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Films Review
If morality reigned
Oscar nominees fall short ethically
If, by some cosmic twist of fate, morality decided the Best Picture of the Year from the 2008 nominees, there would be no winner.
In theory, “Michael Clayton” could earn the win by default — due to the implied redemption of at least the main character. However, even though the film hints at morality, it is far from explicit.
“Juno” seems like the sweetest option. The title character did act nobly insofar she gave birth to her unplanned baby. Still, at film’s end, there is no indication that Juno will stop having premarital sex.
“No Country for Old Men” would rank dead last in morality. It only featured one moral character. Although many of the flawed characters died, the characters who survive walk away without regret and without facing consequences.
“Atonement” could vie for a second place for its negative portrayal of sin, but issues in the flawed presentation of love as lust, among other factors, leave the film morally wanting.
Then there’s “There Will Be Blood.” This film can’t compete in a morality contest since the main character falls deeper and deeper into sin as the story progresses.
Be that as it may — the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will choose a winner this year. The academy will chose the film based not on moral but artistic merit — and in those terms this year is very competitive.
Out of the five nominees, The Catholic Sun has reviewed three in past issues — available on www.catholicsun.org. Here are brief reviews of the remaining two films.
No Country for Old Men
There are few films as terrifying as “No Country for Old Men” (Paramount Vantage). Although hardly a thriller in the traditional sense, the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel portrays a world where living a moral life seems to be lost on all but a couple of the myriad of characters.
Written and directed by Ethan and Joel Coen, “No Country for Old Men” traces the trail of a drug deal gone wrong in the Texas desert.
A local hunter, Llewelyn Moss, played by Josh Brolin, stumbles upon a group of trucks filled with drugs and murdered men. He decides to keep the $2 million he finds, money sought after by a number of others — most particularly the harrowing Anton Chigurh, played brilliantly by Javier Bardem.
The desert murders and Moss’ involvement is investigated by the local sheriff, Ed Tom Bell, played by Tommy Lee Jones. Continually in mourning for a world that has gone bad, Jones’ character serves as the foil to the psychopath Chigurh, who kills on calculated whims.
“No Country for Old Men,” the product of incredible directing, takes a story of hopeless darkness and turns into something beautiful. While it is an artistic piece of cinema, the film is hard to watch and harder to forget.
The filmmakers aptly handle the themes of belief in God in a corrupt world and the ability of good to wage a fight against overwhelming darkness. It is a wonderful film with a despairing message at the end.
That message is not vindicated by the quality filmmaking, but “No Country for Old Men” is undeniably captivating for artistic film buffs willing to enter a dark world.
Michael Clayton
More hope for the world emerges in “Michael Clayton” (Samuel Medias), a legal thriller set in modern day New York City. George Clooney stars as Michael Clayton, a lawyer who specializes in cleaning up situations that could be legal messes.
Clayton tries to clean up the mess made by coworker and friend Arthur Edens — a high-power lawyer defending a large company he knows to be unethical.
Edens, played by Tom Wilkinson, threatens to bring the company down. The company’s head counsel Karen Crowder, played by Tilda Swinton, goes after Edens.
The three actors were nominated for their acting (Clooney for best actor and Wilkinson and Swinton for best supporting roles). In addition to best picture, the film also garnered nominations for the directing and for the screenplay.
An exciting legal thriller, “Michael Clayton” lacks the lasting gravitas that so many best picture winners exude.
The film aptly depicts how easy it is to fall into sin when people put careers and finances ahead of the good of the world. Obsession with a career clearly leads to demise — a trite message that comes across surprisingly fresh.
Where art thou, morality?
In a year in which the Academy nominated such dark films as the best films of the year, it begs the question: Where have the stories of redemption, hope and a better world gone?
They do exist. In fact there were more than a handful of films that could have won the “morality award” in 2008.
Again this year, and probably for years to come, morality will not be the judge. Moral film watchers are left to serve as their own judges — far from a dire situation. After all, would you really trust the Academy as a judge of morality anyways?
Rebecca Bostic is a regular contributor to The Catholic Sun. Comments are welcome. Send e-mail to letters@catholicsun.org.
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