A Joyful Noise Movie Review: Some Things to Be Joyful About & Some Not

by brentriggs on January 15, 2012

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From Brent

I took my wife to see Joyful Noise last night, the reportedly “Christian” movie with Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah. Given how easily fads sweep through American Christianity with little discernment, I thought I would give you a review of the movie. I’m not going to try and decide for you whether or not to see it, or promote it as a “Christian” movie. I’ll just give you my observations, positive and negative and leave you to consider it.

FYI, I’m not trying to review like a movie critic. I’m not addressing whether the story, acting or production was good. I’m commenting on it for the sake of Christians being able to discern the CHRISTIAN merits of the movie since it’s 1) set in a church/Christianity environment and 2) it’s already being discussed as a “Christian movie” by Christians.

Summary:

The movie is about a church choir competition. The plot involves a mother with two kids, a father who left them, the mom’s struggle to raise the kids, and the kids struggle with growing up and the ever popular Hollywood premise of “finding out who they really are” (which is most often code language for “don’t be like your parents”… this movie is no exception but with a twist that makes it somewhat tolerable).

Some Joyful Noise About Joyful Noise

Here are my positive observations about the movie:

  • It’s cleaner and more “wholesome” than 99% of what Hollywood and TV produces. That’s not a huge endorsement given current entertainment standards but it is true relatively speaking.
  • The movie contains no real violence, overtly vulgar language (again, compared to what Hollywood typically produces, more on the language below because there is cursing in the movie), or graphic sex, immodesty or nudity (a negative about that below too)
  • For most of the movie it appears the typical Hollywood message that “conservative (and especially) Christian parents are intolerant, out of touch, close minded and need to be enlightened by the liberal, worldly and in particular the youthful characters” is going to be played out to the end… but in a refreshing twist, the mother confidently and accurately puts the smart-mouthed rebellious daughter in her place and the movie doesn’t use that as “proof” the mom is a jerk. Wow! What a concept!
  • The mom gets to say what every parents wants to say to their ungrateful, spoiled, self-pitying teen and it leaves the crowd applauding. Normally, Hollywood only puts in that kind of scene when it makes the parent look even more controlling and close-minded. Not this time. The mom looks like the wise, strong, parent deserving of respect. Amazing that a movie actually (FINALLY) portrays a Christian, authoritative parent in that kind of positive light.  (Caveat: but even still, the subtle final message is still that the mom loosened up and let her 16 year old daughter “grow up” even though she was allowed to put her foot down against the blatant rebelliousness and self pity.)
  • The music is clean and entertaining though hardly “Christian” in any substantive way. It’s pop music sang in the best tradition of black gospel.
  • The story ends up with family reconciliation, portrays faithfulness to marriage vows, and implies the strength of traditional family.
  • The movie shows whites, blacks and Asians all getting along and living together just fine in a small, southern town. That drives liberals CRAZY who sincerely believe that all southern states are really just closeted KKK hotbeds. While there is no doubt racism is alive and well (from ALL COLORS) in American MOSTLY IN BIG CITIES NOT RURAL TOWNS, it has been my experience in 40 years of small southern towns that the ’60′s Lyndon Johnson idea of racism is rarely seen today. Whites and blacks and browns and reds and yellows in conservative small town America live and work and worship and play together without a whole lot of thought of “race”. You’ll never convince Washington or Hollywood of that though because it would erode the power of people who live and prosper by fanning the flames of racism.

