Friday, February 15, 2008

We're Back! Also, a bit of the state on grace.

Yes, it's true. I haven't touched this thing since joining a certain political campaign. See, I've been brainwashed in the torturous milieu of that whole rigmarole. But that's all water under the bridge now.

In any case, I return from the unknown abyss -- and gaging by the amount of viewership this site receives, I can comfortably say that not much has changed. I can also comfortably say that probably few of you are reading this right now. Except maybe that I sent you here.

I just finished watching Richard Dutcher's States of Grace, and I must say, I am surprised that I have not covered it before. I think, however, that may be because it was better the second time around. That is, I think I was better able to suspend disbelief. Also, maybe being starved from movie inundation has reversed the curse. It's true that there is a certain saturation point at which all movies either start to blend into one, or a movie has to be really, really extraordinary to stand out.

Now I'm convinced that I just needed to mature a little in my movie-appreciation skills. This movie is superb. It may end up being Dutcher's best film, though, we'll never know until we get there, of course. But judging by his recent expedition (actually, recent is a relative term, since he's been heading down a certain path for a while now) into the deeper realm, he may not be able to regain quite the touch he brings to this film. In fact, there's a line in the film I feel typifies his work here. An exchange takes place between the two Mormon missionaries. The first says, "You know there's a difference between being a good Christian and just being a fool," and the second replies, "It's a fine line sometimes." While this is a topic probably best reserved for another post (I've hit on it in the past), I believe Dutcher was trying to walk such a line at the time.

This work magnanimously approaches the essence of redemption, as the title suggests. And it has just enough moments that go beyond the mundane, so it's a film that it would not have been otherwise. Granted, the dialog can stretch on for lengths too long, and occasionally I felt bothered by the seeming ridiculousness of it all, but every time this happened, when I took a step back, it all seemed completely plausible after all. In fact, I think this film has staying power, and may actually receive wider praise someday.

Right now I think Mormons are too close to the film to appreciate it; they are too culturally and politically blinded. There are Mormons who have sworn to never watch it (and probably non-Mormons who have sworn not to for differing reasons). A part of me understands this. There's actually a Dutcher film that I have sworn not to see for the time being as a statement against some of his marketing tactics. Maybe I'm a fool, walking that line. Perhaps some of you would have similar weird compunctions.

But I highly recommend watching States of Grace -- and try to do so with an open mind.

posted by Rhapsidiomite @ 7:58 PM
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