I just wanted to let you know that I will be interning at the Yellowstone Research Library this summer which means my posting will be even more sporadic than it already has been due to lack of internet access.
Yellowstone is beautiful though, and there are many amazing documentaries about the park.I’ve already watched Secret Yellowstone and Christmas in Yellowstone, and I would recommend either which are both available via NetFlix. The library I work for has over 100 documentaries, as well as clips from news programs, and even the Daily Show. I also can’t wait for the new Ken Burns documentary National Parks – America’s Best Idea.
If you want to go on a short 5 minute virtual tour, I’ve included the YouTube video below. It’s beautiful and I hope you enjoy!
Starring Tom Cruise, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Felicity Huffman, Philip Baker Hall, and Alfred Molina.
Synopsis (from IMDB):
24 hours in L.A.; it’s raining cats and dogs. Two parallel and intercut stories dramatize men about to die: both are estranged from a grown child, both want to make contact, and neither child wants anything to do with dad. Earl Partridge’s son is a charismatic misogynist; Jimmy Gator’s daughter is a cokehead and waif. A mild and caring nurse intercedes for Earl, reaching the son; a prayerful and upright beat cop meets the daughter, is attracted to her, and leads her toward a new calm. Meanwhile, guilt consumes Earl’s young wife, while two whiz kids, one grown and a loser and the other young and pressured, face their situations. The weather, too, is quirky.
My Thoughts:
This film is dark, and sad, and clever. Through out it one of the themes I picked up on was how “sins of the father” affect the children. Various characters suffered abuse, abandonment, and molestation at the hands of their fathers leaving them angry, depressed, and struggling. The film even quoted scripture regarding it.
“And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God” 1 Kings 15:3
I remember watching this film when it first came out and really hating it. I realize now that what I disliked was the tragedy caused by the actions of the fathers in this film. The film reveals how much pain and suffering there is, and how so much of it we put onto each other. Frank T.J. Mackey, abandoned by his father, and left to take care of his dying mother, rewrote his own history. Ironically, he became a misogynist and used women just as badly if not worse than his father did. Jimmy Gator left his daughter a neurotic, self-loathing, drug abuser by the worst sin of a father, sexual molestation.
“If love and agreement are manifest in a single family, that family will advance, become illumined and spiritual; but if enmity and hatred exist within it destruction and dispersal are inevitable” ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
We see evidence in this film of family disunity and how destructive it can be. Often the rift starts between the married party and then effect the children. Several characters had committed infidelity. In one scene Linda Partridge (Julianne Moore) broke down in tears lamenting how she did not love her husband when she married him, and just wanted his money, and so she had constantly been unfaithful. Now that they had been together for a while, and he was dying she realized she truly did love him and because of that could not possibly take a cent from the will. The lawyer told her that adultery was not illegal. That did not comfort her because either way it was wrong.
“Every other word of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Writings is a preachment on moral and ethical conduct; all else is the form, the chalice, into which the pure spirit must be poured; without the spirit and the action which must demonstrate it, it is a lifeless form. When we realize that Bahá’u’lláh says adultery retards the progress of the soul in the after life – so grievous is it – and that drinking destroys the mind, and not to so much as approach it, we see how clear are our teachings on these subjects.” ~ From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi.
I think this scene was an incredibly potent one and points to how often the people who suffer most by committing a wrong against someone is not the victim but the perpetrator. God has given us spiritual guidance, whether it be the 10 commandments, or the Laws of Bahá’u’lláh, or the Middle Path of Buddhism, that is meant to protect us from ourselves. These laws actually free us from the pain we would suffer by not following them. This film shows that pain, whether it is through drug use, sexual impropriety, or not being a good parent.
It also shows how important honesty and truthfulness are. Many characters were both not honest with themselves or with others, but despite trying they could not hide from the truth for long. While most of the film was dark and forlorn, there was a glimmer of hope in two story lines, one of which touched upon the importance of kindness and the other of truth.
