I felt the theme was based on the research of Dr. Melvin Morse. It is about a husband and wife who are both Doctors. She is Physican who deals with dying children - which sets the stage for the "near death experiences" of children.
I felt the movie tackled the skeptic versus believer debate. Using the children as the one's giving testimony of the experience was captivating. Children don't have the worldly sense of understanding and are sort of innocent to the whole debate. Since I had several "near-death experiences" as a child - I could relate to that segment of the movie. Of course, the movie only briefly touches on the theme.
The movie centers on the wife trying to establish contact with her husband after she passed away in a freak accident. So the movie also touches on the theme of "ADC."
Of course -- having had many "ADC's" with loved ones who have passed on -- the approach of the movie is NOT very realistic at all. BUT -- I still loved watching the attempt to portray the experience on film. The movie has a happy ending and expresses a very postive message. The ends justifies the means.
I had a very simular experience happen to me in 1980. My girlfriend was murdered and her spirit stayed with me in the aftermath of the murder investigation, and me dealing with the trauma of grief resulting from her murder. It was bizarre. I could relate to the movie when the main character of Kevin Costner was looked at like he was losing his marbles. They over did that part in the movie.
When my girlfriend passed away - her "inner body" appeared to me in a vision within a few minutes after her passing. I was only 20 at the time - and didn't know enough to call it -- her "spiritual body." I told friends, family, and even the Homicide
Detectives investigating her murder -- about the fact that her "heart and soul" was still visible, present, and talking to me in a silent and secret manner. Of course - I was looked at with some strange eyes. Her "ghost" even help clear me of suspisicion from the Homicide Detectives. (They were going to arrest me for her murder.) So - some people took it serious. Others took it not so seriously. So I could relate to that part of the movie.
In my case - the spirit was with me for several years. Her spirit was advising me in dreams. It was just a fact of life for me. She advised me to move on with my life and to change cities. She advised for me to make new friends and start over.
I did. When I did move to the new city - her "ghost" came with me. Her spirit would "rush" through the house from time to time. It would come in the front door -- rush through in such a rush - it would make the ceiling tiles flutter. (I had one of those type of ceilings.) I was so used to it. I had two other friends who had died. I couldn't handle their deaths - so I put them in denial. I forgot they had even existed in my life. My family was aware of the denial and felt it was an act of self preservation. I couldn't deal with the grief - so I buried it. In 1981 -- I had three ghosts living with me. I told some members of my family about it. Some were fascinated and others were skeptical. My friends in the new city - were also fascinated. They had experiences with the "ghostly hauntings." NOW -- they got scared by the experiences. I did my best to calm my friends down and made a "joke" out of the whole thing. It was a chance for me to study the human reaction to the "supernatural" or spiritual phenomena going on around me at the time. In 1981 - my house was grand central station for three "spooks." They would swing open the front door -- rush and fly through to the back door ---blowing a gust of wind along the way. It never scared me as much as it iritated me. It was like having a house full of children at play. It was there way of letting me know they were with me. A sort of physical manifestation process. I couldn't see them. I didn't want to see them. It was distrubing to the senses to have "sighting." I refused to allow them to show me their spirits. Not because it was scary. For me -- it was because it was like Betty described in the Special Features. It is totally awesome and you see Pure Love in the essence of Divine Creation. It is a marvalous sight - but then when it disappears again -- it leaves a void that leads to a depression -- just as Betty describes. They would never frighten me. It was the exact opposite for myself. It was the sight of overwhelming love in a very pure and real sense.
But - I got irriated at them for leaving the doors open when their "spirits" passed through the house. I would be sitting alone and one of them would pass through to try and cheer me up. (Knowing they were around did cheer me up from time to time.) One day - I was sitting with some friends. I had my head down - very intent on rolling up a "cigarrette" of social value to my friends and I.
I had my head down the front door swung open. I knew what it was the second it happend and by instinct I was trying block the wind from blowing my "project" away -- and I was shouting out for them to shut the "dang" door. The "invisible spirits" rushed in -- stopped in the middle of the living room -- rush back -- slammed the front door -- and then went rushing toward the back door. I knew what was going to happen so I shouted of for them to shut the back door on the way out. I had been shouting this out for over a month - so many times - I had lost count. When I looked up at my friends -- I had forgotten they were in the room. When I saw their faces - I thought all of them had crapped their britches. Of course -- this "ghostly encoutner" led to some lively discussions with my young friends about the afterlife. It was strange - at first - the flat out right refused to believe they had just experienced a "ghostly" happening. They thought it was rigged with wires and I was trying to pull their leg and led them into false belief. Over time, and many more experiences - they let go of their superstious fear toward the reality of an "afterlife" and how life continues on another plane. One of my friends told me that they felt the "fear" of it was in place to keep people on this plane of existence. If it was as good as I said it was - then he felt -- everyone would live with reckless regard for this current human life. I felt there was truth to his statement. I was so overcome with grief at times - that I didn't want to continue living without my friends. It was through their encouragment that I kept my focus on enjoying the human experience of life. Of course, my "ghostly" friends were all coming to me in dreams talking about coming back into the world again in "new" and "different" physical bodies. (Reincarnation.) That was enough to scare the hell out of me. I had been potty trained already - and had survived Junior High. I didn't want to have to go through that again to get into an 'adult' frame of mind and body again. I had no fear of death what so ever. The idea of being trapped in a babies body -- with parents telling me what to do -- and Junior High gym class -- kept me from thinking I was ready to join my friends in the hereafter.
In the movie -- Katy Bates - sort of provided the comic relief.
In the movie - the character of Kevin Costner - eventually has a "near death" like experience in a drowning accident. It was not intentional on the characters part.
I didn't like that portrayal -- because I felt it gave a false impression. You don't have to rush off and get into a risky situation to communicate with your loved ones who have passed on. You don't have to risk death to have a spiritual encounter.
Another thing I didn't particularly care for was an encounter Kevin Costners character had with the "spirit" of his deceased wife. The scene comes across as a scary encoutner for him. If you loved someone as much as a man and wife should love one another -- I don't feel the sight of their "spirit" should be an intimidating encounter. Of course - it is just a movie and geared toward getting a reaction from the audience.
Over all -- I felt the movie was an enjoyable and watchable movie -- with a very positive message at the end. I highly recommend it as an "entertaining" look at the subject of the afterlife -- but I agree with the assessment I heard many years ago. It is not a realistic approach to the serious theme of the "near death experience." It is entertaining through.
Sincerely,
DKing
