Franciscan Media: The Most Contemplative Movie I've Ever Seen

Most movies pull the viewer in through chaos, madness, or emotion. Basic storytelling says that there needs to be an emotional hook—an inciting incident of some sort—to engage a viewer and pull them in. But dramatization or romanticization is not always an accurate depiction of life.

Though life is certainly filled with lots of inciting incidents and plenty of emotion, few movies have attempted to capture the in-between that makes up most of our lives: the monotonous routines, the nine to five, the minor hiccups, the passing conversations, the subpar dinners with your partner, the moments of deep abiding content with your partner, walking the dog, drinking a beer—the overall flow of each day.

The movie, Paterson, however, (released in 2016 but recently made available on streaming platforms) starring Adam Driver and directed by Jim Jarmusch, does just that. It is the most contemplative movie I’ve ever seen, inspiring you to see the grace in monotony, receive each moment as a gift, and experience the liberating depth in everything...

This blog was first published on Franciscan Spirit. You can read the rest of the blog entry HERE.