Remarkable and Truly Inspiring

Rating: 10/10 (1 April 2007)

I had seen this movie come and go a few weeks ago. Suddenly, it came back, along with some interesting talk about it. I'm glad I saw it and strongly recommend it to everyone out there. Be warned, it will require that you concentrate and pay attention to its message. There are no hidden agendas here; it simply demands that you look at yourself, dispose of all the extra baggage that you carry and focus on the present to make the best of it.
There are questions about how it all came together, and what some of the symbols mean. For instance, who is the old man? Is he a God like figure, or personalized intuition? Why did our young protagonist get a chance that others didn't? Where does faith lie in the middle of the drama? It probably doesn't really matter since the message remains the same: It's time to put a little more effort and truly go after what you really want.
The young man in the film just happens to be an athlete who gets a second chance and blows it! Still, there is more to be discovered and pursued. In fact, it might not all be over. I loved the way "Socrates" interacts with his disciple, slowly teaching him the ways of knowledge and meditation, leading him yet not enabling and influencing his choices, allowing him to learn from his own observations and mistakes. In short, teaching him to believe in himself, yet never diluting the impact of the process, painful as it might be.
The film moves very well, and there are moments when we are not quite sure what we are witnessing. It's spiritual, or is it paranormal? Is it a tale of faith, a ghost story, a love story, a tale of reckless youth. Whatever it might be, it's truly inspiring and soul searching. It will probably help a few members of the audience reflect on what is going on with themselves and the world around them, and how much power we truly exert on our destinies or chose not to have? There are inspiring films, and there are gems like these: movies that are entertaining, soulful, full of feeling, intelligence, and not in any manner condesending and obtuse. This is a film that trusts its audience and encourages them to search whatever, specific truth, they might be needing.
A classic.