things. And thanks for reading all of this.
"You're just as powerless as I am, Claire" the only thing more painful than seeing a parent be so helpless is knowing that you joined them in their victim complex during your formative years.
And the fact that she was trying to make it seem like Claire should be taking care of her instead! Ma'am, that is your child! If she couldn't handle taking care of her child without developing a victim complex and projecting it onto said child, she shouldn't have children. Claire needs to be taken away from that household.
It’s a wonder how much of a masterpiece this is. It’s not just that it captures atmosphere and visualization perfectly, it’s that when you watch this it’s disturbing and utterly frustrating. I remember seeing this as a teenager on adult swim. It was terrifying, but I didn’t write it off as horror, I can remember sitting there and wanting with every fiber of my being to rescue her. There’s so many people stuck in situations like this or even worse. Beautiful reminder that you should always be watching out for the signs. The visuals do such a good job of furthering to the viewer that this scenario itself is sickening. It’s just amazing that this piece of art was running where it did.
Sorry I know this was like a week ago but I think it's "Where are you going?! You know how this makes me feel!!" It's so so sad Claire has to deal with all these mentally ill adults😕
Mine is when the mom keeps "forgiving" for her daughter being inconsiderate or trauma dumping to her. I relate to that so much. My mom kept wanting to be my best friend. (Therapist)
Someone pointed out a heartbreaking fact that in her fantasized opening Claire is so starved she can't even imagine what a hamburger tastes like, which is why she just dances on the plate, because she doesn't know what to do with it.
@@WesleyjVideos the way I understand it the sequence at the beginning is actually a dream and the other house is reality. I think her real name is actually claire
That's... Not really her crying that's just her focusing so she can imagine them again... (Judging from how she does something the same near the end she prolly has done this plenty before)
This is unbelievably terrifying, and not because the art is creepy, but because it's a meta truth that constitutes so many people's reality. It's terrifying that it's common and many don't escape
It’s sad hearing the grandpa say “It’s evil to help people who don’t need help” clearly implying he doesn’t see his situation as a problem, even when Claire hides his cigarettes to try and get him to stop.
Id assume he knows its a problem (His whole song is about wanting to breath properly). Every smoker these days knows. But at his age and condition (coughing blood right after that quote) he knows quitting will not save him. The irony is, he does need help to smoke (just not to quit). So evil if you do, evil if you don't help sort of situation. Very realistic.
i think he just knows that it's already too late to stop, his condition is already really bad so he smokes because it cant get any worse i think that each member of the family was also neglected or abused in some way and that they need claire to be their emotional support wich is something that happens really often
"Just like these people on television, Claire, you're far more interested in me than anything you've got going on" He denies his real need for help so much that he even stabs back at Claire, telling her she is interfering with him, while she really just intends to help him get off of his fatal habit. She's trying to help him, but he's in denial and rejects her help by gaslighting her. She knows that nobody else will help him and he's basically forcing her to surrender him to his tragic demise. And in the end, she will probably be blamed all over again.
I think he may have also been referring to the other family members as they aren't physically unable to move as badly as him. He can't see due to blindness while the others could see if they moved the mirror or stopped taking drugs
@@yotus5918 Another interesting aspect may be, because of his blindness (perhaps from birth), he is not aware of Clair's daydreaming or malnourishment at all. This makes the story even more dark when you try to pinpoint who is responsible for Clair's condition. Considering how the father only wants to be seen (just like Clair), it may be safe to assume the dads' father is the blind grandpa. I may be reading between the lines to much... But that may also explain why he remains in the abusive relationship at the cost of his daughters wellbeing.
this film hits so hard. the worst part is that she didn't even make her DREAM parents say "we love you" she made them say "we see you" she wanted the very bare minimum
I like how the grandpa and mother songs both seem to be spur-of-the-moment but the father's song is clearly prepared and recorded. It's a nice detail about what a narcissist he is.
I just realized that the reprise of "We see you, Opal" is louder and more intense than at the beginning, possibly indicating that Claire is retreating even deeper into her fantasy world, not simply returning to it.
idk what you mean louder, but notice how burgers are spinning in the air for no reason? This is a similar indication. The burger imagery is focused on too much, to the point where it looks distracting, and forced, reflecting how Opal is forcing herself to focus on the fantasy, trying to distract herself.
It's also not her first time in this fantasy, as the first time we see her imaginary family, is after she's grimacing (0:52), suggesting she just had a bad experience with her real family. We see it a second time at 11:22
@@bobygreen8429In fact, if you look at the first “We see you Opal” You see the billboard lights, and the second one conceals it as she tries to hide from the fact it”s just a billboard.
The line “Hi, Opal!” really hits hard when you understand the context. Claire is fantasizing about her grandfather saying “hi” to her. And this is enough to get her excited. That is just horrifying.
Same with "there she is". She craves the attention, not the love because she has no concept on what it truly is and the more i think about every little detail the more i wanna bawl
@@fortnite5205 That's what people say to small babies, too. I think Opal is so young she barely understands anything around her and it just makes this so much worse.
In the beginning at the nice house, they constantly call her opal and divert her attention from her actual house, meaning she has a very prominent desire to be someone else entirely as she cant imagine herself being happy
The father also starts sweating when she stares at the house, probably her knowing she'll have to go back or that she is afraid and even her fantasies don't want her to go
Haven’t seen anyone mention this but if u look at the scenes where she’s day dreaming about the family on the billboard, u can actually see the reflection of the 4 lights in her eyes, showing she’s really just staring at the billboard. Crazy attention to detail
I haven't seen someone mention this but, in the beginning, "Opal" (Claire) 's face is twisted into an expression of fear and confusion for a split second, then turning into an expression of neutral happiness. During the end, Claire's face is twisted into the same fearful expression, then once again turning into one of content and joy. This symbolizes the cycle that Claire goes through everyday if not, often. Also, at the end, the mother closes the curtains, symbolizing that Claire has succumbed to her imaginary world once again.
The mom really hits hard for me. The way she talks about wanting to take care of a child really to only make herself feel better and how she objectifies the child is probably the most horrifying part for me
I'm not sure if it was how Jack intended but when the imaginary family is singing, they're singing in harmony. I interpreted it as how she was longing for harmony in her real family, and would be her ideal deepest wish. This is honestly a masterpiece. Big props to Jack!
Interesting interpretation. Cause the house where she is hearing a female voice singing mournfully, it draws her attention, that's HER voice. She just sits there while this fantasy family is singing while her real voice calls out from the attic of the house. That's the voiceless child. The invisible child. The one the family never sees. "We see you, Opal. Your troubles are miles away!"
Something I haven't seen in the comments yet that I think needs to be pointed out. Claire is EXTREMELY thin compared to Opal. Showing that her neglect is that extreme, that she isn't eating enough. Opal, in this fucked up universe, is an example of a healthy child (burger aside)
Arguably, burger's aren't inherently unhealthy, just the vast majority of them and if eaten on a regular basis. Presumably a non-abusive family would let their kid eat more than one thing.
Well it's a child's fantasy. Claire longs to have a family that sees her and feeds her yummy food. Children don't dream of grilled chicken and broccoli.
@@ReemTahir i think that the burger represents ANY food. Opal/Claire might not even know what does ‘not-so delicious’ food stuff is and doesn’t appear to have any opinion on that…
Something a lot of people overlook is the double meaning behind "and in our eyes you'll stay". When its said in the first song, its a comforting line, meaning that the family will always see Opal. But when its said in the last line, its much more creepy, because the family on the Billboard is looking at Claire in her house, saying that she will stay in her abusive household, staring at that billboard wishfully.
Also, this detail probably doesn’t matter and wasn’t intentional, but At the end when the grandpa takes off his glasses, his eye are replaced with Opal/Claire. So at the start it is meant metaphorically, while at the end it’s literal. Doesn’t matter, just thought it was a cool detail
I agree! Phrases that have double meaning or interpretations are all the more unsettling when used in horror. “We see you,” a statement of validation and acknowledgment and then, “We see you,” a threat, a warning, it also echos the paranoid thoughts of people with mental illness! Either way, it’s a excellent play on words!
It's also really sad that the whole "we see you, opal" line isn't just in the metaphorical sense but it's literal as well, the grandfather is blind, the father is too busy looking at himself and the mother can't see in her drunken/drugged state
I think another thing is that at first you think it’s weird that they say “we see you”. Why not say “we love you”? But I feel like the word love is used so much in toxic relationships that Opal doesn’t want to be loved in the way her family shows love. She wants to be seen for who she is rather than “loved”.
You can see 4 lights visible on Claire's eyes at 0:54 the lights are present during the entirety of Claire's dream. The lights are the billboard lights. And you can see how the rest of the dream family doesn't have it. The lights disappear when claire steps into the real house and reappear at 10:39 when she looks at the billboard. The lights are also seen at 1:00
I like how Claire wants to be seen, but all of her real family has a seeing problem. The grandpa’s blind, they father only pays attention to himself and not Claire, and the mother only sees herself in Claire and nothing more.
another detail I'd like to add is when we see a glimpse of the mother's vision everything is, blurry. like she can't properly concentrate on a specific thing and it just appears dizzy
I just wanted to highlight how on point the mothers dialogue was. The way she rambles on about something, then looses track of her sentences, the immediately just picks up with a different topic is just so on point to how an actual drunk/high person would talk. The way she slurs her words. And especially the way her voice is distorted and unnerving just adds a whole new level to the whole scene. Especially which the way she said “We don’t live Claire, we survive”. Brilliantly dark.
i really agree with this comment because it reminded me so much of my alcoholic dad who would always ramble on and say those kinds of things the mother did it was kinda scary.
also how she's just talking about herself, how SHES doing how SHE feels. when she DOES address clair she puts "I" or "me" in the same sentence too. my favorite part was "I feel terrible for all the things... i feel terrible." she doesn't blame herself for anything and doesn't apologize to anyone. jack's way too good at this.
As someone who escaped some childhood issues through constant daydreaming to the point of delusion for years, I interpreted “we see you Opal” differently. Yes, it is in part that she isn’t really seen by her family (grandpa is literally blind, dad is staring at mirrors, & mom is too drunk and blurry eyed to see anything clearly), and she wants them to just see her, notice her, and see her pain as well…. In part it also feels like she feels as if the people on the billboard are almost gods, or guardian angels, sent to protect her. “We see you” as in, we are watching over you. We’ve got you in our hands. Nobody can hurt you when we see you. Hence why they are SO protective of her in her imagination.
