Narrative Analysis of Justin Timberlake - Cry Me A River

 So I can gain knowledge about narratives in music videos, typically R&B related videos, I will be analysing the music video of ‘Cry Me A River’, sung by Justin Timberlake and directed by Francis Lawrence, in terms of narrative. Whilst referring to the three main theorists; Tzvetan Todorov, Claude Levi-Strauss and Vladimir Propp.

 Tzvetan Todorov’s theory is the ‘Five Conventional Stages’. In which the story and plot occur in chronological order, as it is linear.  The first stage is ‘Equilibrium’, which is the sense of everything being normal. The second stage is ‘Disequilibrium’, this is when an event occurs to destroy the ‘Equilibrium’. The third stage is ‘Recognition’, where the main characters realise there is something wrong, which is followed by ‘Reparation’, the fourth stage where the main characters try to restore equilibrium. Finally, it ends on the fifth stage, ‘New Equilibrium’ when things have been returned to normal or almost normal. In the video to ‘Cry Me A River’, the story does not begin on an equilibrium therefore this theory doesn’t completely apply to this video. The video begins on Justin watching his ex-girlfriend leave her house with a man, from a parked car. The narration appears restricted at first, giving us little information but the lyrics tell us that his girlfriend possibly cheated and left him;

“I already know, I found out from him” and “Why did you leave me, all alone”.

Many references in the video were made to Justin’s real life ex-girlfriend Britney Spears, such as the fairy figurine represents the fairy tattoo on her back. When being related to the theory, I think the video would start on ‘Reparation’, because the lyrics and him breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s house suggests he is trying to get a little revenge, which then automatically rules out the first three stages. The ‘New Equilibrium’ would be after the shower scene at the very end, when his ex-girlfriend realises someone was in the house and finds her television playing the tape of Justin kissing another girl on her own bed.

The theory of Claude Levi-Strauss is that one side is represented as the right side, who the audience can identify with and support, whilst the other side is the opposite. The lyrics show signs of past and present,

Past example: “You told me you love me, Why did you leave me, all alone.”

Present example: “ Now you tell me you need me, When you call me on the phone.”

However, past and present is not visible in the video. The idea of good and evil is portrayed between the characters of Justin and his ex-girlfriend, as the audience support Justin but will automatically dislike her. The opposite of normal and strange could be applied to Justin’s movements, as when he walks this can be seen as normal whilst some of his ‘dancing’ may be pictured as strange, for example when he jumps and walks across a counter.

Vladimir Propp’s theory is about the characters included in a narrative-based music video. This theory states that certain characters appear in music videos; a hero who seeks something, a villain who obstructs the hero, a princess who will the heroes reward, the princess’ father who will give the rewards, a donor who will provide the hero with help and information, a helper to help the hero, a false hero and a dispatcher who sends the hero on a quest. In this music video, the theory only slightly applies. Despite Justin breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s house, he would be the hero as he is the artist, however the video does portray him as heartbroken rather than malicious. The villain would be his ex-girlfriend, as the lyrics teach use she cheated and then left him, even though she isn’t seen obstructing Justin in the actual video, this supports my earlier belief that the video begins on the ‘Reparation’ stage. Timbaland would be a helper, as he drives Justin and the new girl, to the ex-girlfriend’s house. The new girl, who Justin films himself kissing on his ex-girlfriend’s bed, could be seen as the princess. Alternatively, the manner in which she arrives, they behave and she leaves suggests their relationship is strictly business, therefore she too could be a helper. Only four people actually feature in this video, so the rest of Propps theory cannot apply.