X-Men: The Last Stand has legs

When a “cure� for the mutant gene is announced by a corporation working with the government, the militant Magneto rallies his mutant brotherhood for a decisive strike against homo-sapien humanity. Charles Xavier and his school of X-Men prepare to respond in kind… but the return of a former teammate, thought to be dead, upsets everyone’s plans, as the nearly limitless Jean Grey may pose the greatest threat to mutants and humans alike. A heavy toll will be exacted, lives will be lost, and the greatest sacrifice will be made as the X-Men take The Last Stand.

The $#!+ hits the Fan
“Juggernaut shouldn’t have been affected by the boy at all! His powers are mystically derived!� I nearly collapsed from laughter and tumbled down the escalator as this nasally fan whined in front of me. The inevitable geek-bleat had begun. Large bellies had begun to ache. Okay, never mind the fact that I also know that—technically—Cain Marco got his powers from the gem of Cyttorak, or that technically he’s Xavier’s step-brother. Never mind the fact that Jean’s Phoenix force was not a split personality, but an alien entity she got while cavorting through space. This is not the mixed-bag soap opera that is the endless array of X-Men comic books, this is the end of the X-Men film trilogy, and a nice end-cap to a thoroughly enjoyable series. As William Shatner once said to the Trekkies… get a life. This is a fantastic summer movie and a sensational conclusion to an exciting film series. It’s certainly the most emotional of the films… but to be fair, this quality hinges on relationships set in motion by the previous installments, particularly the second film by director Bryan Singer.

I’ve already seen X-fans griping about who dies in the film, even though these characters and more have died—more than once, and returned (more than once)—in the comic books. I’ve heard critics complain that one of the heaviest plot points is overturned by the ending… and yet that’s what comics have done for decades. I’ve heard complaints about lack of character development (because the first two had SO much apparently—remember Toad and Sabretooth?) and, worst of all, complaints from lovers of the first two films that they “got characters and their powers wrong.� Reality check, you rabid X-philes: Spider-man did not have organic web-shooters, Bruce Wayne was not trained by R’as Al Ghul before he was Batman, and (closer to X-home) Cyclops was not younger than Jean, Mystique wore clothes and not funky latex, Wolverine was not infused with adamantium at Alkali Lake, and Nightcrawler never had all those tattoos. Fans, you can’t pick and choose where you bitch about your precious comic canon. Getting angry because you didn’t get alien races, planets blowing up, and giant evil robots in the world director Bryan Singer interpreted for the big screen five years ago is just… silly. Director Brett Ratner finishes the down-to-earth version of the X-Men Singer started, and does so with grace and alacrity.

Ratner-fied Success
When Brett Ratner signed on for the third X-stallment, everyone was worried. Franchises don’t do well when studios swap directors. (Remember Joel Schumacher’s Batman films, anyone? Neither do I.) Trilogies rarely hold together at all, especially if they have Keanu Reeves. And Ratner… would Chris Tucker or Jackie Chan be making an appearance? “X-Men: The Rush Hour�; yes, I was worried. What’s amazing is how Ratner shot this film with the first two features firmly in mind stylistically. It blends well with Singer’s vision, and there are amazing nuances in story and visual direction that make the movie truly feel that it’s bringing the entire saga full circle. While some pre-judgers seem to be calling for Ratner’s head on a plate, I think he deserves a medal. In fact, it brings to mind the original (read: only) Star Wars trilogy. The first Star Wars film introduced us to a fantastic world, the second focused more on character and added flesh to cardboard cutouts, but left us with no climax; when the third one came along, it finished things off with big explosions and bombast. This is the formula of the X-franchise as well, and it didn’t disappoint this comic-book reader. Also, see it soon, as some of the narrative choices in this film truly shocked me. Avoid spoilers.

Mutants: color, creed, or preference?
It’s no secret that mutants were a garish, comic book device for dealing with racism. Creator Stan Lee even said as much. Not only that, but Xavier and Erik “Magneto� Lensherr contrast fairly well with Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcom X. Charles Xavier founded his school and seeks to promote peace through predominantly non-violent methods; Magneto will secure mutant rights by any means necessary. Anti-Semitism also plays a large part of the film, as this discrimination has fueled Magneto’s cynicism toward humanity (what he fails to fully digest is that he now views he and mutantkind as a master race, just like the Nazis). More recently the mutant metaphor has been expanded to include sexual preference issues, but it could also be applied to simply holding religious beliefs that are culturally unacceptable and being persecuted for one’s faith.