I like how the music subtly reflects how Claire views each of her family members. The Grandpa’s song is low, and builds tension, almost like something you’d hear in a horror film, reflecting how Claire is constantly on edge around him. Any wrong move could cause an outburst. The father’s song is a gentle music box, calming but also unnerving. It shows how Claire feels uncomfortable, but certainly sees him as the “safest” out of the others. The mom’s is wavered and unclear, it’s tilted just like her vision, as a result of all the drugs and alcohol. But her encounter starts with a large, horrific stinger. Claire knows of her mother’s unstable behavior, and feels nothing but unsafe in her presence. She doesn’t know if an interaction with her mom will make her miserable, or leave scars. At least that’s my interpretation.
this film is about child neglect and the family she went to is actually her own, Grandpa uses her for his own use, dad is a narcissist who only cares only about himself, mom is an alcoholic who only wants Claire/Opal to look after her. She is now mentally unstable and is hallucinating her imaginary family which is the one on the billboard and at the beginning. There was only one house, to begin with
I love how when Claire is in her imaginary home, the four lights from the billboard are constantly being reflected in her eyes. The details in this are fantastic
I really relate to this short. I lived in an abusive household for most of my childhood. Things have only just now become more stable at home. After my abuser left. I used to watch cartoons and imagine myself in the families on TV to distract myself from the hell I was living. So, I really do relate to Claire.
This is such an excellent subversion of horror tropes. We have the child protagonist who is forbidden to go into the scary house, but goes anyway because they think someone needs help. The people in the house are all potentially dangerous and mentally unstable, especially if they were to find out that Opal is an intruder. But we know that she's not an intruder. These people aren't violent strangers, they're her family. They aren't mistaking her for Claire, she IS Claire. And that's even more terrifying and sad.
@@Abbanellie maybe because they’re grateful for growing up in a relatively stable home? not every child gets that opportunity and they acknowledge that by saying that it’s horrifying that some children get that treatment in the first place.
That line from the mom before she went for Claire shocked me. “You’re just as powerless as I am Claire, see?” And then proceeding to try and hurt Claire to make herself feel like she has some sense of control. Extremely well made.
Opals family give her no attention. They can't see her, Her grandpa can’t see her because he is blind and obsessed with the tv, her dad is obsessed with himself and can’t see her because of the mirrors, and her mom is obsessed with alchohol and can’t see her because she’s drunk. The reason why she thinks of the Opals Burgers sign as her family is because they are the only ones who look at her, who can see her. Everyone has their escape from reality and opals is the burger sign.
For people who didn't watch to the very last second: Opal's house doesn't exist, Opal doesn't exist, this is Claire. Opal is a fictional character created for a burger ad, an idealized family situation that Claire looks to for comfort. There never was an Opal.
Something that my dad pointed out is that in the beginning she isn't walking into her house from the imaginary house, she's walking over from the billboard. She actually walks over and hangs out at the billboard to escape her house.
Makes me feel like this is her everyday life. She's allowed outside because they don't care what she does, but she has to come home eventually, even though she puts it off.
Not narcissistic, I think he’s something else. Narcissism is where you see yourself so highly you only see yourself. What he’s experiencing is about the exact opposite.
@@melified This is incorrect. There are many narcissists who have intense self-loathing issues. It's not necessarily having such a high opinion of yourself. While narcissistic tendencies are a natural part of the human psyche, a narcissist is someone who obsesses over their own self at the behest of others. For example, a narcissistic parent will subconsciously see their child as an extension of themselves. What's good for them is good for the kid, what they want is what the kid needs and the kid expressing their own will is then a personal attack on the parent.
Tbh when I heard the mother say “I forgive every one of you, every night. It’s a virtuous cycle.” It hit too close to home because lots of mothers think of themselves as saviors just because they brought a child into this world, even if they verbally and physically abuse that child. They think they are entitled to love and respect just because they think of themselves as a savior. My mom acts like that all the time so that scene really resonated with me.
Is so heartbreaking to me how she doesn't imagine her "family" doing or saying anything, just "we see you". She just needs to be seen, to be acknowledged. And taken care of, obviously.
Claire seems to be developing a torn feeling about being seen too - in that last snippet before she screams and escapes into her head, she's very much disturbed by the prospect of being legitimately interacted with by her abusers, in spite of her longing. she knows that even if she was understood, she couldn't possibly trust her family with her personhood when they have such a hard time trusting themselves with _themselves._ as "claire", she's crystal clear, laid bare and vulnerable to the people around her. as "opal", she's opaque, her identity for no onlooker to understand. ...perhaps not even for herself to understand.
As someone who grew up like this, and even now continues to shoulder the brunt of it in an attempt to ease the experience for my two younger brothers, this was a brutal film, in the best way. To hear the same words and sentiments repeated here that I have listened to daily for years was surreal. And if you, like me, have been or continue to remain in this situation, no matter the cause, I want you to know this. You are not alone. I know what you're going through. I see you, I feel your agony. It's going to be okay. Outside of the house, be kind. Be kind, work hard, and above all else hold tight to your own integrity. People will take notice and work to help you, even if you don't know it. That's how I got my dream job, working at the historical museum in my town. I never imagined it'd be as amazing as it is, but there couldn't be a more tailor-made job to fit my specific set of skills. I don't say that to brag, I say it as an example that above the neglect, above the abuse, there is still hope. Just hold on a little bit longer, kiddo. It's going to be okay.
I love that whenever shes in escape mode, her eyes have the four shiny dots that match with the four lights on the billboard, to signify that shes staring at the billboard and is in fantasy mode.
It’s also a cool detail at the start the dad makes the same face as the billboard, signifying Claire trying to bring him to life in her head 0:49 10:44
When her mom said, "Have you decided to be a person today?" I'm assuming Claire never really comes out of the attic because she's always in her imaginary world so that might be the reason she didn't really recall where she was at first because she spends most of her time in the dream world. It's really sad.
@@funktastic511 Yes! I agree! To expound, personal hygiene and self-maintenance is one of the biggest indicators of mental state of mind/well-being. When you’re depressed, you neglect your hygiene and you “smell different” than you normally would, and also you begin you withdraw from and avoid your reality as much as you can because it too much to handle. I often think of it as a wounded animal retreating to a cave.
It's sad they're all blaming her constantly :( "It's evil to help people who don't need help" "you could spare me a little time, you act like I'm a complete stranger" "you should be more considerate obviously, but I forgive you"
Like @JoshRamirez says the mother physically abused him a lot eventually ending him up like that forcing himself into the reflection chamber trying to fix himself you can see in the mothers flashbacks the father calling 911 and when the very moment his face becomes that distorted
I think the way the dad is depicted at first is maybe how he sees himself but this is how Claire views him. It'd certainly make even more sense why the dad is so vehemently into perfecting his face in particular.
"We see you, Opal. Your troubles are miles away." This is an interesting line in the song, because if you look closely at the billboard, Opal's Burgers is 9 miles from Claire's house. So if Claire ever goes to this restaurant, then her "troubles" (her abusive home) would *literally* be miles away.
"and in our eyes you'll stay" this is literally like the imaginary family saying, we won't treat you like your real family does, we'll always be here for you. but what if they're also saying, we see the problems that you're facing, claire, and we can't help you. you know nobody can. BUT since the billboard family can't move thier eyes, they are literally always watching claire and the house
she needs the comforting thought that she’s not alone, and there will be always someone (or rather something) watching her forever. she wants to know that someone “good” will always be watching her, no matter how mentally damaged she gets everyday by the “bad guys” (her real family)
Damn and they said keep your attention away from that room. She really just looks at that all day and imagines her life if she was in the posters family.
Also her real family can't see her properly. The grandfather is blind, the father won't look at anything other than his reflection, and the mother's vision is perpetually blurred, whereas the billboard can't look at anything but Claire
it’s crazy how jack’s managed to so accurately portray a child in an abusive household, and how even though emotional abuse doesn’t leave marks, it scars just as badly as a beating. as someone who was abused as a child for 8 years, it feels nice to finally be represented in something like this.. my dad’s quite similar to the mirror man, actually.
This one broke me ngl I ugly cried, it hit too close to home for me. Honestly we need more films like this raising awareness for these issues at the very least it will be something that sticks with people on make for interesting and important conversations about topics like this. It also makes people who have experienced stuff like this first hand feel less alone and validated knowing that there’s people out there that can understand their pain. I grew up emotionally and physically and sexually abused pretty much the only time my birth parents would even bother to pay attention to me or my sister would be to abuse use in some shape or form, the neglect traumatized me the most through the abuse was pretty traumatic especially when I was forced to watch my parents SA my sister in front of me and my sister was forced to watch my parents SA me too both of us just being children and not knowing how to stop it I would desperately try to defend my sister every time I was forced to watch her get SA’d but I was helpless to stop it was literally locked in different room. The neglect would go on for years and even days just my parents and my entire family acting as if we don’t exist even as we desperately tried to get their attention they would just ignore us completely and deny us of food and water we where treated like an unwanted dog. Than we they decided to pay attention to us it would all be cruel trick so they could abuse us in some way. We treated like slaves and we didn’t even have a bedroom we where forced to sleep on the floor in the basement if my parents where feeling “ nice “ but mostly we where forced to sleep on the floor of the garage. I would get made fun of and bullied in school for my sickly appearance due to neglect and abuse my body was covered in infected cuts, welts, I have internal tearing too due to sexual abuse, I was extremely malnourished and pale due to lack of food and water I looked like a walking corpse, my teachers said looking into my eyes was absolutely heart breaking because they could see the pain in my eyes and also the emptiness in my eyes too. Later one I ended running away from home and getting involved with the street life I felt safer on the streets than I did at home and I ended getting involved with the wrong crowd which resulted in me getting into legal trouble at a young age I didn’t understand the severity of what I was doing and the only reason why I did it was because those people provided me with food, attention and protection. CPS got called on my parents and we got taken away from my parents and ended up in the foster care system where we where further abused and once again I coped with the abuse by running away and getting involved with street criminals. Eventually me and my sister did find our forever home and we where actually adopted by my mom’s sister who has a restraining order against both my parents because when they where younger my mother used to abuse her sister and my mother and father pretty much tormented my aunt to near insanity and she had to be hospitalized from how intense the harassment was against her and her husband. My aunt took good care of us and lead us down the right path she was the only person in me and my sister’s life who even bothered to show us any compassion and sympathy my aunt also felt guilt for not acting on her instincts sooner. I’m 23 now and I’m doing much better and live a productive life and also I volunteer at a shelter for abused children too and help lead them down a better path because no child should ever have to experience what me and my sister experienced in our childhood. It breaks my heart that there are so many children out there how have been through similar or even worse than what me and my sister been through and their stories will never be heard.
the most disturbing part is that so many kids grow up like this. escaping into a fantasy world where everything is normal, scared of their reality at home and scared of being like the rest of their family
@SnapBack That's sad
I hope your ok though!
