Movie Info
Movie Notes
This review appeared in the Jan. 1997 issue of VP. Because the Common Lectionary this Sunday is the story of Abraham called to sacrifice his son Isaac, I have brought it up from the archives. You will see why when you watch he film. It provides a good contrast between two fathers, their love for their son as related to other values, and of the consequences when we stray from the path of truth. Liam Neeson and Meryl Streep are at their best as he parents of their teenage son, played by Edward Furlong.
Movie Info
- Director
- Barbet Schroeder
- Run Time
- 1 hour and 48 minutes
- Rating
- PG-13
VP Content Ratings
- Violence
- 4/10
- Language
- 3/10
- Sex & Nudity
- 1/10
- Star Rating
Relevant Quotes
After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him.
The clash of family values with integrity and truth has seldom been as forcibly displayed as in this Barbet Schroeder-directed film. With two such fine stars as Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson as the parents defending their son suspected of murdering his girlfriend, it is difficult to understand why it faded from theaters so quickly. But, just as quickly, it has arrived in our video stories, affording groups a great opportunity to probe family loyalty, guilt and telling the truth.
Carolyn and Ben Ryan seem to have an idyllic life in their small New England where she is a pediatrician and he a sculptor – until the afternoon when the police come looking for their teenage son Jacob. A girlfriend, whom they did not even know about, has been found brutally murdered. Ben, fearing the worst concerning their absent son, refuses to allow the police to search their garage where Jacob’s old car is parked. When he goes in alone, he finds blood on a pair of gloves and a car jack in the trunk.
Almost without hesitation Jacob burns the gloves and washes the jack, just as the police are returning with a search warrant. His hasty action starts the couple on a tension-filled journey of discovery, not only of the dark side of their son, but of themselves and of their relationship as well.
Good scenes for reflection/discussion: Jacob tells Carolyn the story of Abraham commanded by God to sacrifice his son Isaac. “Very obedient, Abraham. Very righteous. But when they tell that story they always miss the point. Who would want for a father!?” Even though he is an artist, Ben is a person who cannot understand someone with a loyalty larger than that of a father to his son. His is a fatherly love so intense that it blinds him to anything beyond his family, such as truth. His mistrust of the legal system threatens to undo himself and his son, his impetuous destruction of evidence complicating his Jacob’s defense.
Carolyn, on the other hand, strongly disagreeing with Ben, believes that it is better to rely on the truth of their son’s account of the death. She has a very difficult time understanding and accepting the “anything goes” view of the lawyer they hire.
. Finally, when she tells the court what happened, Ben and the lawyer are furious with her, accusing her of destroying their Jacob’s chance of escaping prison. Jacob cries to them to stop, and then tells them what he wants to do. His father disagrees, saying that he would never do anything that would take Jacob from them. Displaying his hard-won wisdom, Jacob replies, “Nobody can ever take you away from me!…I never really knew how much you loved me!”
Note: The full movie can be viewed on YouTube.
