Film: Higher Ground
Cast includes: Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air), Donna Murphy (Spider-Man 2), John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone), Dagmar Dominczyk (The Five People You Meet in Heaven), Joshua Leonard (Men of Honor)
Director: Vera Farmiga
Genre: Drama (2011)
In brief: “Jesus is a gentleman. He’s not going to come barging in without an invitation. Open the door to Jesus. Don’t leave Jesus out in the cold.” The children are urged by the preacher to raise their hand if they’re willing to open the door to Jesus. Caught up in the moment, young Corinne raises her hand. According to the preacher, she has been saved by raising her hand… and opening the door to Jesus. But it will be quite a few years before Corinne will open the door to Jesus again. In fact, it will take a brush with near death for Corinne to hear Jesus knocking again. And when Corinne is finally baptized in the river it’s a cause for celebration in the fundamentalist Christian community Corinne, her husband and daughter are now a part of.
The community not only influences Corinne’s spiritual life, they give guidance on everything from diet to sexual satisfaction. But as Corinne learns, community members don’t always agree. Her best friend Annika sometimes speaks in tongues when she prays. Corinne’s husband says that’s voodoo. When Corinne speaks about her faith with enthusiasm, she is admonished for coming “very close to preaching.” But Corinne is not discouraged from trying to personalize her faith. While Corinne envies those who have unchallenged faith, she is unable to stop growing intellectually… and questioning her views along the way. Her journey takes her dangerously close to what the community considers “backsliding.” Is it a route to higher ground or to Satan’s path?
If you prefer movies that lead you to a well tied-up conclusion, you may be disappointed with Higher Ground. Based on a memoir by Carolyn S. Briggs, the main character struggles with issues of faith… not as a global issue… but as a personal issue. It’s an amazingly nuanced and true-to-life depiction of one woman’s journey through the forces that challenge her faith. However, the film gives us space to put our own feelings into the mix as we watch Corinne trying to find her way. And our take-away is likely to be influenced by our own feelings and experiences. Don’t expect this film to take a stand on faith or religion. While faith is at the center of the story, the film is more about finding one’s personal views and separating them from those of the larger community.
3 popped kernels
Faith, doubt and human nature… a personal journey to find one’s own way
Popcorn Profile
Rated: R
Primary Audience: Grown-ups
Gender Appeal: Any audience
Distribution: Art house
Mood: Neither upbeat nor somber
Tempo: In no hurry
Visual Style: Unvarnished realism
Character Development: Intense
Language: True to life
Social Significance: Thought provoking
