Review of Blue Like Jazz (2012) by Becky J — 13 Apr 2012

"I just saw Blue Like Jazz: The Movie. I'll give a review. I am a fan and recommend this. First thing, the movie bears little resemblance to the book. It has characters from the book. It starts with Don in Texas before he heads off to college.

He was an assistant youth pastor in a Southern Baptist church. He paints an unkind caricature of his church as being filled with racist, close-minded, gay-hating hypocrite clones. He has a scholarship to Trinity College but his atheist dead-beat Dad, whom is, apparently, in his life now, sets him up to attend Reed college in Portland, OR.

Don was all set to go to the Christian college until he witnessed a supreme act of hypocracy by his Mom and his pastor. In his hurt and rebellion, he races off to Reed. The rest of the movie chronicles his experiences through his sophmore year.

He is in a crisis about whether or not God exists throughout the majority of the film. It gets worse and worse until, inexplicably, he discovers that he believes in Jesus. Role credits. The cinematography, lighting, and acting were all top-notch.

My problem was with the story. Reed is portrayed as an oasis of acceptance for all (except Christians because they are the worst) in counterpoint to the Christian Church. Funny thing is that many divisions are demonstrated in the Reedian culture that kind of argued against its inclusiveness.

Christianity is portrayed as being full of evil, close-minded hypocrites with the exception of a very few enlightened True Christian Spiritualists Like Penny (this is one point that does follow Don Miller's books exactly).

I was not able to discern what it was that changed Don from hating Christians to loving Jesus and just disliking most Christians. The crisis of this story built to a crescendo but the resolution wasn't that pronounced.

First Don was hating Christians and then he wasn't. His book was more specific on the resolution. I think people that liked his books should see this movie because it explains stuff the book didn't.

It fills in some blanks on why Don is the way he is. As for positive messages, there are some. His critique of the Church, while hyperbolic, is somewhat valid. Sometimes, Church can be exclusive, stupid and unloving.

Christians and Christian Spiritualists (Don's preference) need to constantly remember to love God's people (which are all of us). All the commandments resolve to this: love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as you do yourself.

Don would also like us to remember that none of us have God figured out so we shouldn't act as if we have all the answers. We would do best to love and care for each other, without condition. That is the way Jesus did it and, in this way, we can't miss growing closer to and becoming more like Jesus.

I recommend this movie and a lot of thought." on Blue Like Jazz: The Movie's timeline.