This do be my life rn
you guys are more than your blood 💕
That's how I was. The internet, mainly RUclips, art, and video games were my escape. Sometimes I would even dread coming home from school. My family has gotten better though, I'm doing fine.
@@Tsumera2038 oof same
When you realize she never even takes a bite of the burger because she can't imagine what it tastes like. She has no clue, just what it represents.
Well she can only go off of what the billboard displays. This is her interpretation of what Opal and the others are doing with the burgers.
Idk it's more likely she's dancing with excitement and joy not that she doesn't know what to do with a burger.
I think she doesn't eat it and dances instead, because the real parents don't feed her properly.
Yea from the breakdowns i've seen of this she danced cuz she didn't know what to do with it, so she just dances
I think she didn't eat it because her real parents (next door) didn't feed her so she danced because she got food also her parents telling her don't mind the house across the street is her saying to herself don't go through the abuse
"My child is fine"
Your child found a better family in a fast food advertisement.
Holy shit
ROASTED
@@peanutdrip1107 over an open flame
This is gonna be next big comment
OH SHIT I JUST NOTICED THAT 😭
I notice that Claire seems the calmest when she’s with her dad. With her mom, she has a look of pure terror, and with her grandpa, she appears uneasy. But with her dad? While she’s not exactly happy, her face is the most relaxed compared to how she reacts to the other adults.
It’s likely that her dad is also a victim of abuse. In the flashback, we see him calling 911 while the mom is hitting him. So, while he’s not a good person by any means, it’s evident that he’s also a victim within the household.
Both the grandpa and the mom are shown trying to grab Claire, but her dad doesn’t. This suggests, in my opinion, that her dad may not be physically abusive-only mentally. Meanwhile, both her mom and grandpa seem to be both physically and mentally abusive. Claire also appears to favor her dad in her imaginary world, where she portrays herself as a ‘daddy’s girl.’ In that world, her mom and grandpa rarely touch her, whereas her dad does, further supporting the idea that he isn’t physically abusive toward her. In contrast, her mom and grandpa are shown as harmful in both physical and emotional ways.
*To be clear, I am by no means defending him. He is still very much in the wrong.*
kudos to you for finding that out, i did too!
It's sad. Her dad could of saved her but now he's too mentally damaged to.
i like this interpretation
Neglect Vs active abuse ig
Her dad is so focused on his appearance because of the mother disfiguring him during that attack maybe?
The father uses childish dialogue to describe himself. Growing small etc. he says I’m still growing why is everyone hard on me. He doesn’t talk about himself as an adult so he can avoid responsibility or accountability.
also shows that he projects himself and his personality onto his child.
narcissism❤
He’s immature and must be in a regressive state of mind
Hes childish because that's her brother and a teenager/young adult not the father
@@TheUltravault i doubt that would be the brother... Claire's dream family is a direct parallel to that of her real one.
her caretakers set an example for her. they indulge in their own forms of escapism so much that all she knows how to do to cope is indulge in her own escapism. a viscious cycle.
damn
ooao nice catch
Whoa, you're right.
Well it's all she has. She's a child while the rest can something as an adult. The grandfather could stop smoking, the father could stop looking into mirrors and the mother could try to end her addiction. Hopefully claire can escape the cycle because she knows what she is doing. She understand what she is doing and seems to understand it's not good to do it but there's nothing else in reality yet that sees her.
But, the positive thing about it, is that while her family doesn’t realize their form of escapism, Claire/Opal does. She knows it’s not real, but her family doesn’t
I like how a running theme is, she can’t be seen, not by the grandpa, nor the dad, or the mother in her drunken state, it’s a horrifying metaphor about her being used
Some people have already mentioned this but all of the adults just want to be seen too. They were probably raised in similar households, and there's a chance that their treatment of Claire will cause her to end up the same way
Right? And the song in the beginning is all "we see you, opal",, but in reality- they don't at all
that is why "we see you, opal"
the fact that the only song the imaginary/fake family sings is “we see you, Opal” really shows how all she really wants is to be seen
I still can't believe Jack Stauber is only 24 and making these incredible shorts.
I never noticed that Claire’s fake dad sweats when Clair looks at the house, and I realized that she’s in her subconscious, which means that it wasn’t her fake dad that was getting scared or stressed that was her, getting stressed even just thinking about her house. That’s actually so sad
I don't believe that's a sign of the imaginary dad sweating. It's a sign that rain is falling, falling upon the billboard, which means that Claire will have to go back inside soon. It seems that she goes outside and stares at the billboard at times, imagining a better life, but when rain starts to fall, she'll have to go back inside. Both due to not wanting to get a cold or get wet, as well as symbolically as a sort of "sweat out of fear or anxiety on her imaginary father's head", due to her having to face reality once again.
@@JesusarossI think it’s both!
"Momma needs a baby girl to hold her hair..."
So Claire isn't just being neglected, she's being parentified. The fact she seems to be the only one "taking care" of Grandpa, and that shot of someone frantically dialing a phone number, adds to this theory. She has to take care of all these selfish adults who aren't taking care of her in return.
That line also implies she had to hold her mother's hair back as she throws up from the amount of alcohol she drinks, since that's usually something someone would do for someone who needs to throw up
I believe the frantically dialing number is the dad running from an abusive mom before being disfigured (shown by the shriveling face, after) leading to his obsession with his appearance
The number being dialed is 911
Here's my take: the phrasing of Virtuous Cycle is key. "Momma needs a little girl to take good care" is a phrase that could be read two ways: mother caring for the child or child caring for the mother. It's pretty apparently the latter. The flashing through dialling and wine spilling coupled with the image of the mother's eyes rolling back is likely a flashback to when Claire had to call 911 due to her mother ODing on pills/alcohol poisoning.
@@blushbb. I’m so sorry for you❤️
i can't believe that jack voiced every single character in this short. it's kind of obvious, but it's weird to think about.
Yeah its crazy how talented of a voice actor he is, like everyones always talking about the art music or the story but jacks voice acting is honestly top notch stuff.
I'm wondering how he did real grandpas voice
@@denisowiczak3499 he changed it a bit
@@denisowiczak3499 computer editing.
wait even the lip people
I love how, when they're all banging on the door, they're all pleading for help. Pleading for an escape. They're all reliant on her, which is why its hard for her to leave
Nah, it’s hard for her to leave because she’s in the middle of nowhere and doesn’t know how to leave. Not cuz she has a responsibility to her family.
@@acidicali7776 It's deeper than that yo
@@comradeq2493 my comment doesn’t make it any less deep. It’s just my interpretation vs their interpretation
That, and the little scene that immediately follows shows her as things they're all dependant on.
She's her grandfather's eyes, her father's mirror, and her mother's pills.
huh
Each member of her family acts the exact opposite as their counterparts.
The grandpa is excited to see Opal, but in the house he chases her off.
The dad gives her the most attention out of all of them, but in reality barely acknowledges her as a person.
And the mom is supportive, "You can do it!", but in her scene she says *"You're just as powerless as I am, Claire."*
Hi Opal!
excellent observation
" H I. O P A L ! 👴👴👴"
@@FatalError178 Hi Opal!
“There she is!”
“That’s my girl!”
*hi opal*
The way her eyes were closed in the very beginning and she looked like she was concentrating really hard but also in pain until she opens her eyes to see the fake family and her face relaxes…wow Jack
and how u can see the reflection of the billboard lights in her eyes the entire time shes at the other house, but when the camera pans we see no lights and it just looks like the happy family is in a regular house(but rlly she’s just staring at a billboard the whole time). The beginning makes so much since after you watch the ending.
@@raaychiel_2222omg I did not even notice that…the foreshadowing done here is so good
And the whole movie starts with the fantasy dad's face frozen in that smile from the billboard until it comes to life and looks at Claire
Another thing is this: focus on the beginning, the dad’s eyes are as the same as the one in the advertisement, so yeah, it might be her imagining things to relax during that situation.
*edit: nvm, last comment pointed it out
Exactly, it’s a loop
When I first watched this, I thought the family pulling the curtains on Opal/Claire’s real house was really creepy, like the family was trapping her there, or there was a dark secret they were hiding from her. But the second watch... it’s just sad. It’s like Opal/Claire’s subconscious mind is trying to protect her from her life, trying to keep her happy for even a little while longer. This short is truly a masterpiece.
Same
The worst part is when she's about to eat the burger she gets on the plate as if she's never even had one before and can't imagine the taste it has
@@masonl.4275 or doesn't know she's supposed to eat it
this is lowkey similar to the plot of the binding of isaac lmaoo
It really is
“I feel terrible for all the things… I feel terrible.”
Just when you think some form of accountability will appear, the mother slashes that in half. Beautiful.
Narcissism is just like a little game. It's pitiful and repulsive.
She then half acknowledges her by including both of them as if they’re both innocent parties suffering equally
@@MindOverMoodClaire doesn’t deserve it, the mom did it to herself
"Oops, I almost tought about someone else than myself"
Collen Balliger but creepy
The lyric “and in our eyes you’ll stay” is actually pretty tragic when you think about it being something like “we can’t help, there’s nothing we can do except look at you and your house.” It’s almost like them apologizing that they can’t do anything and telling her that all they can do is watch as she undergoes her family’s abuse.
To me it’s more obvious that they’re not saying in our *hearts* you’ll stay instead, more of what one would expect. She can’t imagine love.
It's so depressing that she doesn't come up with a good line in her imagination, instead of "we love you opal!" It's just "we see you opal" she wants the bare minimum
This. I felt this hard.
i think it might also be linked to, just how she sees the house outside the window in the beginning, she wishes opal's/"her" family would see her from inside the billboard across the street.
like she wants to believe that they Do look back at her, when she looks at them from the window.
The line could also relate to how her real family doesn’t really properly see her. Grandpa is blind, Dad is too busy focusing on himself, and mom is too drunk. So that’s why her imaginary family says they see her. Because she knows the opposite is the case for her real family.
Sometimes I find people saying:"I see you" is another way of saying, "I see you. I understand you and your struggles."
i feel like opal is told that she's loved by her mother. her mom seems like the type to use 'loving' her daughter as part of how she manipulates her. like the whole 'i forgive you' line. she wants to be loved, really loved, but doesn't know how to ask for it. being 'loved' is such an abstract concept compared to being 'seen,' especially for a child who hasn't been loved. her motivations behind being wanting to be 'seen,' related to how her family doesn't acknowledge her aside from being a tool they can use, are probably synonymous with being loved, but she doesn't have the emotional understanding to articulate it.