In this film, there is an opportunity to receive a cure for the mutant gene. Ororo (Storm) protests that “There’s nothing to cure, nothing’s wrong with any of us for that matter!� But is this accurate? Are some mutations detrimental to others, or even the person who has them? In the course of the film, two respectable characters are confronted with the opportunity of the cure; one will take it, but the other rejects it. What seems prevalent here as the film’s theme is the ability to choose. What does this say for the metaphors above? Changing skin pigmentation really isn’t an option, but from an ethnic standpoint, it may be giving up the cultural distinctives to fit in. When it comes to sexual preference, however, an interesting dilemma emerges. There are people who claim that through various means (often spiritual and particulary Christian), they have rejected being attracted to the same sex and enjoy heterosexual relationships. They are “cured.� This is most often mocked and dismissed by mainstream culture… but isn’t that the same intolerance the homosexual community often charges religious groups with? What happened to that person’s “right to choose�? It seems that steering with a cultural compass only leads to more hypocrisy and intolerance.

Tough Choices
At the film’s opening, we find that when Xavier and Lensherr (Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, lending these films a gravity that simply would not exist otherwise) met a young Jean Grey and realized her power was off the charts. Some difficult decisions were made in regard to the girl’s mind, and Xavier reveals those when Jean “returns from death.� Characters are offered a chance to be cured of their mutagen. Jean must decide what to do with her powers, and just whose side she is on, and Logan must face the possibility that he needs to make the greatest sacrifice of all. I didn’t feel as though any true savior shone through in this film. It was very much the muddled, miry world of hypocrisy and confusion that we wrestle with every day. As a wise man once said in the book of Judges, “everyone did what was right in their own eyes.� If you read the book of Judges, you’ll see that most often that leads to pain, suffering, violence, and death. Some people had good intentions, others bad, but things rarely ended well. The same can be said for this film, and pretty much the course of our daily lives.

Charles Xavier exhibits a high morality and a view of life that recognizes dignity and equality for all. However, even he reveals some choices he’s made that even the loose cannon Wolverine finds questionable. Erik refuses to seek peace and assumes that the only choice is domination, yet we see in an amazing scene that he has incredible respect for Charles. Most of the characters yearn for peace and community and strive for that goal, but it always seems out of reach. There is a hopelessness that pervades X-Men: The Last Stand and the only thing that brings any peace is a final, desperate act of true love and sacrifice. By the end of the film, several heroes lie in the ground, with no guarantee that the war is truly over.

The War
“Since the dawn of existence, there have always been moments when the course of history shifted. Such a turning point is upon us now.� This was the narration spoken by Patrick Stewart in the trailer for this film, evoking something far deeper than the content of the film itself. The storyteller and listener in all of us yearns for this monumental scale of tale. Deep down, we know that there are core, pivotal events upon which all of human history swings, and that the narrative of existence we share as mankind has a beginning, an end, and a fulcrum upon which the story swings and the true hero is revealed… a hero who will bring true justice and true peace once and for all.

Jean’s struggle is also particularly resonant in the film as she struggles with dual identities. I think we often feel this way, as our conscience pricks us and yet we act wickedly. Long ago the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans that “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.� This Jekyll and Hyde concept, this war within, is not unique to Jean’s character or Paul. We know this war burns inside us, and—honestly—that we are not capable of containing it ourselves; we need help, and not the kind that just reads minds, fires eyebeams or sprouts knuckle-claws. We need help from above.

X-Men: The Last Stand will solve your desire for a great weekend flick. To cure the raging “phoenix� inside you? That requires something more.

The Promise of a Savior

Occasional viewers of Japanese or Chinese cinema should be aware that Chen Kaige's The Promise is more fantastical than other offerings that have garnered fame in mainstream U.S. cinema. As the film opens with a young girl's conversation with a beautiful goddess, it takes a step further into the mythical realm, distinguishing it from the stylings of the popular Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or the lavish Hero. A brave slave runs as fast as the comic book Flash, and magical cloaks embue powers including immortality. What is most fascinating is that Chen has drawn on some of the earliest Chinese as well as his own concerns with modern society, and painted a rich narrative canvas that feels timeless in its imagination and commentary.

