Mirrors into your soul
Sarah Vulpio
After about a five year musical hiatus, Justin Timberlake released his latest album,
“The 20/20 Experience,” on March 15. The music video from his song, “Mirrors” premiered just two weeks ago. Timberlake wrote the song for his wife Jessica Biel, whom he married last October.
“Mirrors” describes the intimate relationship Timberlake has with his wife and also reflects upon his grandparents’ 63-year romance. With the recent passing of his grandfather, the video memorializes William, an influential figure in Timberlake’s upbringing. If you’re looking for a tear-jerker, I highly recommend checking out this video, but make sure to have a box of soft and fluffy tissues handy — be as sensitive to your nose as this video is to your soul.
The eight minute-long video begins with the present-day depiction of Timberlake’s grandparents. The actress playing his grandmother is sorting through her late husband’s possessions. As her “mirror,” Timberlake’s grandfather stands at her side, mirroring her motions. Unless you are aware of the meaning behind this song, it isn’t obvious that his grandfather is deceased until later in the video. That, my friends, is when the waterworks begin.
As the video progresses, the narrative flashes back to moments in the couple’s relationship. The young couple first meet in the 1950s, move on to their “rough patch” in the 1960s, and then we are shown the young grandmother in her wedding dress accepting her wedding ring. These memories are seen through the eyes of the present-day grandmother, as she wanders her home with each room inspiring a different flashback. These back-and-forth sequences continue until the video reaches the six-minute mark, in which the present-day grandmother takes off her ring as it falls through the floor into Timberlake’s hand. This represents his desire for his relationship with Biel to continue the lifetime-long legacy that his grandparents’ marriage created.
Timberlake has stated in interviews about the album how his grandparents’ relationship has made an impact on his life, and he can only hope for the same blessing for him and Jessica. For the remaining two minutes, Timberlake brings sexy back, dancing in a room full of mirrors. He is then joined by a group of female dancers in less-than-flattering attire, including blue wigs. Why? Couldn’t tell you, but it must have some sort of meaning, right?
Overall, “Mirrors” is a beautifully executed music video with a new artistic sense that shows us a different side to Mr. Justin Timberlake. The song by itself is enough to make anyone weep, and the music video does a phenomenal job of bringing the lyrics to life. This eight-minute music video quickly turns into an hour of non-stop Timberlake, as you fight the urge to hit the replay button over and over again.