The Christmas lights decorated every street and alley with a riot of colors, but without snow, the city still felt like it was missing a bit of the festive atmosphere. Los Angeles, with its mild winter, made Christmas seem like an isolated island where Santa Claus might never bother to visit. Hugo couldn't help but mischievously wonder if Santa's gifts would melt away when delivered near the equator.
Joseph had returned to Los Angeles a day earlier than expected. Carrying his luggage, he went straight up to the third floor, where he found Hugo curled up on the sofa, holding a box of potato chips and watching Home Alone. Joseph paused for a moment, then a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Are you still a kid?" he asked. Home Alone was charming once, but watching it repeatedly was really only for children.
Hugo didn't even turn his head, still laughing at the screen. "It fits the holiday mood," he said. His bright, carefree laughter actually added a little Christmas spirit to the room, which slightly loosened the tension in Joseph's shoulders. The past couple of days at home had been anything but relaxing. "Why'd you come back early? I thought your flight was tomorrow."
Hugo lifted the box of chips toward Joseph, who tossed his luggage aside and sat down next to him, reaching for a chip. "Peter got into trouble again," Joseph said. "He didn't come back for Christmas Eve, and we got stuck at home. Some gangsters came looking for him, but I managed to deal with them."
If Hugo remembered correctly, it was Peter who had racked up gambling debts last time as well. The plot of Home Alone on the TV had long ceased to hold his attention, but his mind was already elsewhere. "So you came back now? Is that okay?" Normally, Joseph should have been needed at the Gibbs household right now.
Joseph shook his head, a faint tightness at the corners of his mouth betraying his inner helplessness. "My younger brother Paul is home. He's seventeen now, and with him taking care of things, I don't need to worry. Plus, Mary's here. She's actually the most capable person in the house right now."
"Oh, Mary. How's she doing?" Every time Joseph mentioned his little sister, his words were full of affection. Hugo had heard it so often that his ears were numb to it.
Joseph chuckled softly. "She's doing really well. She decorated the Christmas tree this year—it looks fantastic." A small smile appeared in Joseph's eyes, but it quickly faded. "It's just Peter… I don't even know where he is."
This was one of the drawbacks of the early 1990s. Unlike the 21st century, when mobile phones and credit cards could help track someone's location, communication was more limited. In this era, finding someone like Peter wasn't so simple.
It was clear that Joseph's family life was not easy.
"Peter's already thirty, right?" Hugo asked.
Joseph nodded.
"Exactly. He's fully capable of making his own decisions now. You've done everything you can. The rest is up to him. You can't shoulder everything yourself—you're not Superman."
Joseph looked a little dazed by Hugo's reassurance. He lifted his head, his eyes hazy, and asked, "Did I really do everything I could?"
That question immediately left Hugo speechless. Family matters could never be measured by ordinary standards. From an outsider's perspective, Joseph had given his all, but in his own heart, if he refused to forgive himself, it would never be enough.
Hugo could only say, softly, "You've always been trying your best…"
Joseph gave a faint tug at the corner of his mouth, stuffed a chip into his mouth, and chewed quietly, a mixture of weariness and solitude on his face.
Watching Joseph, Hugo suddenly thought: why didn't he have any siblings? America didn't enforce one-child policies like some countries did; many families had brothers and sisters. Why didn't the Lancasters? He quickly abandoned the thought—he was far too sensitive right now, questioning everything, like someone with hyperactive nerves.
On TV, Kevin was up to his antics in Home Alone, punishing the two burglars trying to break in. Watching the bumbling thieves get repeatedly humiliated was endlessly amusing, even if Hugo had seen it before. Indeed, as he had said, this movie fit the festive mood perfectly.
Joseph let out a long, comfortable sigh, sinking deeper into the sofa. "I need to get a sofa like this," he murmured.
Hugo popped another chip into his mouth, focusing again on the screen. "Next time you want to watch TV, just come downstairs."
"Actually, I came back early because of work," Joseph said suddenly. That job was what had brought him from his Houston home back to Los Angeles ahead of schedule.
Hugo frowned. "Work on Christmas? I thought everyone had the holidays off."
