BEFORE: From an inferno to a volcano - I'll take any connection between films at this point, even a tenuous one. I still didn't get to "Cool Hand Luke", but I'll have to table the Paul Newman films in order to send Birthday SHOUT-out #51 to Tom Hanks (last seen in "The Great Buck Howard"), born July 9, 1956. And the movie link between Newman and Hanks, of course, is "Road to Perdition".
THE PLOT: When a hypochondriac learns that he is dying, he accepts an offer to throw himself in a volcano at a tropical island, and along the way there, learns to truly live.
AFTER: Eh, this is a silly little film, but perhaps there are some concepts within that are worth exploring. Sacrifice, karma, fate, destiny, free will - it sort of feels like the film is dancing all around something, without coming out and saying it.
We've got a man in a dead-end job, with no prospects, who thinks he's dying, so when he's offered a chance to do something meaningful for a Polynesian tribe (whose tribal chants sound suspiciously like "Hava Nagila" and "When Johnny Comes Marching Home") he takes the deal. Only to fall for the woman delivering him there - does he follow through on his promise to sacrifice himself, or blow the deal and have a chance at love and happiness, with what little time he has left.
On some level, it represents the conscious choices that we all have to make every day. You have a job, a spouse, kids (or pets), and there are only so many hours in the day. Putting in extra time at the office means time away from family and friends (unless you work with your family, I guess). Taking time off for vacation is a good thing, but take too much time off, and your job's at risk. Decisions, decisions.
At the same time, you've got to worry about your soul, if you believe in that sort of thing. Great, like you don't have enough problems in THIS world, you've got to worry about the next one, too. For some people, religion is a quick and easy decision-maker, if you're given a checklist you know what to do and what not to do. But think about the arrogance of people who tell you what God (or Allah, or the volcano) wants for you. They don't know what God (if he exists other than as a concept) wants, any more than you do.
I used to swallow the Catholic dogma, but once you start poking holes in it, it all starts to unravel. I'm more drawn to the concept of karma - treat people like you want to be treated. Do good things, and good things will come your way. It would be nice, wouldn't it? But I guess that assumes that the universe has a logical structure, and unfortunately I've seen too much evidence to the contrary.
And if you listen to too many platitudes, or get too much chicken soup in your soul, it all starts to sound meaningless too. "Live like you're dying." Well, why can't I live like I'm living? "You've got your whole life ahead of you." Ummm, doesn't everyone? "You're not getting any younger." And where is the person who is - Benjamin Button?
Today's Saturday, and I'm gearing up to put in some extra hours at the office, typing up a manuscript. I don't want to do it, but I've got to believe that if I put in the extra time, good things will happen. In fact I'm making sure of it as part of the deal, but I don't want to talk about things and jinx them. But I'm gearing up for my annual trip to Comic-Con, so I hope that karma gets me some new Star Wars autographs, or at least some interesting celebrity encounters.
"No one ever looks back on their life and wishes they'd spent more time at the office." Agreed, but maybe their boss wishes they had.
Also starring Meg Ryan (last seen in "Top Gun"), Dan Hedaya (last seen in "Commando"), Ossie Davis (last seen in "Jungle Fever"), Amanda Plummer, with cameos from Lloyd Bridges (last seen in "Tucker: The Man and His Dream"), Robert Stack, Abe Vigoda (last seen in "Jury Duty"), Nathan Lane (last seen in "Ironweed") and Carol Kane (last seen in "The World's Greatest Lover").
RATING: 3 out of 10 fluorescent lights
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