Unification News Movie Reviews – August 2009
This month, we will be looking at two rather similar movies. Both are mild in terms of offensive content, so either would make for a good family movie. And in terms of thematic content, both follow men who, as Shakespeare put it, have greatness thrust upon them. Neither starts out in circumstances befitting a hero, but at each film's end, our protagonists have attained something deeper and more far-reaching than they ever could have expected.
Patch Adams (1998)
Directed By Tom Shadyac
Starring Robin Williams
Rated PG-13 (for some strong language and crude humor)
Running Time: 116 Minutes
Patch Adams follows the title character on his roller coaster of a life, including his plummet into suicidal thoughts and subsequent self-admittance to a mental ward, his realization that humor can positively affect the quality of life for patients, his subsequent decision to become a doctor, and his bumpy but determined advancement through medical school. He and his unconventional methods face many challenges along the way, from officials and friends alike. Will Hunter “Patch” Adams succeed?
This film, based upon the life of the real Patch Adams, is a welcome dose of witty whimsy in what can often feel like an uncaring world. Patch seeks to know each patient as a person – their fantasies as well as their fears – and relate with that person compassionately. He reminds us that there is much to be gained from a good laugh – not only due to the increase of endorphins, but also because laughter implies that there is joy in existence. For years, the staff of our own much-loved Camp Shehaqua have enthusiastically declared that “the purpose of life is JOY!” Indeed, Patch Adams embraces this kind of philosophy, boldly seeking to spread joy where joy is often missing – at the bedside of the sick. Patch declares that treating a disease of the body is a win-or-lose situation, but treating a person's spirit guarantees a win regardless of the outcome, even when the outcome is death. Patch reminds us that people are composed of both body and spirit, and that certain things simply can not be quantified.
However, the film is not perfect. It puts Patch's patient-friendly practices against the establishment's traditional practices in an overly black and white manner; not all doctors treat their patients with the distance and indifference displayed in the film. But although the opposition is depicted a bit more villainously than deserved, it is not bothersome enough to keep viewers from standing behind Patch's philosophy, and recognizing its validity in our world. As the real Adams once said, “We all know how important love is, yet how often is it really emoted or exhibited? What so many sick people in this world suffer from--loneliness, boredom and fear--can’t be cured with a pill.”
Discussion Questions:
Take note of the “how many fingers concept” stated by Arthur Mendelson in the mental ward. Then, see how Patch applies it when he is with Dean Walcott. How many Deans does Patch see? What does that represent to you?
Is anyone in this movie weird? How is “weird” defined in the film? Are there different kinds of weird? Is weird truly a distinction, or are we all weird in a way?
Pay attention to Patch's conversation with God. Why motivates Patch to say what he says? Do you agree? Does God reply to Patch?
Patch (fictionally and in real life) is fighting against the void between doctor and patient. Can you think of any other fields where a similar sort of void is present? What can we as individuals do about it?
The Majestic (2001)
Directed by Frank Darabont
Starring Jim Carrey
Rated PG (for language and mild thematic elements)
Running Time: 116 Minutes
Set in Southern California at the height of the Red Scare, The Majestic follows Hollywood screenwriter Peter Appleton (Carrey), who is on the verge of being blacklisted. Depressed and drunk, he gets into a car accident. Now stricken with amnesia, Peter wanders into the small California town of Lawson, where he is mistaken for Luke Trimble, a local boy who had been fighting in the war and was reported M.I.A. nearly a decade ago. A family reunion and the reopening of the town's movie theater revitalize the community - just in time for "Luke" to remember his true identity. Will the experience change him for better? Or for worse?
The Majestic is a rather slow moving picture; it does not have the zip and vigor of Patch Adams. But much like the theater after which the film is named, the continual revelation of information allows for the film to grow into something truly worthy of such an adjective.
The film focuses on the concept of identity. Initially, Peter Appleton loses his identity via amnesia. Then, through the opinions and actions of others, he is given a new identity - Luke Trimble. Being Luke Trimble was perhaps the best thing that ever happened to Peter, because being Luke gave him the chance to be a better man. It was also one of the best things to ever happen to the town of Lawson because, in being Luke, Appleton unintentionally brings a big gift back to the town – joy. His presence as Luke, temporary as it was, gave the Lawson citizens a surge of new hope, and the solace of knowing that their husbands and sons did not die in vain. But alas, Peter is not Luke. However, when he remembers his original identity, Peter realizes that he has changed, and can no longer live his old life. In short, as stated by the San Francisco Chronicle, Appleton “loses his memory but finds his soul”.
Upon analysis, one can argue that Luke Trimble is really a metaphor. In manifesting Luke Trimble, Peter Appleton manifests the American ideal. This ideal is composed of many things – conviction in what is right, having the courage to defend one's convictions at all costs, dreaming big, and wearing one's heart on his sleeve. Having these ideals personified in “Luke” encouraged all those who encountered him to also manifest those ideals in themselves. We Peter doing this through his impassioned speech before the House Committee on Un-American Activities; as a result of his speech, we see Luke's ideals spread even further. In sharing this story with the masses, this feature film in turn challenges viewers to reconnect with the American ideal, to be all that we can be.
Discussion Questions:
This film portrays an entire town in heartbreak. Their hearts are broken again when they discover Peter is not Luke. In the end, does the town of Lawson forgive Appleton? If so, why?
Think back to the opening scene, with the producers evaluating Appleton's screenplay. Why does he go along with their ideas? Why doesn't he go along with them in the similar scene towards the end? In other words, how has he changed?
Appleton comments towards the end of the film that he wonders what Luke Trimble would say, if he were in Appleton's position. Now that you know Luke, ask yourself the same question. What do you think he would he say and do if he could see the world that we live in?
These two movies differ as a Jive differs from a Viennese Waltz; one is fast-paced and lively, the other is slow and nuanced. But the common rhythm can be found in the protagonists. Patch Adams and Peter Appleton are both uncommon heroes, ordinary men who, either by choice or circumstance, find themselves becoming extraordinary. While Patch decides early on that he wants to be different, and Peter does not tap into his greatness until the end of the film, both end up making a profound impact on those around them, because of their convictions. And though we may have no intentions to develop amnesia or redefine the healthcare system, we can apply these heroes' convictions into our own situations. We can seek out the joy and humor of each day, and share it with others. We can let go of apathy, and manifest the glorious essence of our nation. And above all, we can recognize our capacity for greatness. Cliché as it may sound, Mariah Carey was right; a hero lies inside us all. It is our choice whether or not those heroes remain a figment of our imagination.
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