Cinematherapy

George Clooney. What can I say? I decided to watch this movie because there are too many George Clooney movies that I haven’t seen and I intended to play catch up. I was tired of divorce stories so I chose a political story, which is ironic because I’m tired of those too.

This movie was about what goes on behind the scenes in a political race. There are layers upon layers of alliances, both romantic and political, to keep up with…many more than could possibly be captured in an hour and a half.

Life is complicated enough on the surface, but below the surface there seems to be another parallel universe where one move affects the next move, like a global game of chess.

I listen to the speeches. I read the papers. But I’m not privy to their parallel universe…only mine.

What do I know?

So, I do the best I can with the information I have. I vote.

In this movie, Oskar, a young boy, deals with the death of his father during the 9-11 attacks.

Although I felt that the movie was extremely well done, I  want to warn the readers that it is quite intense. Anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one as well as anyone who has contemplated the death of a loved one will be affected by this movie.

Perhaps Oskar’s ultimate healing is possible because he is open to the raw emotions of loss. Further, his mother, who is played by Sandra Bullock, doesn’t try to squelch those feelings, as often happens in  families. Ultimately, each family member’s grief acts as a trigger for the grief of all.

The film illustrates the various ways of coping…some constructive, such as venting one’s feelings, and some destructive, such as self harm. There is no straight line to healing.

Finally, healing doesn’t mean closure. As those who have experienced loss well know, there is healing, but there is never closure. This is how profoundly we affect each other.

Do you love movies?  We can each experience life vicariously through the events and emotions that are portrayed on the screen.

Through cinema, we witness character development. We learn about family dynamics…both functional and dysfunctional. We watch. We grow. We heal.

As a therapist, I believe that cinematherapy is a valid therapeutic intervention. With that in mind, I am here to offer my take on movies which I feel have the potential not only to entertain, but to heal.

Stay tuned!