Stanley, a quiz kid genius has had a lot of pressure to deal with. While it is not explicitly stated, he lives in a single parent household with his father. His father is often on his case, and picks him up from school late. He brings him to the game show and is more excited about the prospect of Stanley winning a lot of money, than for his actual wellbeing. Stanley is a good kid. He is under a lot of pressure, and because he arrived late to the studio was not able to go to the bathroom before the show started. He is on a role answering every question, until his bladder fails him. Mortified he sits like a statue and no longer participates. He realized that everyone was really just using him. The show for ratings, his father for the potential payout, and he is left forlorn. It is hard to see a child experience disillusionment, but in the end Stanley stands up for himself telling his father that he has to be nicer to him. Stanley has the potential not to fall in the same trap Quiz Kid Donnie Smith (William H. Macy) did, and for this there is hope.
“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” ~Mark Twain
The other hopeful story consists of an unlikely match. Officer Jim Kurring (John C. Reilly) and Claudia Partridge (Melora Walters) met through a disturbance call. He was a cop and she a drug-addled victim of abuse. She spent the beginning trying to hide the fact of her drug use from him. However, the cop liked her anyway and asked her on a date. He was a Christian and prayed to God regarding meeting this woman. In fact, they showed him in prayer more than once, and he was the only character in the film portrayed with any faith.
As they went on their date the woman asked if he ever lied on dates, because he was afraid the other person would not like the truth. Or even if he hadn’t lied, maybe left important things out. He said that was natural, and tried to waylay her fears. She then said they shouldn’t do that. They should be honest and tell their secrets.
“Truthfulness is the foundation of all the virtues of the world of humanity. Without truthfulness, progress and success in all of the worlds of God are impossible for a soul. When this holy attribute is established in man, all the divine qualities will also become realized.” ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
She clearly was trying to get up the courage to admit her addictions and seek help. She told him she thought he would hate her, because he was so together, and such a good person, and she was not. He then comforted her by admitting that he had lost his gun that day and was now the laughing stock of the entire police force. He too made mistakes. She then kissed him and ran off, chickening out. At the end of the film though, there is another scene with them together, and the cop is talking about how people have great capacity to forgive and to help each other through times of trouble, and she smiles.
She was onto something about honesty and he was onto something about help and forgiveness, and trying not to be judgmental. It is through these two characters, and the healing power of faith and listening to divine guidance that this film has a sliver of hope to it.
Starring Djimon Hounsou, Matthew McConaughey, Morgan Freeman, Stellan Skarsgard, and Anthony Hopkins.
Synopsis (from IMDB):
Amistad is the name of a slave ship traveling from Cuba to the U.S. in 1839. It is carrying a cargo of Africans who have been sold into slavery in Cuba, taken on board, and chained in the cargo hold of the ship. As the ship is crossing from Cuba to the U.S., Cinque, who was a tribal leader in Africa, leads a mutiny and takes over the ship. They continue to sail, hoping to find help when they land. Instead, when they reach the United States, they are imprisoned as runaway slaves. They don’t speak a word of English, and it seems like they are doomed to die for killing their captors when an abolitionist lawyer decides to take their case, arguing that they were free citizens of another country and not slaves at all. The case finally gets to the Supreme Court, where John Quincy Adams makes an impassioned and eloquent plea for their release.
My Thoughts:
This film touches upon many different ethical and spiritual themes. The film centers upon a slave revolt on the Spanish ship “La Amistad” and the subsequent court cases in the United States as the justice system tries to unweave the various crimes from their victims and perpetrators. As for spiritual themes, there is the obvious issue of slavery itself, and the injustice it represents, but there are some other more subtle themes interwoven into this larger one. The Abolitionists, who serve as advocates for the slaves, are ardent Christians and see slavery as opposed to their faith. Other Christians come and pray at the prison in which the West Africans are being held. The faith of the West Africans themselves is in question, though they could be Muslim due to a few shots of them on the boat praying all together in one direction, potentially Mecca.
