The movie I chose as my first cultural artifact is The Bucket List. This movie is about two men, Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, who meet in the hospital where they are diagnosed as terminally ill with less than a year to live. To make the most of their last days, the two go on a trip across the world to do everything they feel they should before they kick the bucket.
The reasons for the adventure around the globe are pretty similar for each of the two friends. Because Carter (Freeman) has spent most of his life providing for his family, he feels like he missed out on doing a lot of the things he wanted to during his lifetime. He agrees to go on the trip with Edward (Nicholson) because he feels that he deserves to do what he wants for once. An excellent example of someone who exhibits qualities of the empire, Edward, a billionaire who has spent much of his life working to earn as much money as possible to enable him to enjoy a lavish lifestyle, thinks of this trip as just another one of his many thrill rides in life.
Although each of these men has similar reasons for going on the trip, their desires for the trip are based on different ways of thinking. Edward’s additions to the bucket list are all based his desires for instant gratification and his mentality that his money can buy him happiness. Carter, on the other hand, has more kingdom oriented goals such as hoping to witness something majestic or helping someone for good.
At first, this movie seems to endorse the empire much more than the kingdom, but when looking beyond the basic storyline of an expensive trip around the world for personal enjoyment, the themes in the movie cry out for the kingdom. Over the course of their trip, Carter and Edward both change each other and discover that the most important part of life is not where you go or what you see but rather the relationships with your family and friend. Both men realize that without love and friendship, all the money in the world will still leave you feeling empty. On top of a pyramid they discuss the purpose of life and Carter expresses agreement with the ancient Egyptians who narrowed it down to two questions. “Have you found joy in your life?” and “Have others found joy in your life?” If everyone made sure the answers to these questions were “yes” and they focused more on their relationships than money and experiences, the world would look a lot more like the kingdom of God.
It’s been quite awhile since I’ve seen The Bucket List, seeing how I saw it in theaters, so it was nice to get a recap from Ryan’s blog. One big thing I didn’t realize in my own viewing of the film was how Edward symbolized the Empire and Carter symbolized the Kingdom. Ryan stated this and I completely agree with him in the fact that Edward sought happiness through his money. He thought by doing extravagant things with all the money he possessed, that he would soon be a happy man. Carter on the other hand didn’t need money for happiness. He lived life in the moment and wanted to experience great things and be a joy to others. I really liked how the film expressed interactions between the two characters. Their outlooks on life were so different and they had a rocky start to their relationship. But through their journey, they both had something to teach each other and it’s neat to see how the story unfolds. One last thing in the blog I thought was interesting was the questions Carter asks. “Have you found joy in your life?” and “Have others found joy in your life?” I think it’s important that we ponder these questions every now and then and perhaps the world will be a better place if we ask ourselves these questions. This film has a lot to offer and I would recommend seeing it to anyone interested!
ReplyDelete