Tuesday, February 9, 2016
The Finest Hours Adoption Movie Review
In the early 1950’s, a low-ranking crewman of the Coast
Guard is sent out into a treacherous storm to rescue a stranded tanker. Bernie
Webber is accompanied by a team of volunteers, and he leaves behind Miriam, the
woman he hopes to marry. The treachery of the sea becomes even worse when his
compass fails, and although the hopes of the townspeople rest on him, some are
still upset that he was unable to rescue a local sailor in a previous storm.
Miriam enters the Coast Guard headquarters to plea for the commander to call
back Bernie’s boat, but he refuses, and Miriam must wait with the rest of the
townspeople to see whether Bernie succeeds – and whether he survives.
The Adoption Connection
There isn’t really an adoption connection in The Finest
Hours. Some characters struggle with the loss of a loved one, and that emotion
might be familiar to audiences touched by adoption.
Strong Points
Bernie and his team rise above others’ expectations of them –
and above a very scary situation – to bravely save others. There’s a true sense
of victory and accomplishment conveyed by the film, and viewers are brought
along to experience the triumph that Bernie and his team feel.
Challenges
One character blames Bernie for a loss that he’s
experienced. Bernie was unable to rescue the man’s relative. Another family
member encourages him not to keep blaming Bernie. In situations of painful loss
(which for some people includes adoption), we sometimes try to find a place to
lay blame, channeling our grief into anger, which doesn’t generally lead to
healing. In this film, one character encourages another to move away from blame
(and from there, hopefully to healing.)
Weak Points
One authority figure comes across as particularly
insensitive, and some scenes of peril will make this unsuitable for the
youngest viewers, but otherwise there aren’t many concerns in this one.
Recommendations
I found The Finest Hours to be one of the most engrossing
films I’ve seen in recent years. It kept my attention and interest the whole
way through. While it’s not a good choice for kids, it does seem to be a good
choice for viewers ages 12 and up and adults, so long as they won’t be
traumatized by scenes of man-versus-nature peril.
Questions for
Discussion
What is the bravest thing you’ve ever done?
Who besides Bernie had to be brave in this movie?
Do you think Bernie was scared even while he was doing a
brave thing? How do those two feelings – bravery and fear – coexist?
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