I think that Darren Aronofsky's most recent film mother! is going to go down in history as his most controversial, most uncomfortable and maybe most misunderstood. It is not a movie I would recommend for most people, if for no other reason than it requires a thinking mind to view it and to engage with it. And, frankly, most people don't go to movies for those reasons and some are even opposed to having to think as they view.
I did some research before I went to see mother! so I was somewhat ready. Still, I realized that the minute the film started, everything was going to be something else. They said it was an allegory ... and maybe one within another, depending on how you view parts of the Bible. They said it was going to be about religion ... and it was, but you have to be familiar with context and branches of various religious constructs throughout time. And then, there's a possibility that other philosophies and beliefs are part of the movie's narrative/message as well.
See, this is a movie with a message. Everything is designed to promote that message. Or maybe messages. Aronofsky has gone on record saying that the movie is about our earth and how we care for her. I see that as the foundation on which he creates his morality play. Maybe, in a sense, Aronofsky is being used to pass on a message - does he know he's being used thusly? Who knows - the 'yes' or 'no' doesn't really matter, I don't think. The point is - there is a message in here for all of us - those who claim the name 'Christian', those who claim to be naturalists, those who are part of our world today.
What I saw when I viewed the entire film is a presentation on how something starts pure and beautiful and whole but the minute it gets into 'human' hands, and gets passed along, the closer it comes to complete destruction and obliteration, all oblivious to and justified in the mind of the 'human hands'. The adulation and obsessive clawing at anything of 'Him' (aka God) is much like that Christians today who believe they have all the answers, and have missed the message. There's a scene where one of the fans is charging through the house, grabbing, stealing, destroying wherever he can. The mother is shocked and he says something like, "He said what I have is yours." This was like a cold cloth in my face - yes, God has given us this world and all the things in int ... and what have we done? We've 'charged' through the 'house', destroying, killing, turning nature upside down. Whether global change is real or not, nature has a balance and we are throwing that balance off with our destructive, self-centred raping and annihilating of everything we should be loving, nurturing and caring for.
And this goes beyond the environment - in the movie and in our world. At the end, before the complete destruction of the home and everything/everyone in it, the camera starts this circular motion and doesn't let up until the end. It's like a whirlwind, a cyclone and you can't stop it ... it's like the film is shouting - 'This is YOU! This is what YOU'VE done! YOU have led us here! YOU have created this and done this and claim it is in my name!" And scenes flash by - guns and violent death, people in the house killing each other, all morality is gone, everything is relative and no one is wrong - raping of the mother, killing of the child (yes, a reference to Christ's death and communion, and the concept of transubstantiation is huge at this point), rampant war on life and all things good. Transubstantiation is a legitimate theological tenet, but maybe Aronofsky is pointing out how truly frightening faith really can be if we take it literally. It is my personal belief that too much of the time we force religion to say things that it was never meant to say when we are adamant on taking things literally. Any intelligent Christian will share how the Bible is not a science book and each genre of writing needs to be viewed through those lenses, and yet those of faith have turned it into something of their creation, God in their image. That's the difference in taking something literal, forcing something to say something that it was never meant to say to begin with ... and examining the same thing through the genre, context and cultural understanding to truly understand the moment and the message intended.
But here's the thing - this western world we live in is convinced that it's right, regardless of consequence of our actions. We have done away with any form of common truth; everything is relative and no one is wrong. The arrogance of the common man is frightening, the lack of concern, presence of disrespect and near hatred evident in social media, coming from the mouths of leaders, and people I know. There is no problem if we agree; but if we disagree ... what follows is evident that (generally speaking) we can no longer get along if we hold differing opinions. And, taking this into a realm that is supposed to be known by its love, is being known by anything but.
And as the movie spirals out of control, as complete annihilation and destruction becomes imminent, it is almost as if Aronofsky, through his film, is saying - it doesn't matter what you believe, YOU have done this ... and we're all fucked. And ... in the midst of it , as everything is crazy, He comes close to his Creation and, in a way that's loving and tender, whispers, "We need to forgive." We are called ... we are commissioned ... if we are to survive, we need to forgive. From the inside out, not just in word only.
There is so much more the film holds, as each scene and sequence holds food to contemplate on man levels. This is just the way I reflected on it after seeing it once. If I see it again, I maybe reflect again. It truly holds a library's worth of contemplation! I remember hearing that if you want to prepare for this movie, read Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree. And yes, that is good in preparation ... were it that a children's book could heal the people!
