Something To Believe In
“The X-Files: I Want to Believe” and "Henry Poole Is Here"
As we all know, conscious creation is all about beliefs. No matter what aspect of life we concern ourselves with, beliefs always factor in as the driving element. That’s especially significant when we consider the big picture issues of life, such as our overriding worldview, because the core beliefs we hold in that regard underlie those that support everything else. Coming to terms with those beliefs can be a seriously challenging task, particularly if we experience difficulty in defining them or even identifying their existence. But two very different recent releases help to shed some light on this question – and quite well at that.
“The X-Files: I Want to Believe” may seem an unlikely candidate in this context, given the franchise’s reputation (first as a TV show, later as a movie) as a vehicle for tales of science fiction and horror. Yet the franchise’s second big screen outing is so concerned with beliefs that it’s even in the title.
In a nutshell, former FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) are coaxed out of hiding and retirement, respectively, to help solve a particularly troublesome case. And, as far as the plotline is concerned, that’s all one really needs to know, for that part of the story is largely unimportant, a mere pretext to what the film is really all about – the protagonists’ search for meaning in their new lives. After years of chasing monsters in the dark, a time when their purpose in life at least seemed fairly clear, Mulder and Scully are each left to wrestle with the question of what their mission is now. Mulder, who always had been an ardent believer in the magic of the paranormal and the extraordinary, suddenly sees himself in quite a pedestrian existence, wondering whether he can recapture the wonder of his past beliefs and use them as a guiding principle for his new life. Scully, a scientist and fence-post Catholic who long toiled to find balance between the rational and the miraculous, finds herself still ensconced in this challenge, still struggling to determine whether reason or spirituality should guide her new existence. These core belief dilemmas, in turn, further affect the characters’ search for answers in other areas of their lives, such as their relationship with one another, the future of their vocations, and coming to terms with their morbid fascination with “the dark side.”
This picture, unfortunately, hasn’t been well-received by viewers, critics, or fans of the franchise, but that may be due to preconceived notions coupled with misleading marketing. The film was plugged primarily as a thriller in the tradition of the franchise, but it’s clearly anything but. It’s principally a character study, cerebral and introspective, rarely if ever suspenseful except for how Mulder and Scully will respond to their circumstances. Those seeking to be scared will likely be disappointed (and rightfully so); however, those looking for something more profound than a simple horror story will be rewarded beyond their expectations.
In contrast to the dark drama of “The X-Files” is the gentle comedy-drama “Henry Poole Is Here.” But as strikingly different as the story is, it’s thematically similar from a conscious creation standpoint. When the film’s title character, a soft-spoken young atheist (Luke Wilson), receives a diagnosis that he’s dying, he chooses to slip away by quietly drinking himself to death. He seeks sanctuary for this undertaking by buying a run-down bungalow and moving into the house as-is. However, his well-meaning real estate agent (Cheryl Hines) feels guilty about the home’s condition and has the structure’s exterior rehabbed with new coats of paint and stucco. The plastering leaves much to be desired, as evidenced by a big ugly water stain along one of the outside walls. But that stain soon becomes the focus of widespread attention when one of his neighbors, an overzealous Catholic busybody (Adriana Barraza), sees the face of Christ in it and is profoundly moved by this unlikeliest of miracles. This, in turn, sets in motion a host of vignettes involving Henry and a cast of colorful characters, all of whom have different, yet profoundly moving experiences at the wall. And in the end, they all come away from it with something to believe in.
Like “The X-Files,” this film has received its share of criticism, largely for its predictability and sentimentality, which at times verges on being manipulative, and I wouldn’t entirely disagree with those complaints. However, the picture is so well written – far better than the story it covers – that it’s worth seeing for that alone. Some have also been critical of the film’s religious proselytizing, but it’s never heavy-handed in my view. Its overarching emphasis on notions like faith, trust, and hope – concepts that transcend religion – are more important, even if they’re couched in somewhat conventional imagery. In my opinion, those ideas can provide solid foundations for anyone’s core beliefs, no matter what religious or secular forms they ultimately may take in our lives.
At a time of year when most films are long on style and short on substance, it’s refreshing to see pictures like these being released amidst the summertime extravaganzas. That’s important in an age like ours, when people are so hungry for meaning that they strain to see it in everything from building structures to snack foods. Such sustenance is essential, for it provides a firm footing on which to base our very existence.
(“The X-Files: I Want to Believe” – 2008; David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Peet, Billy Connolly, Xzibit, Mitch Pileggi, Callum Keith Rennie, Adam Godley, Fagin Woodcock; Chris Carter, director; Frank Spotnitz and Chris Carter, screenplay; Chris Carter, source material)
(“Henry Poole Is Here” – 2008; Luke Wilson, Radha Mitchell, Adriana Barraza, George Lopez, Cheryl Hines, Morgan Lily, Rachel Seiferth, Richard Benjamin; Mark Pellington, director; Albert Torres, screenplay)