Hollywoodland – Movie Review

There is certainly one thing this movie gets right – all people my age remember the day Superman died. George Reeves shot himself.  We knew he was only acting a Superman role, but shouldn’t someone who is even acting like Superman be stronger than the rest of us? 

This is an interesting movie but not a great one. Its themes are very human.

For one, it presents the struggle between image and reality, the conflict we all engage. People think one thing, but we are another. And for some people in our world the image we portray is useful. It gets them something they want. To be who we are, we have to end up disappointing people. That’s a weight that can be too heavy to bear.

Two, of all the scenarios that explain a downfall the one that makes sense ultimately is that we are the architects of our own demise. The PI investigating Reeves’ death initially concludes that murder and not suicide explains it. But part of the movie is the PI’s journey to the conclusion that suicide is every bit as reasonable an explanation as murder. Reeves was a man who depended too much on being taken care of by others, and when they called in the chips, he couldn’t take the hit. He could have walked away at any time, faced himself and then lived with what he found. That takes courage. It was a courage he didn’t have.

Three, we can get in too deep until extricating ourselves becomes so painful that death seems preferable. Denial and death are twins. But we don’t see it until it’s too late.

Four, being a hero and playing a hero, even if it is in the movies, sets up some very painful moments.

The fact is that we live in a world where others have something to gain by us staying where we are. Not to fear them is the armor.

Today’s Quote 3/20/07

The richest soil, uncultivated, produces the rankest weeds.  Plutarch

The Pathology of Hope

This is the title of the next book to be published by Barbara Ehrenreich, the author of “Nickel and Dimed.” This latter work is an investigation of the world of the minimum wage employee. For some time she joined that world and not only saw but felt that world – a world without pay for overtime, a world without health care, a world without rest or good food or room for anything but work. It was perhaps that experience which went some way in motivating her to investigate the “hope industry,” which feeds people success advice but no empathy, formulas but no understanding, laughter but no tears. Ehrenreich expresses awareness that there is a lot of money to be made by feeding people the line that all they have to do is change their attitude and mindset. If they are poor, it is their fault. If they are sickly, it is their fault. If they are sad, it is their fault. If they don’t have their best life now, it is their fault. Hope is making people sick!!! Or should I say, sicker?

The damage being done by this phenomenon in the church is immense. Christians can no longer afford being “normal.” The biblical truth that man is born to trouble like the sparks fly upward is erased. Jesus’ words, “in this world you have tribulation,” are not refuted – just forgotten. The history of martyrdom and sacrifice in the church gets no play. The weeping, the lonely, the weak, the desperate, the struggling, the disappointed, the hurt all get the same message – it’s all your fault. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” turns into a shibboleth that ends up meaning, “I can always succeed.” And then when it doesn’t turn out that way (and it doesn’t!!! – Romans 7 has no place in our theology), we turn the knives on ourselves. How many Christians find that rather than being consoled in Christ they are only intimidated by Christ.

 The bottom line is that the Sermon on the Mount doesn’t have much of a place in our spirituality. And when we do get our hands on it, we turn it into a recipe for success! And moves us farther away from those who fall short. Perhaps that is the greatest tragedy. This gospel of success keeps us distant from the massive desperation that infects the lives of the multiple billions on planet Earth who languish. We are too busy succeeding. Too busy amassing the wealth we believe God has promised us. Too busy to take time away from our personal enterprise of getting all that is coming to us. We are losing the ability to sorrow with those who sorrow. We are losing the capacity to move into their desperation. We can’t relate. After all, the subtle message is “it’s their fault.” What they need is advice, not real help.

The early church was full of stories of those who lost it all for Christ. Today the church is full of stories of those who get it all from Christ. I don’t think we are the better off for it. Are we offering real hope or just making people sicker?