None of them can see her. The grandpa is blind, the mirror man is too obsessed with himself, and the mother's vision is too poor to see her. When she is in her fantasy dreamland, they say "We see you, Opal". She just wants to be seen.
i think they can’t see claire in a literal and metaphorical way. Literally because the grandpa is blind, the dad’s vision is blocked by mirrors and the mom’s too drunk to properly see her. But metaphorical because they’re all too busy blaming the world for their problems and engaging in their bad habits to care for claire
If the grandpa is blind...then why is he watching TV
@@babyjesus921 i think he’s listening to the sound of the tv
@@babyjesus921 he’s listening to the sound, that why he says the girls are singing to him. he thinks he’s famous.
@@babyjesus921 the TV was just static I think
"You and I don't live, Claire; we survive."
CHILLS
For real, though. It's much too relatable.
Reminds me of wall-e
How can a video who talks about abuse can make you think of wall-E a childrenmovie
Everything the mother says is bone chilling. I can't really attest to have grown up in an environment like the one Jack portrayed, but I know people who did and know specific people who act like the mother. All three of her authority figures are awful, but the mother takes the cake for me. Endless manipulation and a willingness to gaslight herself and her daughter to skew her worldview in her favor. It's, honestly, so gross that it hurts. Her song also shows how detestable she is. Using the one person that she is supposed to support as her own personal rock and punishing her when she doesn't.
@@Mushroombea I meant the quote.
The mother’s monologue plays in my head every few months - I’ve been thinking of Opal since its release.
I dont know why this short makes me feel so strongly.
same , i Know It’s Not Real But it 100% could be is What’s Really Scary
Me too I relate to it so deeply it brings so many emotions and artistically it's inspiring every detail conveys this exact feeling's
this video successfully taps into the very real human desire to nurture and protect the young, THATS why you feel so strongly, you have that innate desire to ensure the child's safety and wellbeing.
as far as im concerned, those who lack this innate nurture drive are barely human, as witnessed by the "adults" in this video, they dont care, and they are seen as evil because of it (the mother is the worst offender in my opinion)
The fact claire's hair is an attempt at pigtails but her hair is really just knotted that way is sad af
oh my god
Fr😔
Ya
same with the mother, it's quite clever, the mother says they are the same and then tries to make both have the same hair style
@@PedroPedro-sm9oy nah
"...and they never repent the way I want them too."
That line gives me the shivers. That mother is too real.
For real. She reminds me of my mum and that makes it 1000x creepier
@@avery3834 you ok now tho?
@@avery3834 Same here. Honestly, she's so realistic and disturbing to me because of how she reminds me of my own mom. (I'm out obviously, I'm an adult living on my own now)
@@at1laztheaveragefurry I mean, kinda. Like she says that she has changed and I think she did, but still she acts really aggressive and says things that I want to imagine she doesn't mean to, and I have to protect my little sister of her.
So let's say I'm not as bad as back then.
group therapy with no therapist!
I JUST REALIZED:
Claire's imaginary family members have rather creepy open eyes because they are giving their full attention, 110% of it, all to her. They have the same eyes as her as well: open, attentive, wanting to communicate and understand. Her imaginary family is one that *sees* her, which is emphasized by the character design.
Jack is such a genius.
Thanks for pointing that out
Another thing, whenever she looks at her imaginary house and family, you see the 4 lights from the billboard. And when she leaves her fake house, you see the 4 lights, which then come on and startle her and make her go inside.
They also have little to no expression bc they're pictures
Another note: the family doesn’t even blink as well, “Opal” wants her dream family to give her the full attention
I still don’t get it but all my friends do. My head hurts 🤔
Child Neglect can lead to this kind of stuff. Jack truly knows how to make music while spreading awareness at the same time. Either he knows what it feels like or he’s witnessed it. Truly a masterpiece.
It is a bit worrying rhat he perfectly captures the raw emotion and experience of child abuse and neglect so well. I hope he's never had to have went through it, especially cuz he's done a couple works on it (even if some of them are more symbolic than direct).
@@lockerbuddy2039 He’s been missing for a while, gosh, I hope not.
@@lockerbuddy2039 His Famous song “ Baby Hotline ” is about a woman on the suicide hotline, she ends up k1lling herself.
The really sad part is that when she imagines her perfect family singing to her, they don't even say "I love you." All they say is "I see you" and "hi, Opal." She can't even think about actually being loved. Her highest dream is just to be acknowledged.
This makes it 10x times sadder for me.
the top of the triangle of the hierarchy of needs is self-actualization
Don't forget about how her pretend family praises and encourages her, while protecting her from the truth she fears.
im crying
BEEN THERE
The father is so self-absorbed, and this is probably exacerbated by the abusive mother who not only seems to have had a hand in destroying his face, but probably continuously puts him down, saying such things as “nobody else will love you now, you’re lucky to still have me”
yeah the father seems to be a victim of abuse as well
If you look in the mother’s flashback, somebody hits her while she tries to call 911, and it looks like she drops Claire on the floor while she was a baby. It was probably the father, or the grandfather.
@@misschibianime9183 I think in the flash black the Father was calling.
@Dr. Cool That’s one thing I love about this short, it has the balls to say that women can be dicks too
11:09 if you pause you can see his real face
It’s comforting to know that someone understands how I felt as a kid but also really sad because I would never want that for anyone else.
Has no one noticed that the fantasy-mom is encouraging Claire just by picking up a burger. saying things like "you can do it!"
It really shows that Claire really wants her real mother to encourage her and show her attention for once even for the most simplest things
Also, notice how the fantasy-dad is trying to get Claire not to go back to reality, and how he is obviously looking out for her, unlike her actual dad, who is self centered and only sees himself.
@@foiledagain1914 and her fantasy- grandfather is saying “Hi Opal!” It just shows how she wants to be noticed by her real grandfather.
your right:(
It’s kind of sad if you think about it
also she has trouble picking it up because its not real
Something I haven't seen anyone point out yet is how in Claire's fantasy, Opal's house is one level. In reality, each party lives on their own floor and don't interact out of their narcissism; Claire wants her family to stop separating themselves.
Oml you're right-
Dear God...
I tough this wouldn't be more sad.... but it seems that everytime rewatching it there is more details
@@korokahu8159 tough or toe also everytime i rewatch it,there is more details
I don't think they are all on their own floor. The grandfather is on the bottom floor, the mother and father on the second floor, and Opal is in the attic. They are all segmented into their own rooms/realities though
I think the reason that the imaginary grandpa is saying, "Hi, Opal!" because her real grandpa doesn't greet her with a, "hi." Instead he says, "Claire? Is that you? Here, I need you to bring me my cigarettes." Opal just wants a simple "Hi" instead of "bring me my cigarettes" from her grandpa.
Sounds like my grandpa ngl
@@spxzzo Bruh
That's true, I'm glad people are still pointing things out about this short. Truly amazing. Also I love your pfp!
I think there's elements of that in her imaginary mom and dad as well. Her mom says "There she is" which implies a healthier amount of space, instead of the codependency her real mom is trying to foster. And her dad says "That's my girl" which puts the focus on her instead of himself. I might be reading a bit too into it, but I'm betting their lines were all chosen hint at what it is that she's missing in her relationships with their real-world counterparts.
@@Nofixdahdress That makes alot of sense too!!
So I love everyone picking this apart and pointing out all of the nuances to make the picture bigger. I noticed several things nobody has pointed out yet. She doesnt eat the burger, not because she doesnt know how to, but likely because eating it would snap her out of the fantasy, shes likely very hungry from being outside all day (assuming) and pretending to eat would worsen the hunger. On the way into the house an outside light comes on, scaring her. This leads me to believe that it was the streetlight coming on, and she needed to get inside for curfew. In the 80s and 90s, the streetlight coming on meant 'go home' for the kids who were locked out of the house during the day. Knowing the streetlights on are on, she knows that the people inside are more alert and waiting for her to show up at this time. She can read the sign that says 'opals burgers', so she is school age. So she likely was outside after school, where she probably eats the only meal shes given on a daily basis. All three adults in the house are narcissistic, not just the father. They all sing about themselves and what they want/need and they all need something from the child. The grandfather thinks the people on tv are talking to him and even tells her "they fight over me like dogs". He needs her to bring his cigarettes. The father sings about the events that led to his internal vanity complex and how he now feels the need to constantly fix and alter his appearance and how he represents himself "Sorry, my brain" he says after insulting her ankles. His severe god complex muddles the trauma from his abusive wife, he thinks he needs to make himself into a god. "Creating the wold its next new Savior" is one of his last lines. He wants the child to stay and listen to his monologue and show him sympathy and pity. The mothers song is self-explaining, she had the child for emotional support and to give her (the mother) unconditional love (from the child). Sadly this is the case for many children, people have babies for very selfish reasons. The mother wants the child to stay and take the physical abuse that comes from her anger.The music coming from her room is both beautiful and horrifying at the same time, it represents her sanctuary in a hellish place. The father continues to fix the mirror back to his face, and his voice goes distorted when the mirror reflects his forehead mouth, representing the chaos in his head. The light from the window reflects in her eyes as she makes her way through the house, representing her desire to get upstairs to safety. The mother is physically abusive to both the child and the father, at the end before Claire runs upstairs the mother lunges at her. "You're just as powerless as I am Claire, see?" She doesn't imagine them saying "we love you" likely because the word hasnt been used in the proper way towards her. Maybe the word has been said in in passing, but she's never been told "I love you". So she cannot imagine them saying it to her.
As someone who lived a similar life as a child, I agree with the statement that art like this is meant to comfort the disturbed. I enjoy videos and art that represent the horrors i experienced, it gives me a sense of peace to know that my suffering was not a singular experience, and to see other people be brave and confident enough to come forward and say "this is what happened to me" and to stand up for the children today who need protection. The horror-esque type of art is meant to freak you out, because our childhoods felt just like that. A nightmare that we couldnt click away from or wake up from. The escapism into fantasy worlds was our only survival tool, and many of us are still holding onto it, long into adulthood.
Love all of these details omg
Also the “she didn’t know what to do with the burger” argument never really sat right with me. The “snapping her out of reality” makes a lot more sense to me
this is such a beautiful comment 🩷🙏
I’m sorry your childhood was like this, I hope that you found someone who loves you 🙏
The imaginary mom encouraging her to eat the burger “go on u can do it”
as someone who maladaptive daydreams, I never eat in them. it's such a mundane task and there is no benefit to it. all the focus is on dialog because you are basically improvising a movie in your head.