Some Not So Joyful Noise

If I were to stop at merely comparing this to the normal trash that is shown on flat screens today, I would give this film a double thumbs up and tell you to take the family to see it. However, it’s not quite that simple from a Christian standpoint. Compared to Godly standards, there are several concerns, and given the impression it leaves about Christianity in general, I’m not all that joyful about it. My observations:
  • Casual fornication (no sex scene but the deed is obvious) between two choir members is played off mostly as a joke and it’s never seriously implied (or stated) that fornication is a sin to be repented of.  Even the Pastor makes a joke about it at a funeral (the man died from a heart attack while having sex).  It’s also implied several times that if you haven’t had sex for several years, you can’t help but want to jump in bed with someone.
  • Cursing: there are a couple of scenes when unbelievers or the rebellious say a “mild” curse word and that could have been livable as demonstrating  “real life”. But the movie goes much further with a couple of dozen or more curse words used casually and without concern even from the Christian characters in the movie.
  • There is one scene where the mom comes down on the daughter about cursing,  the mom spouting some curse words then saying “see I can cuss too. It’s easy and it proves your stupid” (I’m paraphrasing). That kind of message I can live with. The gratuitous cursing for a laugh or simply because no one, even the Christians, think it is any big deal is not something I can pass over as no big deal. The movie in total leaves you with the impression that “mild” cursing is not a concern. I guess that’s a good selling point in light of some of today’s Christian writers like Doug Giles (whose thoughts I agree with but I’m concerned about his growing use of crass verbiage and cursing).
  • The typical Hollywood message (particularly to the youth) that no one who is a serious student and Christian can possibly be living life to the fullest is present and never completely debunked.  The rebellious daughter, the wayward grandson and the worldly grandmother are sympathetically portrayed as compassionate, thoughtful, earthy, feeling and really embracing life. The uptight mother and pastor are close minded, controlling and stifled.  A couple of other Christians are buffoonish rednecks and simpletons. Yawn…. typical Hollywood.  It’s not NEARLY as blatant in this movie as most but the message is clear. At the end of the movie the mom’s strictness is shown to be somewhat positive AFTER she softens towards her daughter and the rebel boyfriend. Three steps forward, one step back.
  • In one scene, the black gospel music presentation is almost clownish (specifically their “competition” from a Detroit black church)… on a positive note, the primary choir the story revolves around is entertaining and dignified even though the music is not Christian, it’s pop music.
  • Other than some casual contemporary Christian stanzas, no serious Christian music (doctrinally speaking) is used in the movie; the choir sings pop music from the likes of Michael Jackson. The church service is where the performances are rehearsed.  It adds to the overall subtle message (in my opinion) that Christianity is more social than anything, and not something to be taken very seriously. Unbelievers are invited to be in the choir because of their music talent and the Sunday church gathering is trivialized. The rebellious unbelievers come to accept the Christians because they like the music but it’s never portrayed or implied that they accepted the Christian Gospel.
  • The Christians in the movie are wholesome for the most part but apologetically worldly and no serious Christianity or Gospel message is portrayed in any substantial way.  Even though the entire movie is about Christianity, “Jesus” and supposedly faith, not one single serious message about Christ, the Bible, prayer or any Christian doctrine is expressed; not even a hint about the Gospel.
  • The Pastor declares the church can only remain “open” because of rich a member and her support (any real Pastor would recoil at referring to the Church as a business that depends on rich donors). In the end, the Pastor sends that same member packing because she tries to demand his obedience for her support. But… she then pulls another (weird, not very creative) trick out of her bag and ends up with the Pastor in her pocket again at the end of the movie.  Of course, typically, the uptight Pastor eventually comes around and loosens up like everyone else.

————–

Overall, the movie is fairly enjoyable and certainly “wholesome” when measured by Hollywood standards. Christianity is not openly attacked or mocked (as is typical on TV or movies today almost without exception) but the way morality, holiness and “church” is trivialized throughout the show, it leaves Christians with concerns. What’s worse? Outright mockery of Christianity, or the subtle trivializing of it?

(Something to think about: the movie “Soul Surfer” portrays a faithful Christian family without mockery but the whole movie is filled with teenage girls in bikinis [the real life girls looked more like prepubescent children, but the movie girls were post-puberty]; is that better or worse than a movie like “Joyful Noise” that’s not start-to-end-teen-girls-in-bikini’s but trivializes morality, faith and Christianity for the most part? Just something to think about…)

The usual message that authoritative parents and/or serious Christians are uptight and close-minded is loud and proud for most of the movie… then knocked down momentarily towards the end… then left as implied truth when the movie ends.  The flipside is also clear: the worldly, the youthful, and the rebellious are the enlightened, happy and compassionate people who really know how to enjoy life. The movie knocks down (appropriately) the worst of the rebellious behavior from the teens but still leaves the final underlying message that they were mostly right about everything, they just needed to be a little more respectful about it.

