| News Items: |
| Headlines |
| News Briefs |
| Stories |
| Movies |
| Word To Life |
| More News: |
| Vatican |
| Africa |
| Archives: |
| John Paul II |
| Tsunami |
| Election 2004 |
| Charter update |
| John Jay study |
| Other Items: |
| Client Area |
| Links |
| Origins |
| Movie Review |
|
Conversations With God By David DiCerto Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- "Conversations With God" (Samuel Goldwyn) is about exactly what its title suggests. It's based on the popular series of spiritual self-help books by Neale Donald Walsch, recounting the events in his life leading up to their publishing. The film starts with Walsch (played by Henry Czerny) as an established author and speaker, thereafter telling the story in flashbacks. After suffering a broken neck in a car crash, Walsch loses his job and apartment and soon finds himself pitching a tent in a homeless encampment. He manages to land a part-time position at a radio station but that too ends in disappointment. At that juncture, Walsch -- raised a Catholic -- alleges God began speaking to him directly, answering with candor and humor the pointed questions posed to him about life and happiness. The transcript of the "conversation with God" forms the basis of Walsch's best-seller. Fluctuating between maudlin and genuinely moving, Stephen Simon's earnestly directed adaptation works best during Walsch's ordeal on the streets, including a scene in which Walsch is reduced to scavenging a half-eaten burger from a garbage bin that powerfully conveys the humiliation experienced by many homeless people. Czerny gives a credible and poignantly human performance that overcomes screenwriter Eric DelaBarre's uneven script. More background would have been helpful. What was Walsch like before his downward skid? He regrets hurting family members and acknowledges several failed marriages -- children are suggested -- but his past life remains vague. Also, a recurring dreamlike image of him and his mother is never explained, nor her enigmatic comment that he "will never love anyone." Walsch's books promote what he calls New Spirituality, which, among other things, argues that organized religions are divisive. But in criticizing others as arrogant for claiming a direct line to the truth, what, if anything, "new" does his New Spirituality offer? Like those of "The Celestine Prophecy," Walsch's revelations are little more than a syncretic hodgepodge of gnosticism, pantheism and New Age mysticism laced with Christian terminology without any set dogma beyond an emotion-driven subjectivism. ("You make the rules!" God tells him.) On a less philosophical level, the dialogue is contradictory at times: God informs Walsch that the "parent" image mankind has saddled him with is a misguided projection, then affectionately refers to us as his sons and daughters. Simon avoids Walsch's more outrageous musings. (Volume three, for instance, includes a lengthy exchange about whether Jesus was an extraterrestrial). The books aside, this movie, while clearly containing ideas incompatible with Christian theology, nevertheless imparts a sincere message about God's unconditional love and abiding presence that should resonate with Catholic viewers. The film contains questionable theological underpinnings, some mature themes and brief mild innuendo. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. - - - DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More reviews are available online at www.usccb.org/movies. END Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
| FIND A MOVIE |
|
Looking for a movie review? |