One of the things that I have always enjoyed about art is that it often forces us into uncomfortable spaces. Too often it is uncomfortable spaces that lead to our growth as human beings, so despite the pain that comes with the discomfort, for those of us who wish to grow, we must, at minimum, accept that pain is a part of the process.
For a number of years, I have been a fan of actor Will Smith because his roles are consistently good at forcing us into places we may not like. He is a perfectionist at his art. His movies usually come with a certain level of intellectual depth, a kind of gravitas that is appealing to me.
But, alas, good art, as in a movie, usually focuses on two of the major components of what it means to be human, that so-called dichotomy of the head versus the heart, of the intellect versus emotion. Usually, if a movie leans too heavily upon the painful side of emotion, that particular movie is not going to do too well, neither at the box office nor in the eyes of the critics.
Despite all of this, when it is a Will Smith movie, one can expect that it will do well and get comprehensive exposure. In following this line of logic, I was quite thrilled when two or 3 months ago, I heard that Will Smith had a new movie out called “Collateral Beauty.” For several weeks in a row, I made internal commitments to check up on its playing at local theaters, with an eye towards attending. For probably two or three weeks, I could not get around to going, but I kept looking to see if it was still showing. I was caught off-guard when it seemed that the movie just vanished into thin air, with me not hearing any word of what the critics thought of it. The whole affair just left me puzzled.
Imagine my surprise when I came across a DVD of the movie at Asheboro Public Library, so I eagerly took the bait and checked it out one day earlier this week. As I got into the movie, it was clear to me why this movie had not appealed to the mainstream public. The mainstream public is a superficial, surfacey kind of bunch, wanting things explained and felt just on the thin layer of the surface. Anything that forces a person to go to places in ones mind at high intellectual levels, or a movie that forces a person to go inside of his soul to experience deep emotional pain, does not appeal on a mass level. “Collateral Beauty” is this kind of movie.
It is a movie that forces a human being into the dark painful corners of one’s soul, all while trying to figure out one’s larger purpose for existence. It is awkward, in this sense, in its discomfort. But, for me, it is the kind of discomfort that lends itself to deep understanding and meaning, a kind of earned value from the pain, the medicine in the marrow of Life. I know I will be in the minority on this, but I honestly think that it may be one of Will’s best efforts, because of its emotional profundity. I highly recommend it and have promised myself that it has earned itself a place in my personal collection.