About the best I can say is this: it’s downright clean and wholesome compared to most movies. However, if you do choose to see it, you should not be undiscerning about it and promote it without concern. I would also be careful labeling it a “Christian movie” when it’s more accurately “a movie whose characters go to church and sing in a choir”.  Maybe that’s enough to call it “Christian” but it’s nowhere close to a movie that clearly communicates the Christian message (no one says that was the purpose; but if they aren’t calling it a “Christian” movie, should Christians?).

  • A good clean family movie compared by Hollywood standards? Yes.
  • A “Christian” movie that portrays morality, holiness and faith seriously and accurately? No.
  • A movie devoid of liberal Hollywood messages about enlightened youth and close minded authoritarians? No.

I just want Christians to be discerning. We are so used to the garbage and filth in most movies or books, that we jump on any “Christian” scrap media throws us with very little scrutiny or discernment. I would not take my children under 12 to see it unless I could edit out the cursing and the fornication jokes.  I would only see it with my teens or older if I was ready to explain to them where the movie falls short of true Christian messaging.

Contemplation: isn’t it amazing that we are at a point in Christianity where we consider a movie with a dozen or more curse words, unrepentant fornication, church favoritism, a manipulated Pastor and a trivialized Christian experience something we would even CONSIDER seeing because it’s a wholesome family movie compared to the rest of Hollywood trash?

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Feelings Follow Choice: Choice Creates Desire

by brentriggs on January 4, 2012

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0901091I have a handful of topics/posts I like to refresh and revisit once a year or so because they are so timeless and important. It benefits new readers for obvious reasons, and never fails to be an edifying reminder to those who may have read about it in the past.

The topic I’m writing about today is especially appropriate for the New Year since many people have made commitments to improve things in their life. This lesson will help in pretty much any endeavor.

Feelings Follow Choice… Willful Choices Produce Desire and Feelings

If there is a favorite thing I like to teach on other than the Bible, it would be the idea  “feelings follow choice”.

We live in a culture where feelings reign supreme with entire industries and markets based on solely on appealing to feelings. I don’t just mean consumer goods… I’m talking about self improvement, marriage and lifestyle choices. We buy things based on feelings, our relationships are dictated by feelings, what we do in life and how we live is based on feelings. Our feelings are elevated to be the tipping point, highest priority of everything our life. My rights, my happiness, my dreams, what I deserve, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc.

We have an entire army of “mental health” experts who teach a person the most important aspect of their emotional and relationship health is how they feel about things. “How does that make you feel?” “Do you feel like that’s the best choice for you?” “Do you feel happy?” “Do you feel like that’s what you want out of life?” “Do you feel like you deserve that?”

It is this obsession with “feeling” which has led to a pandemic loss of personal responsibility, people not keeping their word and generations mulling around in confusion unaware of what is important in life. I have often said, and will continue to say, one of the primary reasons for the lack of stability, personal sacrifice and integrity in our culture is the destructive elevation of feelings, making them our guide, our criteria for decision, and ultimately our absolute individual truth (which is of course, no absolute truth at all).

Let me give you an analogy I’ve repeated often, and then I’ll share with you recent example of how this helped someone.

Feelings Follow Choice Just like the Caboose Follows the Engine

Picture your life as a long train. The engine is your power to make choices, your personal will. The engine is not pushed around by the wind or hills or people standing in the way. It goes where it is headed because a choice has been made on purpose regardless of the circumstances it passes through (all analogies always break down if taken too far, so just leave it there…).

The caboose represents your feelings. Feelings in and of themselves come and go based on circumstances and environment. Feelings are led around by what happens to us, our physical condition, our emotional state and the randomness of life. Our feelings are fickle and like the well-known phrase in the Bible are “tossed to and fro on the waves” of life.

By comparison, choices can be made based on knowledge, absolute truth and the force of our will regardless of circumstances or emotions. Our choices can be determined by unmovable principles, responsibility, duty and timeless truth regardless of how we happen to feel at the moment.

At this point in our discussion, even a mildly discerning person should recognize which of the two (choice or feeling) are more reliable and should have the highest priority when it comes to our decision-making. Isn’t it obvious? Should our feelings, which are prone to change on the spur of the moment in the storm of circumstances, dictate the important decisions of our life? Or should we base our choices on unchanging truths, objective knowledge, deep convictions and commitments we have made?

