Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Though They Toss and Pull and Churn

So I just finished an excellent movie. The grandeur of this movie doesn't come from great special effects, sweet fight scenes, or even adventures. This movie is much more simple, the most powerful emotion. As cliche as it sounds and is this movie is about love. No matter how cheesy and cliche the last couple sentences are I was struggling to find a better combination of words. Any way this story isn't just a tale of romance. The tale is not a story of boy meets girl or any other combinations of gender. This is definitely you've got mail or even Love Actually. This tale of love involves love for God, children, siblings, friends and parents.

We know the great things that come from love. Love brings people together, heals pain, consoles and is an over all cure all. However the damage love can cause when used improperly can be as damaging as healing. Before your mind goes to the scenario that is sung about in rock songs. I am speaking of how love can lead us to hurt others. While our intentions may be to help, our lack of understanding can change help to hurt.

This movie is about a gay man, Mark, who lacks self worth and is addicted to drugs. After an overdose he is forced into a program that is meant to "cure" him of his "sickness." The main character is resistant at first but the extreme compassion of the leader of this program changes his mind to become straight. However Mark falls in love with another man, Scott, in the program. The other man only tried to change to gain the approval of his father. After 5 or so months in this program Scott listens to his father's last words. His last words were used to condemn him for his son for being gay. While Scott's father was quoting Leviticus, Scott was telling his father that he loved him. His father cried "I'll never see you again because your going to hell." Its obvious Scott's father loved him, but his lack of understanding lead him to exclaim such hurtful words.

The most difficult story of misguided expression of love comes from the programs leader, Gale. Gale lost her son due to a drug overdose. Her son was gay he didn't want to change, so she kicked him out. The day she condemned her son was last time she ever saw him. So out love for her son started this program to "cure" other gay men. She was trying to give back to rectify her mistreatment to her son. Just like Scott's father she loved these men/boys as her own. Her compassion was commendable, but she feed their insecurities, and fueled there depression. If Gale would try to understand these men, her son, maybe she could really learn how to help them. I don't doubt her love for people one second. She lacks the understanding.

One resident, Lester, even attempted suicide. When I saw him in that tub full of water and blood I lost it. I know that pain that led him to do this. I know it and live it everyday. Sleep is a time for my mind to obsess over it by creating fictional stories with non fiction people. Some times these nightmares resemble my reality. When Lester was in the hospital he told Mark "I know its not the Lord's desire but I don't think I could live any other way." That broke my heart.

I don't want to ruin too much of the movie because I want all of you to see it so I'll stop the narrative there and move on to commentary. I related so well to this movie. From Scott's quest to gain his father's love to the compassion Gale had to help stop the suffering of these men. When Scott looks at a father's day card he made for his father that express his love, I felt hurt pulsing through my body. I though of all the ways I tried to impress him, please him and tried to be worthy of his love. Its hard when you want to show your parents that you love them by being who they want you to be, but if you are so far from their vision one can be torn.

I may cry during a lot of movies but I have never cried like that. I hope this blog has given you the desire to seek out this movie.All you need is the title and maybe a good source to watch it. Your in luck you can watch this movie on Netflix... you can even stream it. So go ahead add "Save Me" to your instant Que. I hope you enjoy it. My favorite from this movie is "Oh he is." You'll have to watch it to learn the context.

1 comment:

  1. Very interesting. I may watch it today and not wait until I forget. And it's interesting about Scott's father - that was a lot of presumption to declare the mind of God. Funny how people don't realize that their declarations are made through ignorance.

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