Chen also has made the most expensive Chinese film to date, weighing in at $35 million. The film screened in China last December in an attempt to qualify for the 2005 Oscars, but the press was given no special screenings, and was forbidden to interview Chen or make negative comments about the film, which created quite a stir in the filmmaker's homeland. I had the opportunity to have a talk with Director Chen Kaige, and he elaborated on his feelings regarding spirituality and Chinese culture. Despite the arduous path to the big screen in both our countries—a path that perhaps mirrors the plight of the slave Kunlun in the film—I believe The Promise stands on its own two feet, though not perfectly.

Early in the film, a corpse-scavenging beggar girl meets a beautiful goddess, taking what seems at the time like a good deal. She'll never be hungry again, and she'll live in a life of material satisfaction, but she will lose anyone who truly loves her. 20 years later, however, a loveless life has left Princess Qingcheng jaded and empty. Without love, none of the things she has truly satisfy. Her expensive clothes, rich food, wealth, and fame are meaningless. The film poignantly contrasts the empty love of wealth and goods with the true love found in relationship and loving service. It is a mistake we all often make in large and small ways, despite the wise refrain found in Ecclesiastes: "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?"

Qingcheng craves true love, but knows only a miracle will free her from the cursed life which she herself has chosen. The goddess told her that only someone who could do miraculous feats—the greatest being rising from the dead—could change her fate.

A world away, we are introduced to the quiet, humble, faithful slave Kunlun, who has crawled on his knees all his life. When he stands to carry his master and escape a stampeding herd, however, it is revealed that he can run like the wind, escaping warring soldiers as well as the cattle. The great General Guangming sees Kunlun's power and makes the young man his personal servant. When injured by an assassin, the General dresses Kunlun in his majestic crimson armor, to go ahead and stop an attempted coup on the King's throne. Kunlun arrives to see the malevolent Wuahan posturing against an equally wicked king, and actually kills the King when the man threatens the beautiful Princess Qingcheng.

The armored Kunlun risks his life for the Princess repeatedly and earns her love, but she assumes the armored man is General Guangming. The story is Shakespearean in its complexity, political manuevering, and cases of mistaken identity. The General is happy to receive Qingcheng's affection, though the killing of the king costs him his position. The goddess appears and warns the General that he will not find happiness, but he rejects her prophecies. Kunlun obviously has feelings for the Princess, but will not betray his new master. He later discovers his true past from a mysterious, cloaked assassin, and slowly realizes he may play a part in the grand design as well. Running fast is not the only miracle at his disposal. It turns out that he, Qingcheng, Guangming, and the evil Wuhuan are caught in a web of destiny linking their past, present, and future... and love will not be possible without the shedding of blood.

Director Chen Kaige's depiction of the hero coming from humble origins and of humble appearance is a classic narrative device. Just as Jesus came from a backwater town with no noble position or beauty with the humble resume of a carpenter, we see in The Promise a hero and savior that does not come as anyone expects. He is patient, humble, but ultimately stands up for what he believes to save the one he loves. The Princess represents mankind in many respects, broken and trapped and hoping for a miracle to save us from the curse we find ourselves under, unable to remedy our fated situation. Kunlun rides in with the potential to lift Qingcheng's curse and give her a new destiny... if he succeeds.

Wuhuan and the General are also classic examples of men doing what seems right in their own eyes... which only seems to get them into trouble. While Wuhuan acts openly unrepentant for wicked ways, General Guangming evinces little respect for human life and is consumed by his own greed and arrogance. The Princess' mistaken opinion of his sacrificial nature and servant's heart both work in him to evoke a change in how he perceives life and love... but that still doesn't guarantee things will end happily.

The Apostle Paul once declared that if the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." He believed, as I do, that we are like Princess Qingcheng in The Promise—under a self-inflicted curse from which there is no escape without the resurrected Jesus Christ. If Christ didn't conquer sin and death, then escaping our dark destiny is hopeless and we might as well act like Prince is cool again and party like it's 1999 (Wait, Prince IS cool again... hmmm). I think this film touches the viewer because somewhere, deep down, Kunlun's sacrifice resonates with this deep and eternal truth; blood atonement is needed for our sin; we need a savior, and that Savior must be able to champion death.

This film is worth watching for the rich characters and commentary on life. The costumes and scenery are exquisite and provide no end of sights for the cinema-goer to feast upon, even when no martial arts sequences or wire-work are keeping your brain frenzied. The computer-generated imagery in the film is weak, and a few sequences that don't feel intentionally funny look a bit comedic as a result. It's a significant flaw in what was a truly enjoyable film.