"It's not really work—more like auditions. Film auditions." Joseph temporarily pushed aside thoughts of home and began to relax.
"'The Firm'?" Hugo's first reaction was to recall that auditions for this movie had been mentioned even before A Few Good Men was released. But a month had passed, and no auditions had started. If the industry hadn't leaked anything, Hugo might have suspected Brad Pitt had already been secretly chosen by Sydney Pollack for the lead role.
"Oh no, those auditions are still being postponed—probably around New Year's. When I say 'around,' I really mean sometime after." Joseph tilted his head slightly and glanced at Hugo, conveying his helplessness. Ultimately, it came down to his limited authority as an agent. If it had been Ron Meyer, these auditions would not have been such a hassle, especially considering the success of A Few Good Men.
Hugo shrugged and pursed his lips. "I'm used to it. Big directors always make us wait, and with the holidays, maybe Sydney's on vacation too." It was just speculation, but overall, there was little Hugo could do but wait. He wasn't yet influential enough to affect the audition process.
"So, what kind of audition is it this time?"
Although the "The Firm's" auditions had been delayed, the success of A Few Good Men had clearly left a deep impression. Other film companies were taking notice, so it wasn't surprising to get new offers.
"It's a chick flick," Joseph said, sitting up a little straighter, his energy returning. "You know what a chick flick is? Pretty Woman, When Harry Met Sally—those are chick flicks."
A chick flick is essentially a lighthearted romantic comedy, typically centered around female characters, with men often in supporting roles. Even when that's not the case, the women in the film usually carry as much weight as the male characters, and the overarching theme is usually romance. In English, "chick" is a colloquial term for a young woman, which is why this genre is often called a chick flick.
Chick flicks have always held an important place in Hollywood. They've not only launched the careers of many American screen sirens but also made numerous handsome leading men the dream objects of female audiences. For example, Breakfast at Tiffany's made Audrey Hepburn a star; Dirty Dancing catapulted Patrick Swayze into fame, leading to his role in Ghost; and Pretty Woman not only made Julia Roberts an instant sensation but also cemented Richard Gere's image as the ultimate bachelor.
"Yes, of course. I've always enjoyed chick flicks," Hugo nodded. He was familiar with the genre, but Joseph gave him a probing look, making Hugo feel slightly uncomfortable. "What's wrong? Are chick flicks only for women? A great film like When Harry Met Sally can be appreciated by anyone, right?"
Generally, the primary audience for romantic comedies tends to be female. In Hollywood's male-dominated industry, chick flicks have historically occupied a smaller share of the market. Yet there's no denying that many chick flicks are excellent films—for example, When Harry Met Sally, which explores male-female relationships, and Breakfast at Tiffany's, a 1961 classic still revered today.
Joseph chuckled lightly. "Yes, that's true. You know When Harry Met Sally was directed by Rob, right?"
"Of course," Hugo replied. A Few Good Men's director, Rob Reiner, had started as an actor. Though his acting career never truly took off, he achieved notable success as a director. When Harry Met Sally established him as a top-tier director—something Hugo certainly hadn't forgotten.
"This audition opportunity comes on Rob's strong recommendation," Joseph continued, finally getting to the point. "Nora Ephron, the screenwriter of When Harry Met Sally, is directing a film herself for the second time. It's a chick flick, so she contacted Rob to collaborate on some details and possibly make a cameo. Then… Rob recommended you to Nora, saying you'd be perfect for the male lead in her script."
Hugo realized the pattern: the strong performance of Scent of a Woman had landed him the audition for A Few Good Men, and now the success of A Few Good Men had opened two more doors. Hollywood was indeed a tightly interconnected world.
Nora Ephron was a celebrated screenwriter. Her debut, Silkwood, earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay, and When Harry Met Sally garnered her another nomination in the same category. At fifty-one, this formidable woman brought a fresh, female perspective to Hollywood chick flicks, arguably making her a pioneer in the genre.
Hugo nodded repeatedly. Rob's enthusiastic recommendation didn't surprise him—he had received personal attention from Rob on set before—but Hugo was curious about which script Rob was endorsing so strongly.
"What's the name of the script?"
....
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