The fact that Claire has never had a burger before and ends up dancing around it because she doesnt understand what you're supposed to do with it is heartbreaking
thanks im boutta cry ;-;
true
The fact that Opal's mom (Claire's imaginary mom) even says, "You can do it!" not "You can eat it!" even implies this more :(
@@yourguykio that's sad :[
@@killme7931 Very sad.
I think it’s interesting how Claire takes the name Opal in her fantasy family instead of her actual name. It shows how she literally cannot fathom anyone showing any interest in her. She has to be someone else to be able to feel loved.
She takes the name opal based off opals diner because you can see how happy abs loving the family looks there 10:43 and the reason the song says mile away if you look closely the sign says 9 miles away.
Honestly as someone raised in an enviroment as terrifying, and getting dissociative identity disorder from it just to survive, this really shows the reality of it tbh
Not even to feel loved, to feel acknowledged
SAME
I'm sure I don't need to point it out but there's also the symbolism within the names, Claire meaning clarity and Opal meaning opaque
her escapist fantasy is living in a fast food advert because that's the closest she's seen to a happy and healthy life... bruh
she doesn't even know what to do with a hamburger, but seeing as the people in the ad are happy she correlates it with happiness
Mhh thanks for the explanation
Holy shit... I feel dumb thinking she somehow came out of the billboard.
Now I understand her real name is Claire.
If she were real id adopt her
So I can give her a happy and healthy life
@@CapemanProducti0ns just imagine if that's how it went
The fact that so many people grew up like this is heartbreaking and sadly accurate
The reason her family says "we see you, opal" instead of something like "we love you, opal" is because she don't wants to be loved, at least the way her family does it. Her grandfather loves her, but only because she gives him his cigarretes. Her dad loves her, but only because she gives attention to him. And her mother loves her, because she uses her daughter as an escape of her horrible self. Opal has never seen true love, the only love she's ever experienced is toxic, crooked. She doesn't want to be loved, she wants to be seen as something else, not something that's just there to satisfy their awful addictions.
Truly sad
Yes
Awh :(
It's more than that too, being seen is the one thing she's not, no one sees her clearly, her grandpa is nearly blind to such an extent he can't even recognize her, her dad is constantly looking in a mirror and not at her, and her mom is so drunk and high she can't see straight
Now I understand everything. Thx
Considering the last thing Jack did for Adult Swim was essentially a lighthearted grocery store allegory for self-improvement, I didn't expect this one to rip my heart into pieces...
I never expected “Your bread isn’t you” to change my life
give me the PEECAN COOKIES
@@drenchedmango1694 *ive never had those cookies before in my life*
What are you, deaf?
Im not deaf
The first time you watch this, the horror comes from the fact that you have no idea what could be in "that house across the street." The second time you watch it, the true horror sets in from knowing exactly what's in the house. The horror of a hopeless, inescapable reality.
I’m not sure how I never heard of this video or this artist.. I live under a rock. Anyways, this video just speaks such volumes. Cheers
So true
God you wrote that beautifully, and somehow also avoided spoilers! You’re very talented
@@Cunkulus Made my day, thank you!
I hate the song mama needs a little girl because my mother use to be a alcoholic so it just brings back bad memories
Claire = clear
Opal= opaque
As Clair, she’s see-through, no one sees or gets her. As Opal, she’s seen and understood :(
stolen comment
Notice how the dad, right after the song, tells Claire he doesn't know why they always have to talk about these things. But *they* didn't talk about anything. Claire didn't say anything. He had full control over the topic of the "conversation", yet he still blames Claire, unable to see any fault of his own, not just physically but also in his actions and he projects everything onto Claire.
narcissism
Claire is less sacred of the father because she knows that he will not lay a hand on her, but she is still visibly upset and uncomfortable when he starts talking. I noticed that when she speaks with her grandfather and mother she is terrified and stays scared through out their whole interaction. But with her father she is able to relax slightly. The father is a narcissist. He is obsessed with how he looks. He sees the world literally revolving around him. In his song he calls him self a god. He couldn’t handle being rejected. He controlled the conversation. He guilt trips her into talking with him. He says things like “I actually look really good in that glad I don’t have your ankles tho” he could not just say hay I like your outfit today but instead had to give himself a compliment while also putting Claire down. He also blamed Claire when he broke his mirror saying “ you know how that makes me feel”.
there are many other examples of narcissism in her short interaction with her father. She has no safe adult or person that she can turn to for comfort or support. My heart breaks for her and all the other children who are or have gone through this.
@@Rosesareblueberries haha yah. We all obsess about leaving a better planet for our kids but what about leaving better kids for the planet?
my dad did exactly this
In Opal’s real life, her mother sings about needing a mama’s girl, but in her imagination, she’s a daddy’s girl instead. The attention to detail here is on another level.
also opal mother in the real world grabs claire, while in her imagination her mother’s hands are behind her back
@@clem7904 yall are so smart
@@clem7904 that's actually a really neat detail! I hadn't noticed
Her father is probably the most "funcional".. he's not addicted to any fisical drug, and while the grandfather screamed at her to give him his cigarattes and her mother vented about how she (Opal/Claire) "didn't love her enough" (despite the fact it was her who was neglecting her daughter) and went as far as to attack her fisically when she grabbed her by the ankle. So I think out of everyone the father, though still abusive and neglectful, is the one Opal/Claire is the least scared of.
The mother actually wants the other way around.. she wants a little girl to take care of HER :(
Interesting bit of symbolism here, maybe I'm reaching too far but:
In her real house, she's only ever going up the stairs while she's running away from something. My guess that she associates running up the stairs with fleeing her family members to get to her "safe" place in the attic.
In her dream house, it's a single story building, and her room is on the ground floor. She doesn't need to run from anyone, the entire house is her safe space.
idk if this is reaching at all, it makes sense
wow, every time i come back to watch this I check the comment section for new takes and theories, and this is the first new one I've seen in a while and is absolutely fantastic
i dont wanna ruin the 69 likes someone tell me when i can like
This doesn't necessarily contradict your theory, but I heard that Jack Stauber at one point clarified that the eery/heavenly music coming from the attic is the sound of Claire's crying and the reason Opal is running towards the sound is because she is worried that someone is in distress and she wants to help them.
The fact that it turns out that it is her in distress, and that the only person there who cares enough to try to help is herself is just... heartbreaking.
My theory is that there’s only one floor because the family is so close, there’s no need for there to be another
“You’re just as powerless as I am, Claire. See?” As the mother went to reach for the bottle is so well crafted. The mother actively pushing Claire down to a sense of being equal or even lesser than her (the mother) is such a good captivation on how people who only see their own struggles push down others to make them feel better. It was the complete opposite for the dad, who was framing himself as the victim and constantly used the term “little” to refer to himself, blaming Claire for being so mean/mad at him for know reason (since he is a “growing thing”)
50 minutes ago:3
I also wanna point out the size of each character’s eyes. The imaginary family has big eyes making it easier to ‘see’ Claire, whereas her real family has small eyes in relation to Claire, not only meaning they don’t ‘see’ her as much but also creating a less innocent look for them. Perhaps Claire has big eyes because she wants to ‘see’ her family and to connect with them. Honestly this is one of the saddest yet best things Jack Stauber has created imo because there’s so much detail to pick apart
They all literally can't see her, as well. The grandpa is blind, and treats her more as someone who brings him his smokes. The father stares eternally into his mirrors, avoiding eye contact with everyone, only ever being able to see that their ankles are passing by. The mother is so hopped up on booze and what I assume to be painkillers, she can't see straight, though she does at least look at Claire's general direction, I suppose.
The family likely has smaller eyes to represent how they see nothing of Clair, and more importantly their actions to Clair. Whilst in contrast Clair is obviously effected more by their actions so she has bigger eyes.
Honestly it could mean anything, smaller eyes are more realistic whilst bigger eyes look fake and cartoony, big eyes can represent innocence, or Clair is unblinded by the various things that have blinded the others from realising their actions (apart from actually being blind of course)
Nah, children just have bigger eyes in animation. Or innocent/good characters.
You don't think that maybe in an animation like THIS it's not just standard character design? I take it to mean that Claire is forced to see all the horrible things happening around/to her. She literally has to scrunch up her entire face to get away from what she's witness to, symbolizing how much effort it takes for her to shut out the world and escape to her own.
There’s every chance that Claire is just emaciated through her family’s ignorance of her and their own selfish desires . Not knowing how a hamburger works is a pretty big sign … again tho it may just be contrast as Claire may be the only person in the “home” with ability to see past themselves , sad that it only propels the cycle of delusion that seems to prevail there and retreat to a world where she’s noticed .
The fact that claires dream family say "we see you" instead of "we love you" probably means she doesn't even know what love is because of the amount of neglect she suffered so the closest thing she knows to love is attention. While that is an incredible detail, it is equally sad as it is incredible
Yes!
Also the fact they say 'in our eyes you'll stay' instead of 'in our hearts you'll stay'. I love the details in this short film
The more i payed attention to this lovely little video created by a genius called jack stauber, the more I realized that Claire’s dream family sort of, ‘fixes’ what makes her uncomfortable about her real family.
1. Her grandfather in real life talks in a very low and kind of unsettling voice, so her dream grandfather almost never talks, and when he does talk, he just sounds like a nice old man.
2. Her dream dad seems to pay the most attention to her because in reality, her dad only pays attention to himself and doesn’t give a darn about his kid unless he wants to put her down so he can give himself a little self-esteem boost.
3. Her mother in reality abuses her a lot, so in her dream, the mother has her hands behind her back most of the time so that Claire can feel safe.
I know I didn’t have to comment all this, but I just wanted to point some little things. And thanks for reading all of this.
mhm im crying
It’s also kind of an equivalent to I love you cause her real family never see her. Just use her.
"You're just as powerless as I am, Claire" the only thing more painful than seeing a parent be so helpless is knowing that you joined them in their victim complex during your formative years.
i think the mother was threatening her with that line, which is why claire runs. she was about to be hit or something
...
And the fact that she was trying to make it seem like Claire should be taking care of her instead! Ma'am, that is your child! If she couldn't handle taking care of her child without developing a victim complex and projecting it onto said child, she shouldn't have children. Claire needs to be taken away from that household.
@@NightItselfSince0000 well thankfully they’re not real and if they were Claire would be in her 30s by now lol
woah im reading comments as im watching the video and i read that at the same time she said it. But yea its terrible.