Throughout the film, each side begins to better understand the other. At first the West Africans seem wild and violent to the Americans, and even their advocates are at time confused, frustrated, or fearful of their behavior. The Americans are just as strange to the Africans who cannot understand their language, or customs, and are also confused to see freed American blacks dressed just like those of European heritage. Throughout the film, the advocates strive to learn the language and to find a translator, and to better understand the West Africans so that they can better serve them. The West Africans also learn more of the ways of the white people when they are given a Bible. Through the pictures they see the suffering these people went through as well, and how they revere Christ as in every picture “the sun follows him”.
“When a man turns his face to God he finds sunshine everywhere. All men are his brothers. Let not conventionality cause you to seem cold and unsympathetic when you meet strange people from other countries… Let it be seen that you are filled with universal love.” ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
While this may seem over simplified or contrived, I think it is important to think about how people of different cultures learn about one another. In this age of the Internet, and global tele-communications, it is much easier and more common to interact with people from different places, cultures, and backgrounds. Two hundred years ago, while there was still cultural interaction for sure, mixing took effort and was not on equal footing. It took months for ships to cross the ocean, and people were brought over under duress. The effort of the abolitionists to truly understand the West Africans cannot be taken lightly. It really was a sign of changing times.
Another interesting dilemma throughout the film was the issue of what was a “win” to the Abolitionists. The property lawyer argued that he could get the West Africans acquitted for murder of the crew by claiming they were unlawfully acquired property, since in 1839 slaves were no longer supposed to be taken, but had to be born into slavery. To the Abolitionists this was repugnant since the West Africans were just as human as they were and to use the language of property would be backward. But what is most important? Noble ideas or action? If this could save the West Africans from the death penalty, and could allow them to return to Africa is it ok?
“Some men and women glorify in their exalted thoughts, but if these thoughts never reach the plane of action they remain useless: the power of thought is dependent on its manifestation in deeds.” ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
In the end, after taking the case to the Supreme Court and getting a favorable verdict, one of the Christian Abolitionists argued that perhaps it would have been better for the greater Abolitionist cause had the West Africans been put to death, since martyrdom tended to motivate individuals to action and to fight for change. He pointed to the example of Christ. While this may be true, it disgusted the other Abolitionist, a freed slave himself, since life itself is sacred and it should be the goal to free these innocent people who were defending themselves, and not to seek the martyrdom of other people.
This film really caused me to grapple with our cultural heritage, as well as how far we’ve come. The most progressive people in the 1839 case would probably seem pretty backwards now. It was 5 years that the Báb came heralding in the new age and calling people to unity, and 11 years later that He Himself was martyred. I can see how humanity so very much needed the message of love and unity He and Bahá’u’lláh after Him, championed.
“Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship.” ~ Bahá’u’lláh
This is a brilliant short film that just makes you smile. At 16 minutes it brilliantly delves into the topics of kindness and validation in ways longer films haven’t. I would like to thank LuminousRealities for sharing this find first, and like her will implore you to do yourself a favor and watch this film as soon as you can. It is an illustration of the power and effect of our words. A compliment can go so much further than we realize. It can not only make someone’s day, but can give them the strength they need to get through the hard times. This is not just common sense, but something that has been encouraged by prophets, religious leaders, and wise people throughout time. Here are just a few examples:
A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding. ~ Bahá’u’lláh
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. ~Aesop
If you are motivated by loving kindness and compassion, there are many ways to bring happiness to others right now, starting with kind speech. ~Thich Nhat Hanh
It is the end of the semester for me, so I’ve been caught up in papers and final projects and have been neglecting the blog. My birthday recently passed and my wonderful sister sent me the new Death Cab for Cutie EP on iTunes. It came with this music video which I just watched and it made me cry. It is such a sad and beautiful story based on the wildfires that happened in California a little while back. It really got me thinking about how in times of tragedy communities come together in solidarity. When events like 9/11 or Katrina or the Tsunami happen the silver lining is that you get to see the love people have for one another and the sacrifices they are willing to make to help each other out. So please enjoy this video.
