As the snow fell on the Colorado Foothills this past Wednesday, excitement grew within my home. This night we were to see True Grit, the new Coen Brothers movie starring one of my favorite actors, Jeff Bridges. I received an ominous call from our viewing companion in which the soundness of our plan was challenged due to the winter weather. I reminded my friend of the movie's title and all question of canceling was put to rest. While this resembled humor, I was dead serious, I busting at the seams to see this movie. Rarely do movies exceed my expectations and I had rather high ones for this film. Thankfully, I was surprised by this work of art. I know that our culture (especially my generation) has devalued the use of superlatives by claiming that every new item, event, movie, song, or even candy bar is "epic" or "life-changing." So with no small amount of trepidation I can say that True Grit was one of the best movies I have ever seen. While no doubt many other works of great cinema have alluded me, this was a stroke of genius compared to the stale stories I have endured over my film-viewing experience. It contained rich characters, surprising dialogue, dark humor, intensely-understated imagery, a compelling score of reinvented hymns, and a pace that demanded your attention; it was simply a good story. The movie forced me to count the severe cost of revenge, to hope for redemption in even the most stubborn, and to wonder if I could possibly tell such a captivating story. When the show was over, I just sat silent in my chair, paralyzed by the sheer beauty of it all. I love these moments when I try not to put thoughts or words to what I am experiencing, but I just simply experience it. N. T. Wright shares a story of a classical ballerina who after performing an epic piece is asked what it meant. She replies, "If I could express what it meant in words, I would not have to dance it." I pray for more story-telling, more art, more dance such as this, leaving us with a burning hearts and inadequate words.
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