A Talk with Director Chen Kaige

Chen Kaige on Man, Myth, Destiny, and The Promise

A hungry, desperate vagabond girl finds herself face to face with a goddess who offers a proposition; young Qingcheng will receive material wealth, beauty, fame and admiration… but at the expense of ever being with her true love. The girl makes her choice, but years later comes to regret it as she finds herself the well-kept concubine of wicked men. The only hope to change her fate is if someone beyond human can turn back time, produce snow in spring, and return from the dead. Truly, only a miracle will save her… a savior. Does Kunlun, the slave with amazing speed, have the power and will to alter the course of destiny?

The director of The Promise, Chen Kaige, crafts a tale that wrestles with the oft-asked questions of mankind’s existence. Are we products of cause and effect, locked into a fate determined by a personal or impersonal design? If so, how do our actions, or how does our will, play a part in the story of our lives? Are we even responsible for our actions, or are we merely puppets playing out a story? I met with Chen Kaige at the Hotel Monaco in downtown Seattle to discuss his views on religion, materialism, China, and the human condition. Despite jet lag and an endless string of interviews stacked on top of each other, he was articulate and excited to talk about the deeper aspects of the film.

Chen Kaige: There are so many things I can tell you. I was inspired by some very famous Chinese myths, existing in the past. Those stories sound sort of naïve: for example, there is a man in a very famous myth that is running very fast like wind, and he desires to catch the sun, and one day he just runs after the sun forever and ends up with a death. Although it sounds pretty naïve, that story was written like three thousand years ago; that’s the beginning of Chinese civilization and I felt that kind of original power, you know? The newborn civilization, to believe that one man can run that fast. I was also influenced by what I see in modern Chinese society, because I sort of “over-watch.� I mean, what’s happened in the last 25 years… our social values, cultural values, everything is sort of changed, I mean with some good reasons and some bad reasons. People have to change anyway, so our lifestyle is completely changed. I remember even in the Cultural Revolution, there was still sort of a trust between people, and friendship; everybody felt like they were equal, you know? Now it seems like people are more greedy, motivated only by how much money they can make. They have become sort of commercial, or money-driven, that kind of a thing.

So, you can see in this movie with the General, or the Princess… they’re all under the control of destiny, but personality and destiny are sort of related to each other and connect with each other, so I think those characters represent a certain kind of value Chinese people believe now. I’m not saying I agree with that kind of a thing, but I want to show something really happening in society today.

PJH: So the Princess’ dramatic choice in The Promise, to choose security and luxury over every knowing true love… you feel it’s similar to China’s choice to change?

CK: I think it is a kind of universal choice, you know?

PJH: Yeah, we know a little bit about greed here in the West.

CK: (chuckling) A lot of people will give the same answer to the goddess regarding what they really want. People sort of believing in materialism—they think real love is too far away, too abstract, particularly in China because the difference between East and West is that you know, western society is always sort of religious, and “love� is actually a word from God. But in China we don’t have a god, so we don’t know that love.

PJH: You don’t feel China has a god?

CK: No, I mean… the people in China believe in Buddhism… not because they want to have a spiritual life… they just want to get something from the power. “I want this, please give it to me.� It’s not right… it’s not like real religion.

PJH: It’s not a relationship with God: it’s whacking the god piñata and trying to get the candy out of it?

CK: Right.

PJH: You think that’s the way religion is being treated in China?

CK: Right.

PJH: More like praying to things to get things… there’s nothing deep or relational about it.

CK: That’s true, because you can see how many people go to the Buddhist temples, stay on their knees, and beg for something from the Buddha. Like you said, this is not really religion between God and human beings. I’m not saying there’s any specific political meaning in this film, but I hope that on the emotional level that people could understand this film better, not just take this as a fantasy piece or something.

PJH: What do you hope, as a storyteller, to accomplish with a film, both for personal fulfillment when you make a film, and also when it hits people? What do you think film (and story) can accomplish when it goes out?

CK: This is always the question mark… am I doing film for myself, or for the public? The story is really about destiny, because I believe we are under control. The young girl in this film makes one wrong choice and then she becomes cursed. Whether or not there’s a chance for us to challenge our destiny, to improve… this is the message I’m trying to deliver. In this film I’m saying we’re under the control of fate, but let’s fight to get what we want… you are right; every time I ask myself… I’m sort of a well-educated person, but the film is for the mass audiences, so how can I build a bridge between myself and the public to really let people understand what I’m trying to say? I think this is always a question mark every time that I start a film.