It’s a wonder how much of a masterpiece this is. It’s not just that it captures atmosphere and visualization perfectly, it’s that when you watch this it’s disturbing and utterly frustrating. I remember seeing this as a teenager on adult swim. It was terrifying, but I didn’t write it off as horror, I can remember sitting there and wanting with every fiber of my being to rescue her. There’s so many people stuck in situations like this or even worse. Beautiful reminder that you should always be watching out for the signs. The visuals do such a good job of furthering to the viewer that this scenario itself is sickening. It’s just amazing that this piece of art was running where it did.
Not reading allat lil bro
@@cggc5871 bro is too lazy to read a few sentences😂
Claire lives as grandfather's eyes, father's mirror, and her mom's pills
yet she craves for someone to see her as she is
Wait that last dude was a woman I thought it was a guy
I think she lives as grandfathers cigarette s
@@45hr52 Yes the “dude” in the end was a women. her mother. I honestly thought she was a man for the first couple times i watched this.
@@45hr52 yeah alcohol and drug abuse does that to a person
@@45hr52 it’s supposed to be a woman, but I’m pretty sure it was Jack voicing her so it sounds like a man
The dad saying “where are you going!? You know how this feels to me” got me. Don’t put your adult issues on your kids :(
Sorry I know this was like a week ago but I think it's "Where are you going?! You know how this makes me feel!!" It's so so sad Claire has to deal with all these mentally ill adults😕
Mine is when the mom keeps "forgiving" for her daughter being inconsiderate or trauma dumping to her. I relate to that so much.
My mom kept wanting to be my best friend. (Therapist)
reminded me so much of my narcissist dad :(
i only heard him just saying "ohh.. now this just makes me feel" and, thats it
They say every child deserves a parent/carer
But not every parent/carer deserves a child, and it’s true
Someone pointed out a heartbreaking fact that in her fantasized opening Claire is so starved she can't even imagine what a hamburger tastes like, which is why she just dances on the plate, because she doesn't know what to do with it.
My gosh.
You mean opal?
@@WesleyjVideos Opal is her name that she uses when she imagines herself with her “real” family. Claire is her actual name in reality.
@@WesleyjVideos the way I understand it the sequence at the beginning is actually a dream and the other house is reality. I think her real name is actually claire
@@WesleyjVideos no, opal is the girl on the billboard
0:51 the fact that you see Claire crying before the dream starts is depressing
That's... Not really her crying that's just her focusing so she can imagine them again... (Judging from how she does something the same near the end she prolly has done this plenty before)
This is unbelievably terrifying, and not because the art is creepy, but because it's a meta truth that constitutes so many people's reality. It's terrifying that it's common and many don't escape
some do physically, but the complete emotional damage always stays and you cant get rid of it
I am your 1K like! Lol
@@Victor-hc9dp I beat my wife
@@lungse.2565 me too for food stamps
@@toughblackniggawithglocks1103 "she was born disabled haha :)"
It’s insane how the blind smokers song is better at convincing people not to smoke better than 90% of all PSA’s.
Made me proud that I stopped smoking because I know how I would feel during it if I still did.
How many smokers told you they quit because of this?
fr tho
*It's gay to smoke* /j
@Kevin Bissinger I still smoke and probably will till the day I die, however I won't deny the impact the song has had.
It’s sad hearing the grandpa say “It’s evil to help people who don’t need help” clearly implying he doesn’t see his situation as a problem, even when Claire hides his cigarettes to try and get him to stop.
Id assume he knows its a problem (His whole song is about wanting to breath properly). Every smoker these days knows. But at his age and condition (coughing blood right after that quote) he knows quitting will not save him. The irony is, he does need help to smoke (just not to quit). So evil if you do, evil if you don't help sort of situation. Very realistic.
i think he just knows that it's already too late to stop, his condition is already really bad so he smokes because it cant get any worse
i think that each member of the family was also neglected or abused in some way and that they need claire to be their emotional support wich is something that happens really often
"Just like these people on television, Claire, you're far more interested in me than anything you've got going on"
He denies his real need for help so much that he even stabs back at Claire, telling her she is interfering with him, while she really just intends to help him get off of his fatal habit. She's trying to help him, but he's in denial and rejects her help by gaslighting her. She knows that nobody else will help him and he's basically forcing her to surrender him to his tragic demise. And in the end, she will probably be blamed all over again.
I think he may have also been referring to the other family members as they aren't physically unable to move as badly as him. He can't see due to blindness while the others could see if they moved the mirror or stopped taking drugs
@@yotus5918 Another interesting aspect may be, because of his blindness (perhaps from birth), he is not aware of Clair's daydreaming or malnourishment at all. This makes the story even more dark when you try to pinpoint who is responsible for Clair's condition. Considering how the father only wants to be seen (just like Clair), it may be safe to assume the dads' father is the blind grandpa. I may be reading between the lines to much...
But that may also explain why he remains in the abusive relationship at the cost of his daughters wellbeing.
this film hits so hard. the worst part is that she didn't even make her DREAM parents say "we love you" she made them say "we see you" she wanted the very bare minimum
I like how the grandpa and mother songs both seem to be spur-of-the-moment but the father's song is clearly prepared and recorded. It's a nice detail about what a narcissist he is.
I agree me
i never noticed that!
At what part?
@@brad6220 right before his song starts he goes 'why don't I just show you' and presses play on a recording device.
@@sagez9422 ah thx
I just realized that the reprise of "We see you, Opal" is louder and more intense than at the beginning, possibly indicating that Claire is retreating even deeper into her fantasy world, not simply returning to it.
idk what you mean louder, but notice how burgers are spinning in the air for no reason? This is a similar indication. The burger imagery is focused on too much, to the point where it looks distracting, and forced, reflecting how Opal is forcing herself to focus on the fantasy, trying to distract herself.
It's also not her first time in this fantasy, as the first time we see her imaginary family, is after she's grimacing (0:52), suggesting she just had a bad experience with her real family. We see it a second time at 11:22
@@bobygreen8429In fact, if you look at the first “We see you Opal” You see the billboard lights, and the second one conceals it as she tries to hide from the fact it”s just a billboard.
Claire is the mom I think
The fact that even her imaginary family is still relatively dysfunctional is insane
The line “Hi, Opal!” really hits hard when you understand the context.
Claire is fantasizing about her grandfather saying “hi” to her. And this is enough to get her excited. That is just horrifying.
Same with "there she is". She craves the attention, not the love because she has no concept on what it truly is and the more i think about every little detail the more i wanna bawl
@@fortnite5205 That's what people say to small babies, too. I think Opal is so young she barely understands anything around her and it just makes this so much worse.
Hahah
Hi, opal!
And the little dance with the burger since she doesnt know that shes supposed to eat it instead of dancing with it
In the beginning at the nice house, they constantly call her opal and divert her attention from her actual house, meaning she has a very prominent desire to be someone else entirely as she cant imagine herself being happy
The father also starts sweating when she stares at the house, probably her knowing she'll have to go back or that she is afraid and even her fantasies don't want her to go
The grandpa: has terrible lungs
Also grandpa: sings a banger song
Yeah he is like coughing blood how is he singing that
@@terrasplanet3750
He practiced a lot
Agreed
He’s also blind, but spends all his time watching TV
Why does it sound so easy to breath on tv
Haven’t seen anyone mention this but if u look at the scenes where she’s day dreaming about the family on the billboard, u can actually see the reflection of the 4 lights in her eyes, showing she’s really just staring at the billboard. Crazy attention to detail
The fact that you noticed that 😮
the four lights also are there when the family starts singing to her at the beginning
Also the dad I thought was sweating, I think it was supposed to be rain?
Oh yea and above omg wow
@@poink3791 that’s what they’re talking abt
I haven't seen someone mention this but, in the beginning, "Opal" (Claire) 's face is twisted into an expression of fear and confusion for a split second, then turning into an expression of neutral happiness. During the end, Claire's face is twisted into the same fearful expression, then once again turning into one of content and joy. This symbolizes the cycle that Claire goes through everyday if not, often.
Also, at the end, the mother closes the curtains, symbolizing that Claire has succumbed to her imaginary world once again.
@@E32329 No, her face would have been slightly smiling. It was the same face she had at the end when she was really confused and scared.
Also the dad's expression at the beginning is the same as his on the billboard before snapping to look at her
And the camera goes from the real house window to the imaginary house of claire’s dream
Little too obvious ngl
This is so sad
1:34
"Go on, you can do it!"
Opal : *starts busting it down*
The mom really hits hard for me. The way she talks about wanting to take care of a child really to only make herself feel better and how she objectifies the child is probably the most horrifying part for me
I had an ex who’s mom did this with them it really messed them up and there family life was awful which is weird because the mon was a social worker
I honestly want to think that the mom still genuinely loves Claire, but she's so fucked up and devastated that she can't show it.
Finally I don't feel alone
No the mom wants to be taken care of by her daughter
@@randomrandle9141 No shes guilttripping and gaslighting her daughter
I'm not sure if it was how Jack intended but when the imaginary family is singing, they're singing in harmony. I interpreted it as how she was longing for harmony in her real family, and would be her ideal deepest wish. This is honestly a masterpiece. Big props to Jack!
bingo
Interesting interpretation. Cause the house where she is hearing a female voice singing mournfully, it draws her attention, that's HER voice. She just sits there while this fantasy family is singing while her real voice calls out from the attic of the house.
That's the voiceless child. The invisible child. The one the family never sees. "We see you, Opal. Your troubles are miles away!"
Something I haven't seen in the comments yet that I think needs to be pointed out.
Claire is EXTREMELY thin compared to Opal. Showing that her neglect is that extreme, that she isn't eating enough. Opal, in this fucked up universe, is an example of a healthy child (burger aside)
Also the fact that she may not know how or what a burger is for shows that aswell
Arguably, burger's aren't inherently unhealthy, just the vast majority of them and if eaten on a regular basis. Presumably a non-abusive family would let their kid eat more than one thing.
Opal: 🧍♀️
Claire: 🙍🏼♀️
l
👞👞
Well it's a child's fantasy. Claire longs to have a family that sees her and feeds her yummy food. Children don't dream of grilled chicken and broccoli.
@@ReemTahir i think that the burger represents ANY food. Opal/Claire might not even know what does ‘not-so delicious’ food stuff is and doesn’t appear to have any opinion on that…
Theme 0:01
We See You Opal 1:01
Crying 2:51
Easy To Breath 4:28
Mirror Man 7:10
Victorious Cycle 9:23
We See You Opal (Reprise) 11:31
Something a lot of people overlook is the double meaning behind "and in our eyes you'll stay". When its said in the first song, its a comforting line, meaning that the family will always see Opal. But when its said in the last line, its much more creepy, because the family on the Billboard is looking at Claire in her house, saying that she will stay in her abusive household, staring at that billboard wishfully.
