'Sweet Home Alabama' Analysis: Opening 2 Minutes

In the beginning of the scene, the music is quite happy and is very obviously country music which helps to set the scene for the movie. The camera pans across the stormy sky and the beach, creating an atmospheric mood and also helping to further set the scene for the audience. The storm is very loud and dramatic which greatly contrasts the happy music. This contrast possibly alludes to the relationship between the children, or later as adults. A long shot of the beach then shows the children running. This makes us think that these are the main characters and that this moment is important to the story. The way that the children are shown to come into focus after the lightning hits, shows the importance of them in the moment and in the movie.

We then see the use of close-ups in a shot-reverse-shot of the children. This shows their connection and the nerves between them. It helps to show how each of them is feeling towards the other. Their accents as they speak are quite obviously Southern, which helps to, again, set the scene and the story. The music slows down to increase the amount of suspense within this part of the scene. The medium shot zooming in to a close-up of their kiss shows us that they're an important piece to the story and they are who the audience should relate to. 

When the lighting strikes a second time, the music dims in comparison to the sound of the storm. The fact that it strikes twice (which is extremely rare) shows the use of foreshadowing and symbolism to suggest something might happen later on in the characters' lives and their stories. The extreme close-up of her face shows the fear in her eyes. The burst of light across her face, in slow motion, similar to when someone dies in a movie, connotes peace and tranquility which strongly contrasts the stormy, angry weather. The scene then cuts to her dreaming about that time. The dreaming aspect contrasts the storm, however the fact that she is dreaming about that particular moment in her life makes us wonder about why its so important, which is what the movie goes on to show.