Sometimes a film comes along that seems to have such a strong Judeo-Christian theme that one might assume the filmmaker is a Christian, or at least a practicing Jew. The recently released film Levity is such a case. The movie chronicles the journey of a parolee, Manual Jordan (Billy Bob Thornton) on his journey to find redemption for the murder of a convenience store clerk during a robbery 23 years earlier.
Explicit Messages
Credibly and explicitly the movie explores man's religious journey toward redemption in a manner that appears to be consistent with Judeo-Christian orthodoxy.
After previewing the film, I interviewed writer-producer-director Ed Solomon, and was surprised to discover that he does not claim to have a religious faith. He said to me, “I'm not a Christian. I was raised Jewish. I do have a daily meditation practice, but I'm not Buddhist. I wouldn't call myself anything…and there was no intent to make the film religious.”
But it is clear that Levity contains strong religious material that, although unintended by its author, does seem, by some providence, to contain a morally sound Judeo-Christian message. What was it, I wondered? I knew that well-constructed films are imbued by their authors with three levels of meaning: explicit, implicit, and symptomatic. I went exploring.
On an explicit level the filmmaker can detonate evidence of the message with dialogue.
For instance, when Manual is released from prison, he tells us that five steps are required for a man to achieve redemption — something he's read in a book by a medieval scholar.
1. Acknowledge what it was that he did.
2. Feel remorse for his actions.
3. Make right with his neighbor through restitution.
4. Make it right with God.
5. Be in the same place and time and make a different decision.
Manual also rationalizes, even fears, that because he does not believe in God step 4 is unlikely. And because time guarantees he will never be in the same place at the same time, step 5 is impossible. Therefore, he can never be redeemed. But even as Manual says he does not believe in God, the logic he embraces, and the redemption he seeks, assumes that God does exists. Thus, the filmmaker tells us that Manual is wrong about God, and God's justice and grace.
Likewise, antagonist Miles Evans (Morgan Freeman) challenges Manual, “Why are you afraid of a God you don't believe in?” And when Manual asks Adele Easley (Holly Hunter) if she thinks there is a God, she responds, “No. Thank, God… because I've done some pretty bad things.” Thus, the film seems to be saying, “Denying God with your mouth doesn't change the reality in your heart.”
Implicit Messages
On an implicit level, Manual Jordan's name is full of meaning. In dialogue his first name is pronounced “man-well” — a man in search of spiritual health. His first name also reminds us that redemption oft times requires hard manual labor, as St. Paul says “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12-13). His last name, Jordan, reminds us of the boundary that led into the Promised Land of levity and freedom, or of baptism that frees us from sin.
Miles Evans, on the other hand, has a name that suggests his constant attempt to put miles between himself and the police, even as he evades the truth. Here is a man who at first appears to be a tough-love preacher of noble intent. But little-by-little we learn that Miles is constantly on the run from both temporal and spiritual authority.
Looking to the parables of Christ, the story of Manual and Miles is a modern day example of the humble Tax Collector and the proud Pharisee (Luke 18:9-14). Both were sinners, but only one went home redeemed. Indeed, Manual's two nicknames are “Righteous” and “God-Boy.”
Symptomatic Messages
Symptomatic messages are those embedded by the author subconsciously. Near the end of Levity there is one scene that points dramatically to God's transcendence, something Ed Solomon did not intend, nor was he aware of it until it was pointed out to him.
Manual stands on a vehicular overpass as he reflects on his life. As he does so, he drops clumps of snow that smash on the concrete below. A vision of Abner, the young man he killed years earlier, appears and asks Manual what he is thinking. Manual responds, “Gravity.” Abner replies, “Yeah. Well, it don't last long.” And with that, the next clump of snow released from Manual's hand sores toward the heavens and out of sight.
Interpreted in context, this scene says that Manual's presuppositions about God's existence are wrong, as is the impossibility of his redemption. Up until this point, Manual's perception of both redemption and reality are tied to the physical laws of this world, and the crushing determinism gravity represents… always holding us down.
If you trust only in yourself and the laws that can be physically perceived, there is no redemption; you'll be smashed like a clump of snow on the concrete. That is the problem with not trusting in the benevolence of a transcendent God. As long as Manual rejects God's love, he is damned like the clump of snow that falls to destruction. He is forever bound to temporal rules of nature.
But then appears Abner — someone who in death knows what is beyond in the realm of eternity. Abner tells Manual such ideas (gravity) “don't last long.” Suddenly, nature is selectively suspended, the clump of snow soars, defying gravity, and points to the presence of faith, hope, and the transcendence of redemption that is ultimately possible… even for Manual.
So perhaps the moral message of Levity could be stated like this: “Trusting only in man's perception of reality leads to despair and destruction, but trusting in God's perception of reality leads to hope and redemption.”
A fuller accounting on the making and meaning of LEVITY, including the original interview with Ed Solomon, can be found here
(Stan Williams, Ph.D., writes occasionally about Judeo-Christian themes in motion pictures between his own film projects as Executive Producer of SWC Films. He can be reached at SDavid@StanWilliams.com or via his website at www.StanWilliams.com).