Also, this detail probably doesn’t matter and wasn’t intentional, but At the end when the grandpa takes off his glasses, his eye are replaced with Opal/Claire. So at the start it is meant metaphorically, while at the end it’s literal. Doesn’t matter, just thought it was a cool detail
I agree! Phrases that have double meaning or interpretations are all the more unsettling when used in horror.
“We see you,” a statement of validation and acknowledgment and then,
“We see you,” a threat, a warning, it also echos the paranoid thoughts of people with mental illness! Either way, it’s a excellent play on words!
@@brianarendon111 ye
I also means that the old man quite literally uses Clair as his eyes cause he’s blind and expects her to hand him things
Awe man :(
It's also really sad that the whole "we see you, opal" line isn't just in the metaphorical sense but it's literal as well, the grandfather is blind, the father is too busy looking at himself and the mother can't see in her drunken/drugged state
I think another thing is that at first you think it’s weird that they say “we see you”. Why not say “we love you”? But I feel like the word love is used so much in toxic relationships that Opal doesn’t want to be loved in the way her family shows love. She wants to be seen for who she is rather than “loved”.
The fact that this comment has 666 likes 🧍🏻♀️
@@4ns3LL girl you really just made me have to unlike this comment. Smh.
@@-stage_number_03-95 oh 😟
@@4ns3LL peepee
Other Grandpa: _Sings a jam._
Opal's Grandpa: *H I O P A L*
Just if you didn't know. They're both opal's Grandpa just in different perspectives.
Opal (Clair just wants her grandpa to say hi to her which is all sad
You mean Clair’s Grandpa: Sings a jam.
Tbh *H I O P A L* is also a jam
hi opal jsjjs
You can see 4 lights visible on Claire's eyes at 0:54 the lights are present during the entirety of Claire's dream. The lights are the billboard lights. And you can see how the rest of the dream family doesn't have it. The lights disappear when claire steps into the real house and reappear at 10:39 when she looks at the billboard. The lights are also seen at 1:00
Omfg you're a genius I never noticed that!
WOWW you’re so smart!! It’s a simple touch but it really blows my mind
I like how Claire wants to be seen, but all of her real family has a seeing problem. The grandpa’s blind, they father only pays attention to himself and not Claire, and the mother only sees herself in Claire and nothing more.
Don’t forget at 11:08 his true face only got 1 eyeball
another detail I'd like to add is when we see a glimpse of the mother's vision everything is, blurry. like she can't properly concentrate on a specific thing and it just appears dizzy
@@keexshound thats from the drugs and alchohol
I wonder why the song went "we see you Opal your trubbles are a miles away we see you Opal"
She also has dizzy vision from drugs
I just wanted to highlight how on point the mothers dialogue was. The way she rambles on about something, then looses track of her sentences, the immediately just picks up with a different topic is just so on point to how an actual drunk/high person would talk. The way she slurs her words. And especially the way her voice is distorted and unnerving just adds a whole new level to the whole scene. Especially which the way she said “We don’t live Claire, we survive”. Brilliantly dark.
i really agree with this comment because it reminded me so much of my alcoholic dad who would always ramble on and say those kinds of things the mother did it was kinda scary.
also how she's just talking about herself, how SHES doing how SHE feels. when she DOES address clair she puts "I" or "me" in the same sentence too. my favorite part was "I feel terrible for all the things... i feel terrible." she doesn't blame herself for anything and doesn't apologize to anyone. jack's way too good at this.
And the humming between some lines, she sounds exactly like my alcoholic father
@@noahdirk-qs8vv im so sorry to hear that are you in a better situation now?
@@randompedestrian4068 yea i live with my mom full time now and i have for the last two years 🙏
“There she is”
“That’s my girl”
“𝚑𝚒 𝚘𝚙𝚊𝚕“
THE FUCKING GRANDPA CRACKS ME UP EVERY TIME
I love the fake grandpa "Hi Opal!"
Woohoo
At a girl
H I O P A L
h i o p a l
H I O P A L
XD
As someone who escaped some childhood issues through constant daydreaming to the point of delusion for years, I interpreted “we see you Opal” differently.
Yes, it is in part that she isn’t really seen by her family (grandpa is literally blind, dad is staring at mirrors, & mom is too drunk and blurry eyed to see anything clearly), and she wants them to just see her, notice her, and see her pain as well…. In part it also feels like she feels as if the people on the billboard are almost gods, or guardian angels, sent to protect her. “We see you” as in, we are watching over you. We’ve got you in our hands. Nobody can hurt you when we see you. Hence why they are SO protective of her in her imagination.
I like how the music subtly reflects how Claire views each of her family members.
The Grandpa’s song is low, and builds tension, almost like something you’d hear in a horror film, reflecting how Claire is constantly on edge around him. Any wrong move could cause an outburst.
The father’s song is a gentle music box, calming but also unnerving. It shows how Claire feels uncomfortable, but certainly sees him as the “safest” out of the others.
The mom’s is wavered and unclear, it’s tilted just like her vision, as a result of all the drugs and alcohol. But her encounter starts with a large, horrific stinger. Claire knows of her mother’s unstable behavior, and feels nothing but unsafe in her presence. She doesn’t know if an interaction with her mom will make her miserable, or leave scars.
At least that’s my interpretation.
How do you have 833 likes and no comments??
@@throwmeoffabuildingNot a clue lmao
@𝔾𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝕄𝕠𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 I just think nobody disagrees with them lmao
Interesting observation
this film is about child neglect and the family she went to is actually her own, Grandpa uses her for his own use, dad is a narcissist who only cares only about himself, mom is an alcoholic who only wants Claire/Opal to look after her. She is now mentally unstable and is hallucinating her imaginary family which is the one on the billboard and at the beginning. There was only one house, to begin with
“ we don’t live Claire, we survive”that sent chills down my spine
ME 2
You're just as powerless as I am, Claire... SEE?
This was the exact moment the video was interrupted for me by an ad about it being tax season. "We don't live, Claire. We FILE TAXES WITH AN EXPERT."
@@DanAllbee I'd say that they still got the idea across
“and they never repent how i *want* them to.”
I love how when Claire is in her imaginary home, the four lights from the billboard are constantly being reflected in her eyes. The details in this are fantastic
Oh my God I never noticed this
Good spot
Oh yea and in 3:13 the billboard lights go out when she goes to real home. Love all the hints jack drops!!
Also did you know opal/en2 Claire is holding the cigarette s for her grandad at th3 end
why is it that though opal IS claire, the grandpa goes “wait, you’re not claire!” even though she is?
I really relate to this short. I lived in an abusive household for most of my childhood. Things have only just now become more stable at home. After my abuser left. I used to watch cartoons and imagine myself in the families on TV to distract myself from the hell I was living. So, I really do relate to Claire.
Same here. Happy to hear that it´s better. Take time to heal
This is such an excellent subversion of horror tropes. We have the child protagonist who is forbidden to go into the scary house, but goes anyway because they think someone needs help. The people in the house are all potentially dangerous and mentally unstable, especially if they were to find out that Opal is an intruder. But we know that she's not an intruder. These people aren't violent strangers, they're her family. They aren't mistaking her for Claire, she IS Claire. And that's even more terrifying and sad.
And the person that needed help was her the whole time
Sad that people have to receive such horrifying treatment in their childhood. Thankfully I grew in a relatively stable home.
@@אילוןאור-ע8מ why would you say that
@@Abbanellie maybe because they’re grateful for growing up in a relatively stable home? not every child gets that opportunity and they acknowledge that by saying that it’s horrifying that some children get that treatment in the first place.
It's really beautiful and sad how Opal hears the cries from the top window only to find that the cries are her own.
Omg i didn't catch that
That's an amazing detail
OH FLIP- good… ears?
@@Baby_gangsta_11037 lmao thankies
Your welcome :D
I literally had no idea that was the case lol. Thanks for telling me 🌸
The phrase they say at the start that “your troubles are miles away” could be literal since the Opal’a Burger place is literally 9 miles away
😦I never thought of that
Something about that is even sadder since she bases every aspect of her happy imagination from that billboard
yeah and at the end they were like “your troubles are miles away” again and there were burgers spinning
I was just thinking this !!
Wait, where did you hear that it’s 9 miles away. Is there like more info on the story besides this, cuz I want it
That line from the mom before she went for Claire shocked me. “You’re just as powerless as I am Claire, see?” And then proceeding to try and hurt Claire to make herself feel like she has some sense of control. Extremely well made.
Opals family give her no attention. They can't see her, Her grandpa can’t see her because he is blind and obsessed with the tv, her dad is obsessed with himself and can’t see her because of the mirrors, and her mom is obsessed with alchohol and can’t see her because she’s drunk. The reason why she thinks of the Opals Burgers sign as her family is because they are the only ones who look at her, who can see her. Everyone has their escape from reality and opals is the burger sign.
"we see you, opal" holy shit
Well her name is actually Claire, Opal is the girl on the billboard, but yes exactly 💯
@@zach6255 yeah idk I was calling her opal lol
@@hornypolice293 Yeah it's okay XD Easy mistake especially since she calls herself Opal
@idiotsss liveagain o gosh I hadn’t thought of that lol
For people who didn't watch to the very last second: Opal's house doesn't exist, Opal doesn't exist, this is Claire. Opal is a fictional character created for a burger ad, an idealized family situation that Claire looks to for comfort. There never was an Opal.
Explain where her house dosnt exists ? I’m curious
@@bubbasvega2316 The house across the street that the short film starts in doesn’t exist. It’s just a billboard Claire looks at from out her window
@@_indigo_inked you are absolutely right and I knew this I thought you were saying CLAIRES house didn’t exist I was like how in the fucccck😂😂 but yeee
Doesn’t make sense noting the you’re not Claire who are you get out of my house line
@@TimwareInc2007 he's blind and relies on other senses so he thought it wasn't Claire even though it was
I am begging for an extended version of "why does it sound so easy to breath"
im in
Sure.
@@eveschaan sure x2
@@texasapps2595 sure x3
I want to but im not good at music editing :(
0:49 I LOVE THE SYMBOLISM THAT IT'S JUST A SIGN BOARD
Something that my dad pointed out is that in the beginning she isn't walking into her house from the imaginary house, she's walking over from the billboard. She actually walks over and hangs out at the billboard to escape her house.
oh snaaap thx 4 posting this bro
Makes me feel like this is her everyday life. She's allowed outside because they don't care what she does, but she has to come home eventually, even though she puts it off.
