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“You’re Where You Belong” Why there will always be a place for the life lessons from Top Gun By Michael J. Pallerino
Rising up, as we know, usually means we have fallen. And, despite all the shock and awe his fighter pilot skills can still deliver, the only true way for Maverick is up. As with any of us, in any applicable situation in life, that means not only dealing with the moment at hand, but all those moments that led you there. “IT’S TIME TO LET GO.” In one of Top Gun’ s most emotional scenes, Lt. Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (Val Kilmer) meets with Maverick after discovering his cancer has returned—a scene made even more emotional since Kilmer in real life was suffering from throat cancer during filming. Iceman’s condition (as what Kilmer faced), left him unable to speak for long periods of time. Through text, he succinctly explains to Maverick the importance of letting go—about how relinquishing yourself from the past burdens is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. In Maverick’s case, it includes the death of his wingman, Nick “Goose” Bradshaw (who was played by Anthony Edwards in the first movie and reviewed in flashbacks). For each of us, our lives—no matter how we spin the bottle—are filled with moments of self-inflicted consequences—ones that trail us with every step in life’s journey. Time is supposed to change people. It is supposed to give us a chance to learn from the roads we take, the ones we don’t and those that get washed over. When Maverick says he doesn’t know how to move on, Iceman’s final act of friendship and leadership is clear—there are no choices. The choices we make are the ones we live with—good, bad or indifferent. They are the ones that only we can amend. As Maverick teaches us, in all its Hollywood glory, we all have time to try and fix the pieces that get broken or tangled up. And while it may not be in a burst of Hollywood special effects and movie star moments, it is worth the effort. So, yes, 36 years in the making and a once-in-a- lifetime-game-changing pandemic later, the world still needs the lessons that Top Gun has to give us. Talk to me Mav…
Editor’s Note: GHR readers beware. Spoilers ahead for Top Gun: Maverick. “YOU’RE WHERE YOU BELONG.” In one of the myriad pivotal scenes from the Top Gun sequel 36 years in the making, Admiral Solomon “Warlock” Bates (Charles Parnell) infers that despite the ups and many downs in the long Naval aviator career of Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise), the end of the road doesn’t necessarily mean the end is here. “Make us proud,” Warlock whispers into Maverick’s ear in a scene that sets Top Gun: Maverick into an even more accelerated speed of the Mach-10 version it was already running on. Pay close attention to the script by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie and you will see that Warlock’s comment actually is a callback to a conversation Maverick had early on in the movie with Vice Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson (Jon Hamm). Cyclone: “Despite your best efforts you refuse to die. You should be a two-star general by now, yet here you are.” Maverick: “I am where I belong, Sir.” The dialog, somewhat buried in a sea of what will no doubt be a spate of oft-repeated lines by movie fans everywhere for years to come, is somewhat emblematic of the theme of Top Gun . The movie, like the first one did, centers on a lone, ever semi-anti-establishment hero hellbent on doing the thing he loves, his way, on his terms, regardless of the circumstances. Whether or not that is a sustainable strategy for any of us really depends on the individual. In Maverick, we have an exceedingly talented and gifted hero capable of achieving anything he puts his mind to. And, to be fair, it is a mindset worth rooting for. But in our own 9-5 worlds—and, if we are being honest, even at the Naval Academy’s most elite training ground, being a hero is not always the path true leaders choose to take. Maverick, and the true meaning behind this sequel, teach us that. Strategically positioned in between the remarkably filmed flight sequences and breathtaking cinematography are lessons each of us can embrace. Lessons about learning how to deal with the cards life deals you while still holding on to the ones that got you there. Lessons about how lifting those around you can actually lift you higher than you ever thought you could go alone.
Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures
“OUR GREATEST ENEMY IS TIME.” In part of his introductory speech to the Top Gun hotshot pupils placed in his stead, the enemy of time is the message Maverick tries to convey. A speech delivered on the heels of being told that he is “headed for extinction,” Maverick’s words almost seem like a prelude to the road each of us will one day face. “THE FUTURE IS COMING, AND YOU’RE (WE’RE) NOT IN IT.” One of Top Gun ’s biggest lessons is that regardless of where you fall on the timeline of life, where you go truly is up to you. Coming to terms with the limits of who you are, what you can do, and how you inspire and teach those around you is where we are in 2022.
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THE GEORGIA HOLLYWOOD REVIEW | FALL 2022 | 41
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