[Update: I dunno.. I think I’m just too dang cantankerous. Ditto for so much of this blog.]

So, I’m really obsessed with the film States of Grace. Here are my responses to three (aging) BYU Newsnet/Daily Universe printings that relate. Unfortunately, thier articles contain spoilers and treat the film as if it is gratuitious (which it isn’t). If you read only one of these, please read the third (jump ahead).

Here’s the first. My response: this writer totally misses it - everything, meaning, life. When you get closer to the Atonement things are “..grittier, heavier, darker..” - and that’s all!? What about the amazing bright light on the other side of that!? He totally pulls focus from that. He completely misses the point. And attending other people’s churches to understand thier religion is connected with being more “pessimistic”!? How about connecting that with being a neighbor to your neighbors, like our President Hinkley keeps asking us to do?

Here’s the second. This guy gives a review of Mormon Cinema apparently in its present State, without any mention of States of Grace, or of New York Doll (which is also excellent). How about States of Ignorance? Hello, Columbus! Have you even set sail?

(I borrowed that Columbus injunction. I think it’s funny. Also, States of Grace is still at the Provo Wynnsong theater at this writing.)

These are your future newspaper columnists and pundits, people - the BYU newsnet and Daily Universe writers. Talk back.

IF NOTHING ELSE

Last (for this is all the reading of The Daily Unifarce that I can bear for a day), one Cynthia L. Hallen writes in to the paper.

My response: if your entire game is guessing where a story will go, you will find yourself unable to suspend disbelief. This is why I am leery, as an aspiring filmmaker, of becoming too engrossed in criticism and plot constructing, following, etc. That aside, I seriously wonder about your examinations of your belief (which as a fellow mormon I hope you espouse) in forgiveness. It is entirely plausible and credible that the film’s character - whom you utterly shame with your comments - was forgiven. [PLOT SPOILER WARNING] You say: “Cliché compassion is not a satisfactory response to violating the law of chastity.” - how have you decided this, I ask? By reading the scriptures? Here’s one for you:

I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men. - Doctrine and Covenants 64:10

Last any mormon I know checked reality, forgiving other people entailed compassion, as cliché as compassion apparently is. If it is cliché to show compassion, the Lord is asking us to be clichéd people. But clichés need not be seen as shallow necessarily, and.. what in the world do you want of the film instead? To be sure, a sinner may need to be disciplined (and the character in this film was - apparently not enough for you; maybe you would be happier if he went home dead like his father wished!? - but then you would probably complain that Dutcher is making a cliché of another dead missionary - you may just be impossible to please), but discipline should not eclipse compassion, and compassion should not eclipse any necessary discipline, either. Often, just letting someone process the shame of a wrong deed is more than enough discipline: especially in a mormon society full of too many people who disown their religion’s principles, such as yourself, you who fail to forgive a nonexistent and hypothetical person in a film, and you shame him to the bone. Whose bones are you shaming? Your own - because you shame imagination. No wonder you could not suspend your disbelief and focused only on clichés and sins - other people’s sins, because the pain of looking at your own is too much, and focusing on other people’s makes you feel more righteous. Do I do this myself even now? I don’t know.. I think I like you for speaking your mind :) But your love of art is slain, incinerated from bones to dust, and thrown as ashes to the wind in the very death this character’s father wished of him should he commit such a perfectly human act of sinning; then never mind repentance or hope of forgiveness, and so much for loving your fellow men.

If as the film suggests, the folks in Kentuky forgive once, over there in Kentuky they are ahead of many mormons over here. Forgiving this film character is in order ;)
Perhaps I also am not forgiving here. If anyone thinks so, you’re welcome to say it. And no one has to like this film only by virtue of it’s virtue - indeed that’s often the whole problem (often resorted to link there - OSC on film ratings. He’s dead right) with mormon approaches to films - and in fact no one has to like this film for any reason. My point.. makes itself I hope.

I’ve realized that a major theme of States of Grace if not the theme is breaking free of shame that is far too heavy. The four characters in it who suffered catastrophes were all suffering shame from the people who didn’t forgive them - and they found ways beyond it - through Jesus. I wonder, Richard Dutcher, were you aware of this aspect of the central theme of your film? Anyway, the victories of your characters’ journeys are very, very positive - Thank you.