This post was originally going to be a review of In Lawfully Yours but I'm going to talk a little bit about religion and how faith is dealt with in the film, in addition to how faith is discussed in mainstream society. I'll probably come back to this topic as I learn more about it.
I watched this film because Chelsey Crisp (aka Honey from Fresh Off The Boat) is in it. It has all the signs of generic romantic-comedy films - with the movie starting in New York (this is why non-Americans can only name 5-ish US states!) before moving to a cute named small town in a semi-undisclosed loction, with a villainous (and semi-incompetent) ex and an unexpected love interest - but that didn't stop me from crying approximately 80 minutes into the film. I can't believe I'm about to say this - but the overarching idea of religious faith really drew me in. Yeah, it's a Christian-based film.
I've stated time and time again I'm an atheist, but in all honesty, as I was watching this film - it became apparent to me that my atheism has come from lack of interest in exploring. That's not to say that I'll become more spiritual or religious - but I'm open to learning about what draws people to the faith. One quote that stood out to me was this:
In an attempt to help Naomi heal, Jesse invites her to go 'churching' - knowing Naomi can't turn her down in good faith, and that Jesse can't handle the religious thing on her own. Jesse is inquisitive, which the priest, Ben, finds incredibly endearing but the rest of the town is not so open towards her as they view Jesse as disruptive and her willingness to ask questions during sermons inappropriate.
As this is a rom-com, Ben and Jesse entering a relationship is not shocking. However, he happens to her former brother-in-law who was widowed several years ago, but never made the decision to remove the ring from her finger. While this isn't scandalous in 'bring out the pitchforks' way, the town had their reservations about Jesse from the beginning due to a troublesome ex who plays the cheated husband, and her general inability to treat religion as gospel - instead choosing to ask (valid) questions whenever she's got the opportunity. This behaviour is what the town uses as justification to drive Jesse away through judgment rather than through outright criticisms.
To be honest, there's not much to say about this movie. It's cute, romantic and funny - but the scene which triggered my need to share was this (this is the best video I can find but it's on Netflix if you wanna watch):
This scene has always hit me right in the feels - for multiple reasons. At first, it was refreshing to see Jesse's resolve crumble. She knew her husband was cheating, but the first time she caught him - she was there to tell him that his dad was in hospital. She moved to a small town to help her former mother-in-law during her grieving period and she's been dealing non-stop judgment from the town. In an earlier scene, Jesse drops some home truths on Ben that she's done being the 'other woman' to his dead wife. The film has been building towards this - and it's so damn satisfying.
But as I've watched this scene multiple times, what strikes me (and Jesse in a later scene), is that 'you can't be mad at something you don't believe in'. Jesse's lack of religious understanding underpins the film, and yet, at the height of frustration - she seeks solace and answers at a church. As someone who's never understood faith from a religious standpoint - this is the first time I kinda understood it. Jesse found solace in understanding faith and understanding how it tells stories true to life. She found an almost home in her temporary caretaker role and that connection is inherently tied to a new relationship with the church. As that crumbles, her faith does not.
There's something empowering in watching people live their lives but also believe there is someone else watching over them if they feel lost. That's what I took from the film and I'm interested to see if my thoughts change when I watch this again.
I watched this film because Chelsey Crisp (aka Honey from Fresh Off The Boat) is in it. It has all the signs of generic romantic-comedy films - with the movie starting in New York (this is why non-Americans can only name 5-ish US states!) before moving to a cute named small town in a semi-undisclosed loction, with a villainous (and semi-incompetent) ex and an unexpected love interest - but that didn't stop me from crying approximately 80 minutes into the film. I can't believe I'm about to say this - but the overarching idea of religious faith really drew me in. Yeah, it's a Christian-based film.
I've stated time and time again I'm an atheist, but in all honesty, as I was watching this film - it became apparent to me that my atheism has come from lack of interest in exploring. That's not to say that I'll become more spiritual or religious - but I'm open to learning about what draws people to the faith. One quote that stood out to me was this:
"You can't be mad about something you don't believe in."In Lawfully Yours tells the story of Jesse, a woman who temporarily moves to the hometown of her ex-mother-in-law, Naomi, to pack up her life in the aftermath of her former father-in-law's death. Jesse is subject some excessively bad customer service at the local diner and is coldly welcomed in the town thanks to the rumours her ex-husband, Chaz, instigates in an attempt to drive a wedge between his family and his hometown.
In an attempt to help Naomi heal, Jesse invites her to go 'churching' - knowing Naomi can't turn her down in good faith, and that Jesse can't handle the religious thing on her own. Jesse is inquisitive, which the priest, Ben, finds incredibly endearing but the rest of the town is not so open towards her as they view Jesse as disruptive and her willingness to ask questions during sermons inappropriate.
As this is a rom-com, Ben and Jesse entering a relationship is not shocking. However, he happens to her former brother-in-law who was widowed several years ago, but never made the decision to remove the ring from her finger. While this isn't scandalous in 'bring out the pitchforks' way, the town had their reservations about Jesse from the beginning due to a troublesome ex who plays the cheated husband, and her general inability to treat religion as gospel - instead choosing to ask (valid) questions whenever she's got the opportunity. This behaviour is what the town uses as justification to drive Jesse away through judgment rather than through outright criticisms.
To be honest, there's not much to say about this movie. It's cute, romantic and funny - but the scene which triggered my need to share was this (this is the best video I can find but it's on Netflix if you wanna watch):
This scene has always hit me right in the feels - for multiple reasons. At first, it was refreshing to see Jesse's resolve crumble. She knew her husband was cheating, but the first time she caught him - she was there to tell him that his dad was in hospital. She moved to a small town to help her former mother-in-law during her grieving period and she's been dealing non-stop judgment from the town. In an earlier scene, Jesse drops some home truths on Ben that she's done being the 'other woman' to his dead wife. The film has been building towards this - and it's so damn satisfying.
But as I've watched this scene multiple times, what strikes me (and Jesse in a later scene), is that 'you can't be mad at something you don't believe in'. Jesse's lack of religious understanding underpins the film, and yet, at the height of frustration - she seeks solace and answers at a church. As someone who's never understood faith from a religious standpoint - this is the first time I kinda understood it. Jesse found solace in understanding faith and understanding how it tells stories true to life. She found an almost home in her temporary caretaker role and that connection is inherently tied to a new relationship with the church. As that crumbles, her faith does not.
There's something empowering in watching people live their lives but also believe there is someone else watching over them if they feel lost. That's what I took from the film and I'm interested to see if my thoughts change when I watch this again.
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