Imagine if she actually finds the restraint later in life, meets the marketing guy and tells him “you helped me get through a tough part of life”
Does her being tucked in and sneaking out mean she fell asleep at the billboard too?
That’s explains the four big lights above her head
The dad is such a cool design, a man so narcissistic he can literally only see himself
Not narcissistic, I think he’s something else.
Narcissism is where you see yourself so highly you only see yourself.
What he’s experiencing is about the exact opposite.
@@melified Most narcissists develop narcissism because they hate themselves and their looks at first, though, I believe.
Yeah, as a perfectionist I relate to him to an extent
@@melified This is incorrect. There are many narcissists who have intense self-loathing issues. It's not necessarily having such a high opinion of yourself. While narcissistic tendencies are a natural part of the human psyche, a narcissist is someone who obsesses over their own self at the behest of others.
For example, a narcissistic parent will subconsciously see their child as an extension of themselves. What's good for them is good for the kid, what they want is what the kid needs and the kid expressing their own will is then a personal attack on the parent.
I think the dad saw the true himself, Claire's imagination saw what her dad is really like.
Tbh when I heard the mother say “I forgive every one of you, every night. It’s a virtuous cycle.” It hit too close to home because lots of mothers think of themselves as saviors just because they brought a child into this world, even if they verbally and physically abuse that child. They think they are entitled to love and respect just because they think of themselves as a savior. My mom acts like that all the time so that scene really resonated with me.
It’s also a really smart play on what is actually happening- a viscous cycle of abuse
@lila mansilla I’m living with my mom rn and it hurts
Remember, don’t lose hope you’ll find help, remember it’s always good to be able to talk to people, no one should be abused
SAME omg
SAY IT AGAIN FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK
Is so heartbreaking to me how she doesn't imagine her "family" doing or saying anything, just "we see you". She just needs to be seen, to be acknowledged. And taken care of, obviously.
Claire seems to be developing a torn feeling about being seen too - in that last snippet before she screams and escapes into her head, she's very much disturbed by the prospect of being legitimately interacted with by her abusers, in spite of her longing. she knows that even if she was understood, she couldn't possibly trust her family with her personhood when they have such a hard time trusting themselves with _themselves._
as "claire", she's crystal clear, laid bare and vulnerable to the people around her.
as "opal", she's opaque, her identity for no onlooker to understand.
...perhaps not even for herself to understand.
@@sewerbooze3151Yeah, it even carries over to the audience, you don’t know Opal throughout this story, but you know Claire…
@@sewerbooze3151 so she's both opal and Claire? (I'm sorry, I'm new to this lore)
@@Skyelar-xn5oi yep.
and in their eyes she'll stay.
Not to mention when she got the food she did not know what to do with it hinting towards she didn’t know how to be great full for food
As someone who grew up like this, and even now continues to shoulder the brunt of it in an attempt to ease the experience for my two younger brothers, this was a brutal film, in the best way.
To hear the same words and sentiments repeated here that I have listened to daily for years was surreal. And if you, like me, have been or continue to remain in this situation, no matter the cause, I want you to know this.
You are not alone. I know what you're going through. I see you, I feel your agony.
It's going to be okay. Outside of the house, be kind. Be kind, work hard, and above all else hold tight to your own integrity. People will take notice and work to help you, even if you don't know it.
That's how I got my dream job, working at the historical museum in my town. I never imagined it'd be as amazing as it is, but there couldn't be a more tailor-made job to fit my specific set of skills. I don't say that to brag, I say it as an example that above the neglect, above the abuse, there is still hope.
Just hold on a little bit longer, kiddo. It's going to be okay.
Stay Strong even if you dont feel like it ❤️🩹
I love that whenever shes in escape mode, her eyes have the four shiny dots that match with the four lights on the billboard, to signify that shes staring at the billboard and is in fantasy mode.
Good catch!
It’s also a cool detail at the start the dad makes the same face as the billboard, signifying Claire trying to bring him to life in her head 0:49 10:44
The imaginary family also has one light in each of their eyes; the light of the attic.
i dont understand @@redfox4220
And when she starts dancing and they all shout "yayyy" they all make their billboard face at her 1:42@@redfox4220
When her mom said, "Have you decided to be a person today?" I'm assuming Claire never really comes out of the attic because she's always in her imaginary world so that might be the reason she didn't really recall where she was at first because she spends most of her time in the dream world.
It's really sad.
"Have you decided to become a person today" reminds me of "you finally came out of your room"
This short is a shockingly good depiction of maladaptive daydreaming
Also probably why the grandfather said “you smell different”
Bro needs to shower but the dad is too busy being ugly
@@funktastic511 Yes! I agree! To expound, personal hygiene and self-maintenance is one of the biggest indicators of mental state of mind/well-being. When you’re depressed, you neglect your hygiene and you “smell different” than you normally would, and also you begin you withdraw from and avoid your reality as much as you can because it too much to handle. I often think of it as a wounded animal retreating to a cave.
@@brianarendon111 What.
It's sad they're all blaming her constantly :(
"It's evil to help people who don't need help"
"you could spare me a little time, you act like I'm a complete stranger"
"you should be more considerate obviously, but I forgive you"
"You know how this makes me feel"
“LOOK AT ME!”
If you pause at 11:09 you see the distorted face of the father, wonder why he looks like that in that scene.
The mother disfigured him
You look at the face he like scp 096
He's prob just disgusted by how claire/opal looks like tbh.
Like @JoshRamirez says the mother physically abused him a lot eventually ending him up like that forcing himself into the reflection chamber trying to fix himself you can see in the mothers flashbacks the father calling 911 and when the very moment his face becomes that distorted
I think the way the dad is depicted at first is maybe how he sees himself but this is how Claire views him. It'd certainly make even more sense why the dad is so vehemently into perfecting his face in particular.
"We see you, Opal. Your troubles are miles away."
This is an interesting line in the song, because if you look closely at the billboard, Opal's Burgers is 9 miles from Claire's house. So if Claire ever goes to this restaurant, then her "troubles" (her abusive home) would *literally* be miles away.
i like to think that everyday when clair can, she goes to opals burgers to get away from her family. kinda like a comfort place.
@@hoppingjack Except thats probably not the case because she dosent even know what a burger is.
@@mrMickio yeah she dont know how to burger
@@Bl4ck_m0ld She is unable to burger
@@Aymelia-colon3 she can’t burger anymore
"and in our eyes you'll stay" this is literally like the imaginary family saying, we won't treat you like your real family does, we'll always be here for you. but what if they're also saying, we see the problems that you're facing, claire, and we can't help you. you know nobody can. BUT since the billboard family can't move thier eyes, they are literally always watching claire and the house
Well that certainly is depressing
she needs the comforting thought that she’s not alone, and there will be always someone (or rather something) watching her forever. she wants to know that someone “good” will always be watching her, no matter how mentally damaged she gets everyday by the “bad guys” (her real family)
Damn and they said keep your attention away from that room. She really just looks at that all day and imagines her life if she was in the posters family.
Also her real family can't see her properly. The grandfather is blind, the father won't look at anything other than his reflection, and the mother's vision is perpetually blurred, whereas the billboard can't look at anything but Claire
@@stevede5275wow i didn't think of that
it’s crazy how jack’s managed to so accurately portray a child in an abusive household, and how even though emotional abuse doesn’t leave marks, it scars just as badly as a beating. as someone who was abused as a child for 8 years, it feels nice to finally be represented in something like this.. my dad’s quite similar to the mirror man, actually.
s
I'm sorry man :( hope you're doing better
Oh god, are you, like, alrigth now? Even that this could happend along time ago, that doesnt means that you feel less sad, bad, or even depressed :(
“Even though emotional abuse doesn’t leave marks, it scars just as badly as beating.” I… I needed to hear that. Thank you.
Your welcome, its pretty good to know that i did just say help you, even if its just a little ^^
This one broke me ngl I ugly cried, it hit too close to home for me. Honestly we need more films like this raising awareness for these issues at the very least it will be something that sticks with people on make for interesting and important conversations about topics like this. It also makes people who have experienced stuff like this first hand feel less alone and validated knowing that there’s people out there that can understand their pain. I grew up emotionally and physically and sexually abused pretty much the only time my birth parents would even bother to pay attention to me or my sister would be to abuse use in some shape or form, the neglect traumatized me the most through the abuse was pretty traumatic especially when I was forced to watch my parents SA my sister in front of me and my sister was forced to watch my parents SA me too both of us just being children and not knowing how to stop it I would desperately try to defend my sister every time I was forced to watch her get SA’d but I was helpless to stop it was literally locked in different room. The neglect would go on for years and even days just my parents and my entire family acting as if we don’t exist even as we desperately tried to get their attention they would just ignore us completely and deny us of food and water we where treated like an unwanted dog. Than we they decided to pay attention to us it would all be cruel trick so they could abuse us in some way. We treated like slaves and we didn’t even have a bedroom we where forced to sleep on the floor in the basement if my parents where feeling “ nice “ but mostly we where forced to sleep on the floor of the garage. I would get made fun of and bullied in school for my sickly appearance due to neglect and abuse my body was covered in infected cuts, welts, I have internal tearing too due to sexual abuse, I was extremely malnourished and pale due to lack of food and water I looked like a walking corpse, my teachers said looking into my eyes was absolutely heart breaking because they could see the pain in my eyes and also the emptiness in my eyes too. Later one I ended running away from home and getting involved with the street life I felt safer on the streets than I did at home and I ended getting involved with the wrong crowd which resulted in me getting into legal trouble at a young age I didn’t understand the severity of what I was doing and the only reason why I did it was because those people provided me with food, attention and protection. CPS got called on my parents and we got taken away from my parents and ended up in the foster care system where we where further abused and once again I coped with the abuse by running away and getting involved with street criminals. Eventually me and my sister did find our forever home and we where actually adopted by my mom’s sister who has a restraining order against both my parents because when they where younger my mother used to abuse her sister and my mother and father pretty much tormented my aunt to near insanity and she had to be hospitalized from how intense the harassment was against her and her husband. My aunt took good care of us and lead us down the right path she was the only person in me and my sister’s life who even bothered to show us any compassion and sympathy my aunt also felt guilt for not acting on her instincts sooner. I’m 23 now and I’m doing much better and live a productive life and also I volunteer at a shelter for abused children too and help lead them down a better path because no child should ever have to experience what me and my sister experienced in our childhood. It breaks my heart that there are so many children out there how have been through similar or even worse than what me and my sister been through and their stories will never be heard.