Buy this movie and put it in your library. If you do not like it when viewing it for the first time, you will.
This film may not make sense if you do not have at least some knowledge of the Hebrew Bible. The theme is a retelling ("midrashically speaking") of the Book of Job. Hence, it is about dealing with innocent suffering, the classic theodicy problem. All of us can identify with Quinn's character. When bad things happen to "good" people, it must be God's fault. How better to describe his despair than the comment that his shoelaces have broken every day for a year! In his mind, only God could arrange such misfortune, and he is probably right about that! Like the Book of Job, the theme turns on itself in the end. The "belly of the whale" scene copied from Joshua is pretty transparent but delicious in a way.
Quinn's solution to his dilemma is pretty creative. I can only hope that his character does not start a trend of copycats.
This film may not make sense if you do not have at least some knowledge of the Hebrew Bible. The theme is a retelling ("midrashically speaking") of the Book of Job. Hence, it is about dealing with innocent suffering, the classic theodicy problem. All of us can identify with Quinn's character. When bad things happen to "good" people, it must be God's fault. How better to describe his despair than the comment that his shoelaces have broken every day for a year! In his mind, only God could arrange such misfortune, and he is probably right about that! Like the Book of Job, the theme turns on itself in the end. The "belly of the whale" scene copied from Joshua is pretty transparent but delicious in a way.
Quinn's solution to his dilemma is pretty creative. I can only hope that his character does not start a trend of copycats.