PJH: In the film there’s “destiny� and “fate,� but then there’s also the humanlike “goddess.� You seem to believe there is destiny… some kind of design to the universe, and a path for each of us… a sort of control in that respect. Do you generally think of that controlling force as impersonal or personal? Is there a mind—an actual caring force behind that fate, or is it impersonal cause and affect?

CK: I think it’s a personal thing, because people have a different destinies, you know? I believe everything is written… but I don’t believe in fortune telling, because if I know everything, I lose interest in life, you know? I think that the reason I believe in destiny is because it can encourage us to do something that we cannot even imagine in the past.

PJH: You mentioned you identified with Kunlun, rising up and overcoming adversity. Is that something you’re hoping to do, or something past or present in your life where you’ve overcome certain obstacles personally?

CK: I used to be that way when I was very young. I don’t want to call myself a “slave� but, close enough, because I was sent to the countryside to do very hard labor there when I was only sixteen. It’s hard in the imagination of western people… I was very sad and depressed at that time, and I didn’t see any future for myself. I didn’t see my parents for three years, there was no long distance telephone, and the only thing I could do was just write a letter to my parents… but I got very strong encouragement from my parents. They told me I would grow physically and spiritually… that it was bad that we could not see each other, but it was good to make sure that I could learn to handle situations myself.

I feel like I became stronger than before; it’s like the moment in the film when Kunlun stands up and is carrying his master, running like the wind… that’s been my dream, that I always dreamed… how fast I could run spiritually. People have a very sort of superficial understanding about freedom; freedom is something when, all of a sudden, the door is open and you are connected with the whole universe. You become part of that, you are not afraid of anything anymore. Basically we live in fear; we are all living in fear, so I think that this character is the one who overcomes his fear because he has nothing to lose. He has the so-called golden heart and he’s ready to help, not only Chinji’s own destiny, but others as well… so this is a beautiful character.

PJH: I’m thinking about the Princess; she gets a chance because Kunlun helps her. He kind of becomes a savior, wearing the shadowy drape and becoming more than man… do you think people need help in real life? Is there a place where perhaps we do appeal to something higher, not just to “get� something, but because we truly want freedom? Or is this power purely within ourselves?

CK: We need help. That’s why we need God, no matter how we want to call it, Buddha, God, or universal spirit… but I strongly believe that we are created by our Creator. Although I’m Chinese, I am not specifically religious… but I believe that it is very important for us to believe, you know? In China people ask “Why do we need a church?� I don’t even want to explain to them why we want church, but it is because we are human beings. Animals don’t need church. Human beings need church. And why is there is something called a movie theater? A movie theater is another kind of church, you know.

PJH: I’m from the West, so obviously we just celebrated Easter; I think about Jesus dying and coming back from death as the hero and savior who gives freedom and restores the lives of broken people caught up in the wrong things. In The Promise, Kunlun dies for the Princess, so I was curious; did other Chinese myths play into your story, or did you find yourself drawing on a multitude of global ideas?

CK: I think it’s sort of global ideas, because sometimes love needs bloodshed; you need someone to sacrifice their life in order to save others, just like what the General does at the end of the film because he’s the one who never really believed in love. Love is something really big… love is something that should not only cover the people who love you, but also cover the people that hate you. That’s love. I think there is love in this film, which is quite unique because not a lot of films made in China are talking about love.

PJH: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.� (John 15:13) Mr. Chen, I appreciate the chance to talk about where you’re coming from, and about the depth of spirituality that you’ve put into The Promise.

CK: Thanks a lot, thank you.

Lonesome Jim

A depressed, directionless young man (Casey Affleck) moves back from New York to live with his parents and his divorced brother, who has two young daughters. Having lost his job, it seems his last alternative is to slink back to his mom and dad. His shiftless nature pervades as he meanders through his small Indiana hometown, but some dramatic events and a relationship with a local single mom (Liv Tyler) slowly evoke small changes as he questions the meaning of life and love. Directed by Steve Buscemi, this grainy, low-budget film has a plodding pace which certainly isn’t for everyone. As the snowy screen and washed out image tells us instantly at the beginning of the film, some may enjoy its somber reflection on rural life and its snail-crawl plot; but it wasn’t for me.