In this biopic, director Olivier Dahan creates a loving portrait of legendary Parisian singer Edith Piaf (played by Marion Cotillard in an Oscar-winning performance), whose passion for music saw her through a life filled with tragedy. The film follows the chanteuse from her forlorn childhood in a brothel to her big break at Louis Leplée’s (Gérard Depardieu) nightclub and her premature death at age 47. Sylvie Testud and Pascal Greggory co-star.
My Thoughts:
I love learning, and through this film I felt that I learned a lot. I had absolutely no idea what this movie was about, even after watching Marion Cotillard accept an Oscar for her performance in it, but decided to check it out. I am glad I did because it is important to experience and learn about people who have strongly influenced culture beyond one’s own nation.
It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens. ~ Bahá’u’lláh
This film focuses around the life of Edith Piaf, a famous French singer, and her life filled with tragedy and beauty. She went through more hardships in the first decade of her life than I probably have yet. Edith was born to a cabaret singing mother, and a father who was serving in the army during World War I. Her mother was an alcoholic who would often leave her alone, or on the street when she performed.
When he father returned from the war he took Edith away from her mother, and deposited her with her grandmother who was the matron of a brothel. Edith then lived in the brothel, when she got an infection which left her blind for most of her childhood. The women of the brothel saved money to take Edith on pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Theresa where they prayed for healing for Edith so that she could regain her sight, which she eventually did, and this incident left her with a life long faith in St. Theresa whom she would pray to when times continued to get rough.
O thou maid-servant of the Blessed Perfection! Be thou not sad, neither be thou unhappy, although the divine tests are violent, yet are they conducive to the life of the soul and the heart. The more often the pure gold is thrown into the furnace of test, the greater will become its purity and brilliancy and it will acquire a new splendor and brightness. I hope that thou art thyself in such a position.
Consider thou the lives of the former sanctified souls; what tests have they not withstood and what persecutions have they not beheld; while they were surrounded with calamities they increased their firmness and while they were overwhelmed with tests they manifested more zeal and courage. Be thou also like unto them. ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
The tests did not end there. Edith had grown fond of these women, who, despite the infamy of their trade and the desperation that brought them to it, had cared for her and showed her love and compassion. Then her father returned pulling her away to join him on the road where he worked as a contortionist for the circus. Again Edith adapted, and grew to like the circus, when her father quit do to an argument with the owner. Again, Edith was forced to abandon something she loved for a life of a street performer. This was a theme in her life, loss and abandonment.
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning? ~Psalms 22:1
However it was through this event that she was able to discover her gift. When on the street as her Dad performed, one day the crowd wanted the girl in the act. Not knowing what to do she sang the French national anthem. Her voice was strong and endearing. The crowd applauded vigorously and tossed coins her way. She soon learned to sing for her supper.
Music is God’s gift to man, the only art of Heaven given to earth, the only art of earth we take to Heaven. ~ Walter Savage Landor
It took her 10 more years of singing on the street and in cabarets, getting mixed up with pimps and ruffians, before he luck turned (for a little while at least). She was discovered by a night club owner, Louis Leplée, who was able to give her a steady paycheck and audience, and save her from a life on the street. But, like every good thing in Edith’s life it was soon taken away. Louis Leplée was murdered, most likely from the mafia, and connections Edith had made on the street. This was a real tragedy for her as Leplée had been her savior of sorts, and unintentionally she had gotten him killed.
O SON OF MAN! Should prosperity befall thee, rejoice not, and should abasement come upon thee, grieve not, for both shall pass away and be no more. ~ Bahá’u’lláh
This would not be the last time she grieved for an untimely death. Later, once she became even more professionally successful through connections Louis had made for her, her lover died in a plane crash. Already used to self-medicating through the use of alcohol, this event through her into a life long alcoholism which contributed to a car crash she was in that left her arthritic and in pain, contributing to cycle of addiction. We find out later that this love of her life, Marcel, shared a name with the only child Edith bore, a daughter named Marcelle, who died at the age of two from Meningitis, back when Edith was still living on the street.
Love consists not in feeling great things but in having great detachment and in suffering for the Beloved. The soul that is attached to anything, however much good there may be in it, will not arrive at the liberty of Divine union. For whether it be a strong wire rope or a slender and delicate thread that holds the bird, it matters not, if it really holds it fast; for until the cord be broken, the bird cannot fly.