Burn this picture into your mind: your life is a train rolling down the tracks of life. The engine is not drifting along aimlessly. The engine is your source of power controlling the speed and direction of your life. The caboose is your feelings and they will always follow the engine and its choices. Even when the engine has made a decision to turn left or right or switch tracks, it may be a while before your feelings catch up and follow the same path. This is an important point to remember and the reason why I use the phrase “feelings FOLLOW choice.” It is not always immediate but it is always a sure thing. Feelings follow choice.

Choices Came First Back When…

Here’s a practical example. Everyone understands what happens when you meet someone and decide you’d like to pursue a romantic relationship. At the point of meeting them, you don’t have deep feelings of love, commitment and sacrifice. You start out with the initial twinges of attraction and interest. So what do you do next?

You make the CHOICE to begin doing things that will cultivate the feelings of attraction, romance and eventually love both in you and the other person. You carve out time for them. You do nice things for them. You buy gifts for them. You go out of your way to compliment them and say things to them to make them feel good. You think about them.

You make all these choices to do everything possible to not only cultivate your own feelings (which started out as just potential surface indications of interest) but you do everything you can think of to nourish and nurture the other person’s feelings for you. You may spend weeks or months, sometimes years, making choice after choice after choice to bring about the feelings that will cause the relationship to go further and become more serious.

…But Now You’ve Got It Backwards and Feelings Come First.

Fast forward a few years into marriage. Now everything is backwards. You don’t feel like doing anything nice for your spouse and you never do. You don’t feel like spending time with them so you don’t. You don’t feel romantic so you don’t do anything to create romance. You don’t feel like complimenting them so you don’t. You don’t feel like sacrificing anything for them and you aren’t going to.

It’s all turned around exactly opposite now. You will not CHOOSE to do anything you do not feel like doing. Our culture has brainwashed you into believing if you do something without feelings motivating it, then you are being insincere or hypocritical. You’ve been brainwashed by our “self” focused society (self-esteem, self love, self happiness, self forgiveness, etc.) into believing your happiness and feelings must come first before you can do anything positive about others feelings, especially your spouse.

You don’t feel like you are in love anymore so you are not going to CHOOSE to do anything a person in love would do. You don’t feel like you are in love so you aren’t going to act like you are in love.

We Choose to Do Other Things We Don’t Feel like

While many people lack the self-discipline to do anything they don’t feel like doing most of us can understand the following:

  • We choose to work out or train even if we don’t feel like it.
  • We choose to eat less or eat differently even if we feel like eating something unhealthy.
  • We choose to get up and go to work even though we may not like our jobs or feel like working.

There are many things we choose to do each day regardless of how we feel about it. On the flip side, if you are a person who never does anything unless you feel like it then most likely you are a walking definition of being undisciplined and your life is a series of reactions instead of purpose.

Feelings follow choice. It doesn’t matter whether it’s marriage, work, health, serving others or spiritual growth, we have to face all of these situations repeatedly and routinely at times when our feelings do not match what we know we should choose to do. My point?

If you can CHOOSE to do one single thing for your life
(name it: excercise, diet, work, etc) even when
you don’t FEEL like it, then you can CHOOSE
to do ANYTHING in your life, even if you don’t feel like it
(spiritual growth, restoring your marriage, changing your attitude).

In What Areas Is Your Caboose Leading?

Now that you understand what I’m saying  – “feelings follow choice” – consider what areas of your life are being lead by your caboose (but shouldn’t be). In what important matters have you been allowing your feelings to dictate your choices?

  • Health: do your feelings dictate a poor diet, no exercise and hours in front of the computer or TV instead of healthy choices?
  • Relationships: do your feelings dictate your moods, whether you are kind and loving, how much you sacrifice for others, and especially how you treat your spouse and family?
  • Work: do your feelings cause you to gripe, complain, and do as little as possible?
  • Spiritually: do your feelings allow you to keep putting off hard work, discipline and change needed to begin maturing spiritually?

Feelings follow choice. You know this in your mind to be true but maybe you’ve never put it to the test (except when you “feel” like it, ironically). Perhaps this is the key, the truth, the principle you’ve been waiting to hear… the missing piece of your life puzzle needed to make the real changes you know you need to make.

What are your questions for me?

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