Again, this film is not for everyone ... in fact, it is probably not for many. It is confusing, it is a whirlwind that leaves you more with a feeling than with any cohesive thoughts. Aronofsky said he wanted most for people to react, and they are. Few are positive ... and even fewer understand it as I do. I might not be right, but it did bring me to tears, as it sinks in that I am part of why we are heading in the direction we are. I am in part, to blame, for the death and the hatred around me. Regardless of what others thought or felt, this is a movie that will stay with me a long time. And, ultimately change me in some way. Few movies do that.
See, this is a movie with a message. Everything is designed to promote that message. Or maybe messages. Aronofsky has gone on record saying that the movie is about our earth and how we care for her. I see that as the foundation on which he creates his morality play. Maybe, in a sense, Aronofsky is being used to pass on a message - does he know he's being used thusly? Who knows - the 'yes' or 'no' doesn't really matter, I don't think. The point is - there is a message in here for all of us - those who claim the name 'Christian', those who claim to be naturalists, those who are part of our world today.
What I saw when I viewed the entire film is a presentation on how something starts pure and beautiful and whole but the minute it gets into 'human' hands, and gets passed along, the closer it comes to complete destruction and obliteration, all oblivious to and justified in the mind of the 'human hands'. The adulation and obsessive clawing at anything of 'Him' (aka God) is much like that Christians today who believe they have all the answers, and have missed the message. There's a scene where one of the fans is charging through the house, grabbing, stealing, destroying wherever he can. The mother is shocked and he says something like, "He said what I have is yours." This was like a cold cloth in my face - yes, God has given us this world and all the things in int ... and what have we done? We've 'charged' through the 'house', destroying, killing, turning nature upside down. Whether global change is real or not, nature has a balance and we are throwing that balance off with our destructive, self-centred raping and annihilating of everything we should be loving, nurturing and caring for.
And this goes beyond the environment - in the movie and in our world. At the end, before the complete destruction of the home and everything/everyone in it, the camera starts this circular motion and doesn't let up until the end. It's like a whirlwind, a cyclone and you can't stop it ... it's like the film is shouting - 'This is YOU! This is what YOU'VE done! YOU have led us here! YOU have created this and done this and claim it is in my name!" And scenes flash by - guns and violent death, people in the house killing each other, all morality is gone, everything is relative and no one is wrong - raping of the mother, killing of the child (yes, a reference to Christ's death and communion, and the concept of transubstantiation is huge at this point), rampant war on life and all things good. Transubstantiation is a legitimate theological tenet, but maybe Aronofsky is pointing out how truly frightening faith really can be if we take it literally. It is my personal belief that too much of the time we force religion to say things that it was never meant to say when we are adamant on taking things literally. Any intelligent Christian will share how the Bible is not a science book and each genre of writing needs to be viewed through those lenses, and yet those of faith have turned it into something of their creation, God in their image. That's the difference in taking something literal, forcing something to say something that it was never meant to say to begin with ... and examining the same thing through the genre, context and cultural understanding to truly understand the moment and the message intended.
But here's the thing - this western world we live in is convinced that it's right, regardless of consequence of our actions. We have done away with any form of common truth; everything is relative and no one is wrong. The arrogance of the common man is frightening, the lack of concern, presence of disrespect and near hatred evident in social media, coming from the mouths of leaders, and people I know. There is no problem if we agree; but if we disagree ... what follows is evident that (generally speaking) we can no longer get along if we hold differing opinions. And, taking this into a realm that is supposed to be known by its love, is being known by anything but.
And as the movie spirals out of control, as complete annihilation and destruction becomes imminent, it is almost as if Aronofsky, through his film, is saying - it doesn't matter what you believe, YOU have done this ... and we're all fucked. And ... in the midst of it , as everything is crazy, He comes close to his Creation and, in a way that's loving and tender, whispers, "We need to forgive." We are called ... we are commissioned ... if we are to survive, we need to forgive. From the inside out, not just in word only.
There is so much more the film holds, as each scene and sequence holds food to contemplate on man levels. This is just the way I reflected on it after seeing it once. If I see it again, I maybe reflect again. It truly holds a library's worth of contemplation! I remember hearing that if you want to prepare for this movie, read Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree. And yes, that is good in preparation ... were it that a children's book could heal the people!
Again, this film is not for everyone ... in fact, it is probably not for many. It is confusing, it is a whirlwind that leaves you more with a feeling than with any cohesive thoughts. Aronofsky said he wanted most for people to react, and they are. Few are positive ... and even fewer understand it as I do. I might not be right, but it did bring me to tears, as it sinks in that I am part of why we are heading in the direction we are. I am in part, to blame, for the death and the hatred around me. Regardless of what others thought or felt, this is a movie that will stay with me a long time. And, ultimately change me in some way. Few movies do that.
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