Early in the film, a song promises a false hope. “Good times are coming,� the lyrics profess, yet the film seems to indicate otherwise. Jim can barely stand being in the presence of his callous father or his overly-mothering mother. Like the dead, depressed writers the literate boy memorializes on his bedroom wall, Jim can find no joy or pleasure in this life. Even sex with a local nurse named Anika ends in dissatisfaction. His brother Tim, feeling overwhelmed by his daughters and loathing his lack of life achievement, ponders the meaning of life. Jim tells him that “On earth… in this life… there is no answer.� The chronic despair prompts Tim to “accidently� crash his car into a tree; with his brother in a coma, Jim finds himself coaching his nieces’ basketball team, working at his mom’s business alongside his Uncle, who calls himself Evil, and wrestling with a guilt trip.

Of course, Jim’s assessment of life on this earth isn’t necessarily incorrect. Matter of fact; his response is biblical. Solomon laments much the same thing in the poetry of Ecclesiastes, sounding like a slightly more eloquent Jim:

"Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."

What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.

The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.

All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.

All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

Solomon later reminds us that this meaningless existence is essentially self-imposed, due to the fact that we have forgotten our Creator, the reason for our existence “under the sun.� He calls us to remember God before it’s too late and we find ourselves in the grave. Our protagonist in Lonesome Jim does not experience a religious epiphany like this, but he does learn an important lesson about love that might constitute a baby-step in that direction.

Jim runs into Anika again upon visiting his comatose brother, and the two strike up a... non-relationship? We’re not sure because they’re not sure. Things become even more awkward when Jim realizes she has a son. This responsibility-dodger has no desire to inherit any relational responsibilities, let alone the added bonus of being a surrogate father. To make matters worse, he inadvertently helps his Uncle use his mom’s business to move marijuana, landing his mother in deep trouble when the authorities assume the company is a front for selling drugs. A bad existence worsens, and as much as Jim hates his own life, he now fears he has ruined the already pitiful lives around him. It seems only a miracle will remedy the situation…

In a restaurant midway through the film, Anika confronts Jim with one of his most significant faults. As they sit together talking about Jim’s family, he claims that he “loves� them… but can’t stand to have anything to do with them. “What kind of love is that?� Anika asks simply, although her point is quite profound. Jim makes a claim to love his family but has no idea what “love� is. His emotion for them is not love at all, because love is not an emotion. Love is not something you are “in.� It’s something you DO.

Anika knows that love is not a feeling. Part of love may involve feeling, but equally essential components of love are action, choice, discipline, sacrifice, and more. Claiming a love that lacks these qualities is no love at all, but a cultural buzz word that has no efficacy. As the film continues, this realization slowly comes to light.

To further illustrate the issue, biblical scriptures demonstrate that God Himself is love; guys like Jim would do well to define love by looking at how their Creator first loved them.

•Love involves choice
Deuteronomy 30:16 – We are commanded to love
Joshua 23:11– We must exercise caution with our love
Hosea 12:6 – We must maintain our love

•Love involves action
Psalm 42:8 – God directs His love
Psalm 57:2 – God sends His love
1 John 4:9-10 – God showed His love by sending Christ

•Love involves Discipline
Job 5:17 – Do not despise God’s discipline
Proverbs 3:11-12 – Those whom God loves, He disciplines

•Love involves Sacrifice
Ephesians 5:1-2 – Imitate Christ as he gave himself up for us

•Love is efficacious. It produces change.
Romans 12:2 – Be transformed by the renewing of your mind

•Love is not something that comes and goes.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 – Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Anika makes the salient point that a love without action or involvement is not really love at all. While it’s true that Jim’s mother molly-coddles him, (“You’re my big baby boy!� she gushes) the problem is that Jim really IS a big baby, lamenting about life as a prolonged adolescent. Toward film’s end, he sees his mother for the loving servant that she is to her family and others. He also realizes with a jolt that Anika’s patience with him is also a demonstration of love. He hasn’t made any sweeping changes, but a seed has been planted that shows promise. Sometimes the simplest interactions can cultivate the greatest changes in our lives.

Director Buscemi seems quite adept at creating a visual portrait like Lonesome Jim, capturing the essence of these characters' lives and the pulse of their community. While the style and pace were not up my alley, it will undoubtedly speak to some viewers who resonate with Jim’s woes or Anika’s frustration with his undeveloped sense of love.