~ St. John of the Cross
It was music that was able to get her through the tough times. Edith loved to bring joy to the faces of the people in the audience. Her music was also a catharsis as she commissioned ballads that dealt with the suffering she had faced, as well as those to uplift. Even when she was dying from liver failure, she bolstered up the strength to sing one last time at the Olympia a song which summed up her life, Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien, translated as No Regrets:
No, nothing at all, I regret nothing at all
Not the good, nor the bad. It is all the same.
No, nothing at all, I have no regrets about anything.
It is paid, wiped away, forgotten.
I am not concerned with the past, with my memories.
I set fire to my pains and pleasures,
I don’t need them anymore.
I have wiped away my loves, and my troubles.
Swept them all away.
I am starting again from zero.
No, nothing at all, I have no regrets
Because from today, my life, my happiness, everything,
Starts with you!
Edith may not have always made the best choices. She was human, and she dealt with a lot of suffering, in mostly two ways- the healthy: music, and the unhealthy: alcohol. Her alcoholism and addiction to pain medication, was both tragic and yet understandable considering the repeated loss in her life of every person she loved, and both the physical and emotional pain she had to bear. Her love for music is what kept her alive and kept her from thoughts of suicide, and without music she did not want to live. She would take shots of painkillers to have the strength to go on stage after the car accident that left her crippled. The doctors were conflicted knowing that her performing was killing her, but also knowing that it was keeping her spirit alive and giving her the will to go on. I think there is a lot to learn from here and a lot to think about when we live our own lives, as well as when we see others making choices that perhaps we do not fully understand. We cannot know fully the suffering others go through, but in Edith’s case, she was able to channel her suffering into her art and bring beauty into the world through her music.
I am both so happy and so sad. I was wandering around the internet (like you do) and I happened upon this film festival… Awaken! International Spiritual Film Festival: the first ever spiritual film festival in New Jersey, where I’m from. And it happened a month ago and I missed it! I hope that they hold it again next year, but who knows if I’ll even be here then. Either way I wanted to share it with you guys.
I find trolling film festivals a great way to learn about small market films. Unfortunately some of these films never even make it to mainstream theaters or DVD so it is hard to even see them without these festivals. I hope to catch a few of these at some point. It looked like a pretty good bunch of movies.
The winners for the audience choice awards were:
Feature-length Film: Stranded: I come from a plane that crashed
in the mountains.
Documentary (up to 1 hour): The Cats of Mirikitani
Starring Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin, and Steve Zahn.
Synopsis (From IMDB):
Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams) finds herself a single mother attempting to support her son Oscar (Jason Spevack) and her unreliable sister Norah (Emily Blunt) while working a mundane job as a maid. Once the head cheerleader in school with plenty of prospects, Rose now has little to show for her years, and while she still sees the former lead football player (Steve Zahn), it is little more than a despondent affair. When Oscar is expelled from public school, Rose takes a job as a bio-hazard crime-scene cleaner to help pay for a private education, and brings Norah on to help in her steadily growing business. As the sisters work to clean up the messes left behind by the chaotic lives of others, they must learn to reconcile their own differences and overcome a troubled past if they hope to prosper in their newfound venture.
My Thoughts:
I do not know why I have been attracted to watching films which have centered around death lately. Perhaps that is what life and spirituality are all about: to prepare us for death and encourage us to make the most of the time we have on earth.
Sunshine Cleaning focusses on people who have struggled with making the most out of life. It is revealed throughout the film that there are actually a lot of unresolved issues as well as grief- burdens that justifiably have weighed on these very real, and very relatable characters- which explain why it has been hard for them to thrive. This films does an excellent job of feeling real, like you could actually know these people. They do not have superpowers, they are not uncommenly witty, things do not work out magically for them. Instead, they are people like you or me who have to struggle with work and with daily life.
Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams) immediately captures your heart. She tries to keep upbeat despite having a lousy job, raising a child alone, and having to care for her quirky father, and her nare-do-well sister. She is also having an affair with her (now married) high school sweetheart. Her self esteem has taken quite a beating and her parental and financial troubles are incredibly stressful, yet she does not give up and strives to remain upbeat even if the smile is strained.
Therefore, strive to show in the human world that women are most capable and efficient, that their hearts are more tender and susceptible than the hearts of men, that they are more philanthropic and responsive toward the needy and suffering, that they are inflexibly opposed to war and are lovers of peace. ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
When an opportunity presents itself Rose decides to start her own business and go into Bio-hazard Crime Scene cleaning. At first she has no idea what she is doing, but with the help of her sister and a friendly Janitorial Supply Store owner, she is able to build it up. She decides to call the business “Sunshine Cleaning” which is indicative of her outlook. Crime scenes are messy. They are full of blood and often other vile things like rotting food or trash. People look at what she does as morbid. Yet Rose looks past that to the good, of being able to help people through a hard time and making the world a little better and easier for them.
“We come into people’s lives when they’ve experienced something profound. And we help. In some small way, we help.” ~ Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams)
This is really what I would like to focus on, how to Rose this is not just a job, it’s a service. It is a way she can show people love and compassion. Crime scenes are not easy deaths. She cleans up homicides and suicides, and there are people left behind in shock dealing with the tragedy. This is juxtaposed with her prior job cleaning homes of the privileged, of partying college students. While is is the same skill set, the same technical job, cleaning the homes of the dead and removing the bio-hazards and evidence of crime takes it to another level. Any job we do, whether maid, doctor, accountant, or engineer, can be transformed into a spiritual experience when we think of the people we are serving and put them first. Rose did just that.
The education of each child is compulsory…. In addition to this wide-spread education each child must be taught a profession, art, or trade, so that every member of the community will be enabled to earn his own livelihood. Work done in the spirit of service is the highest form of worship… ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
And she discovered this profession in a time of her own desperation. Her son was given the ultimatum to go on behavior modifying drugs or be kicked out of school. She knew that drugging her son was not the answer and wanted to put him in a school that would better cater to his learning differences. Out of love for him she tried a new job, despite her misgivings, and discovered her love for it and the people she was able to help.
Unfortunately it was almost all taken away from her when there was fire which brunt down a clients house. Rose had been waiting for the results of her certification exam before purchasing insurance for her business, hoping a good result would lead to lower rates and therefore had no safety net. She was devastated to watch everything she had worked for, literally, go up in flames.
O SON OF MAN! Should prosperity befall thee, rejoice not, and should abasement come upon thee, grieve not, for both shall pass away and be no more. ~ Bahá’u’lláh
Another thing we learned in this film is the strength of family, because her father ended up sacrificing his own home to help her start a new Crime Scene Cleanup business. By selling his house he was able to show how much he loved her, how much faith her had in her capacity, and how much he thought her business (and the service it provided) was worth.
Word must be conjoined with deed. You must love your friend better than yourself; yes, be willing to sacrifice yourself… I desire that you be ready to sacrifice everything for each other, even life itself… ~’Abdu’l-Bahá
Watching this film made me ask myself: Am I ready to serve? Am I ready to truly sacrifice? On this earth we all have a part to play, and what I do know is that I too am not living to my fullest capacity. I could serve with a pure heart more often, and sacrifice my time, means, and energy more fully, and help to bring a little more love and a little more peace to this world. So often when we talk about peace we think big, ending wars, but wars are just social ills scaled upward. In the Lorkowski family there were internal wars that needed a peaceful resolution. So often when we talk of love we talk of romance, but love is more than that.
I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love. Thoughts of war bring destruction to all harmony, well-being, restfulness and content. Thoughts of love are constructive of brotherhood, peace, friendship, and happiness. ~’Abdu’l-Bahá
I can do these two things. I can conquer my thoughts of hate with thoughts of love, and I can overcome thoughts of war with thoughts of peace, and maybe in doing that bit by bit day by day, I like Rose can make the world a little better.
