Around the Bend
HJ Links
—Overview
—Review by Darrel Manson
—Review by Elisabeth Leitch
—Blog with Elisabeth
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film pdf file
—Spiritual Connections
Henry Lair was an archaeologist. Even on his deathbed he keeps wanting to go with his grandson Jason and great-grandson Zach on one last dig. When his long lost son (and Jason’s long lost father) shows up, Henry lays a plot to send them on a road trip to spread his ashes at key places along the way. Will the trip give these men the chance to get beyond the past?
Around the Bend is in some ways a tweaking and retelling of Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). There are a number of small connections to the parable for those who look for them. In that parable, a man has two sons, the younger one takes his share of the inheritance, leaves home, and squanders his money on high living. The older brother stays home, working for his father. When bad times come to the younger brother, he resolves to go home to ask his father for a job. Before he even gets to the door, the father greets him and starts planning a welcome home party. The older brother comes home to see this and is distraught that his father is treating this worthless son so well.
The parable is tweaked by the film by giving the character of the older brother in the parable to the son of the prodigal in the movie. Jason is the one who has stood by his grandfather in times of need. Not out of obligation, but out of love for the man who raised him, since his father has been out of his life since he was a small boy. Jason is extremely resentful of Turner’s presence. Jason has considered Turner dead for many years.
The story also moves beyond the parable, giving us a look at the parable’s two brothers after the father’s death. Will the father’s love for each of them give them enough in common to hold them together in spite of their animosity? Can the “older brother� even accept the returned prodigal? Will the prodigal change his life with this new opportunity?
In the film Turner, Jason and Zach end up heading out to Henry’s old haunts in an ugly and ancient VW bus. Henry has planned the route, giving them places of meaning to spread a spoonful of his ashes. Along the way walls are built, torn down, and rebuilt. It’s not easy to overcome the years of separation.
At one of the stops, some old Native American ruins, after spreading the ashes, Turner reminisces with Jason about being on digs with Henry. As Turner put it, “He liked to dig up old shit.� And as they travel together, we see that Henry has designed the trip to dig up the emotional “old shit� of the family’s life. It is only through that digging that there can be any hope of forgiveness or reconciliation.
Such emotional archaeology is not easy. The things found may be treasure or may be trash. It may help the men understand each other or may drive them further apart. Neither of the adult men wants to make this trip or go through the emotional artifacts of their lives. Jason keeps wanting to know why Turner abandoned him and never made contact with him or with Henry. Turner keeps wanting to live in the present, not looking back at the mistakes in the past that are over and gone. But out of respect and love for Henry (plus some financial incentive from Henry’s estate) they keep at it until they come to the real issue that divides them, one that Jason doesn’t even know about.
This story is about more than getting to know each other, even more than being able to reestablish a family bond. It is a story about how one forgives others and how one forgives oneself. It is a story, in the end, that reminds us that even unforgivable actions need to be dealt with. The injuries of the past live inside both the injured and the one doing the injury. It is only through honestly dealing with these pains that forgiveness in some form can be found.
Around the Bend reminds us that the pains and animosities that we harbor in our lives do not have to stay there. There’s plenty of digging for us to do.
—Overview
—Review by Darrel Manson
—Review by Elisabeth Leitch
—Blog with Elisabeth
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film pdf file
—Spiritual Connections
Henry Lair was an archaeologist. Even on his deathbed he keeps wanting to go with his grandson Jason and great-grandson Zach on one last dig. When his long lost son (and Jason’s long lost father) shows up, Henry lays a plot to send them on a road trip to spread his ashes at key places along the way. Will the trip give these men the chance to get beyond the past?
Around the Bend is in some ways a tweaking and retelling of Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). There are a number of small connections to the parable for those who look for them. In that parable, a man has two sons, the younger one takes his share of the inheritance, leaves home, and squanders his money on high living. The older brother stays home, working for his father. When bad times come to the younger brother, he resolves to go home to ask his father for a job. Before he even gets to the door, the father greets him and starts planning a welcome home party. The older brother comes home to see this and is distraught that his father is treating this worthless son so well.
The parable is tweaked by the film by giving the character of the older brother in the parable to the son of the prodigal in the movie. Jason is the one who has stood by his grandfather in times of need. Not out of obligation, but out of love for the man who raised him, since his father has been out of his life since he was a small boy. Jason is extremely resentful of Turner’s presence. Jason has considered Turner dead for many years.
The story also moves beyond the parable, giving us a look at the parable’s two brothers after the father’s death. Will the father’s love for each of them give them enough in common to hold them together in spite of their animosity? Can the “older brother� even accept the returned prodigal? Will the prodigal change his life with this new opportunity?
In the film Turner, Jason and Zach end up heading out to Henry’s old haunts in an ugly and ancient VW bus. Henry has planned the route, giving them places of meaning to spread a spoonful of his ashes. Along the way walls are built, torn down, and rebuilt. It’s not easy to overcome the years of separation.
At one of the stops, some old Native American ruins, after spreading the ashes, Turner reminisces with Jason about being on digs with Henry. As Turner put it, “He liked to dig up old shit.� And as they travel together, we see that Henry has designed the trip to dig up the emotional “old shit� of the family’s life. It is only through that digging that there can be any hope of forgiveness or reconciliation.
Such emotional archaeology is not easy. The things found may be treasure or may be trash. It may help the men understand each other or may drive them further apart. Neither of the adult men wants to make this trip or go through the emotional artifacts of their lives. Jason keeps wanting to know why Turner abandoned him and never made contact with him or with Henry. Turner keeps wanting to live in the present, not looking back at the mistakes in the past that are over and gone. But out of respect and love for Henry (plus some financial incentive from Henry’s estate) they keep at it until they come to the real issue that divides them, one that Jason doesn’t even know about.
This story is about more than getting to know each other, even more than being able to reestablish a family bond. It is a story about how one forgives others and how one forgives oneself. It is a story, in the end, that reminds us that even unforgivable actions need to be dealt with. The injuries of the past live inside both the injured and the one doing the injury. It is only through honestly dealing with these pains that forgiveness in some form can be found.
Around the Bend reminds us that the pains and animosities that we harbor in our lives do not have to stay there. There’s plenty of digging for us to do.
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