Interesting review, Bill. Do you think that, like the characters in the film, America had a chance to "abandon the plan" in Iraq? Or was the outcome certain as soon as troops set foot there?

I suppose so, but the film only made me THINK about Iraq... it didn't make me and expert, or even highly opinionated. I didn't even stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

I got the impression during the buildup to the war that we weren't taking seriously the option to not invade. Those who suggested we consider something else (UN weapons inspectors and France come to mind) were called "weak" by pundits in favor of the invasion.

Which reminds me of another quote from the movie:

Rocky: Everyone else wants to call it off.
Marty: Everyone else is a vagina!

Your closing thoughts on whether "we'll ever be forgiven" for Iraq suggest an interesting possibility, implying--perhaps unwittingly--that a *nation* might just be able to "sin."

Tim Conder likes to suggest over at Emmaus Way that *forgiveness* can come to a community, not just the individual.

Mohammed Taheriazar blamed the United States as a people for being sinfully complicit in the actions of its government and military, arguing that any inhabits not rising *violently* against their leaders are, in effect, supporting that government.

At what point do we become responsible for the actions of those about us? Christ and St. Paul definitely call Christians to be accountable for and towards one another.

So what does all this mean? What are we to do?

I enjoyed reading this review. The naughty child analogy made me smile. Your review, like the movie, seems to reveal some truth about our world.

These type of movies with main characters who choose a dreadful path are not for me, though. I group them under my category in honor of The Piano--the only movie that's driven me out of the movie theater before it ended.

Yeah, I loved the soundtrack to The Piano, but really detested the movie. Can't even remember exactly why now . . .

Marnie, I recommend you give it a try. The end is a bit surprising. I haven't seen The Piano, but I did manage to sit through "Very Bad Things," which I do NOT recommend for the reason you give. This is not THAT bad.

This didn't come out in the review, but I also liked this film because it reminded me so much of my own youth / adolescence. It rang very true.

Paul, I can't find a way to argue against a nation being able to sin. I'm not sure how this would work in the era of individual "personal relationships" with the Creator... who apologizes? Does it need to be unanimous? Does forgiveness mean salvation somehow?

But I'm also concerned about receiving forgiveness from the people directly affected. My in-laws spent several months in Uzbekistan apologizing for the cruscades on behalf of all Christians. They were amazed that people there were still holding a grudge, so to speak, centuries after the fact. If this Iraq thing continues to go badly, how will we (the US) be remembered in 1000 years?