Starring Luke Wilson, Radha Mitchell, Adriana Barraza, Cheryl Hines, and George Lopez.
Synopsis (from NetFlix):
Rather than living his last days to the fullest after learning he only has six weeks left on earth, Henry Poole (Luke Wilson) cuts himself off from his fiancée and his family — and binges on Twinkies, pizza and liquor. But a fortuitous miracle and a clash with his eccentric, meddling neighbors derail Henry’s plans in director Mark Pellington’s witty black comedy.
My Thoughts:
I set this post up way back in January, when I had seen the film on the plane coming back from Israel. I knew it was a spiritually potent film, but I had gotten stuck on what exactly I had wanted to say. This film wrestles with a subject we all must face sooner or later: our mortality. I am still relatively young and people my age generally do not think about death, imagining it to be far from now, but death can come upon thee anytime unheralded.
Henry Poole had to face his death with his life still in front of him. Often it can be easier to face death if one has faith, since a belief that life continues in spiritual form after the death of the material body can be both comforting and a relief. Henry did not have faith though. If anything, his faith was lost through this test. He returned to his childhood home, bemoaning his lowly state, drinking himself into an even lower state of depression, and treating his friends and family with wrath. But we should not judge him
… for none knoweth what his own end shall be. How often hath a sinner attained, at the hour of death, to the essence of faith, and, quaffing the immortal draught, hath taken his flight unto the Concourse on high! And how often hath a devout believer, at the hour of his soul’s ascension, been so changed as to fall into the nethermost fire! ~ Bahá’u’lláh
Despite Henry Poole giving up on God, God did not give up on Henry Poole. Soon a water stain appeared on the wall of his house which looked like Jesus to those who had eyes to see. His neighbor, Esperanza (so aptly named Hope), a person of great faith soon brings all of her Catholic friends, as well as a priest to see this miracle. Henry is annoyed and angered at both their naivete, ignorance, and willful foolishness. It is just a stain and he insists on removing it. Try as he may it will not scrub off.
Esperanza is patient with him though. She knows he is suffering, and she too has suffered. The love of her life had died, leaving her alone, and when Henry learns of this he becomes more patient with her too. Esperanza through her actions is the embodiment of faith and of virtue, even if she is a bit nosy.
The virtues and attributes pertaining unto God are all evident and manifest, and have been mentioned and described in all the heavenly Books. Among them are trustworthiness, truthfulness, purity of heart while communing with God, forbearance, resignation to whatever the Almighty hath decreed, contentment with the things His Will hath provided, patience, nay, thankfulness in the midst of tribulation, and complete reliance, in all circumstances, upon Him. ~ Bahá’u’lláh
Henry’s faith is again tested when the mute, little girl from next door starts hanging around. He begins to feel for her and her mother, and when she touches the wall she begins to talk again. Her mother is over joyed, knowing that her daughters affliction had been a response to her father having left. This is a side note, but I think very important. Our actions have consequences and can effect the ones we love deeply. This little girl was abandoned by her father, and because of that feared speaking.
Henry is able to open up and to love again, despite his mortality. He finally opens up to her mother about his condition, and limited time left on earth. Unfortunately the little girl overhears, and in grief returns to muteness. This is too much for Henry to bear. It was enough that he had to be (in his eyes) cursed with dying young, but then to hurt the people he cares about was too much. In frustration, and anger, he destroys the wall, which represents to him false hope, lies, and deceit.
While anger and destruction are far from ideal, Henry was feeling powerless and not in control and by destroying the wall he was trying to take back control. Henry could not accept the Will of God, and through fighting it created even more pain for himself.
Through the entire film we watch people transform. We watch Henry grieve, and grow, and open up, then relapse, but finally transform. We watch the little girl do the same. We watch the neighbors come together. In the end, this is the purpose of religion, to transform people. It is the reason why Jesus came, in fact why every Messenger of God came, to bring hope and transformation.
And yet, is not the object of every Revelation to effect a transformation in the whole character of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions? For if the character of mankind be not changed, the futility of God’s universal Manifestations would be apparent. ~ Bahá’u’lláh
