Shadowlands
Summary. From Rotten Tomatoes (97% Fresh): “C. S. Lewis (Anthony Hopkins), the renowned author of ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ series, is a bachelor and Oxford University professor who spends his free time debating with fellow academics at a pub. Although he seems entirely uninterested in love, Lewis agrees to marry Joy Gresham (Debra Winger), an American writer who is looking to secure British citizenship. Their arrangement soon becomes a romance, and, when Joy is diagnosed with terminal cancer, their bond grows even stronger.” One critic says, “Beautiful film about marriage and how faith can help you get through the toughest of times.”
Why I recommend this movie. Most romantic films feature teenagers or twentysomethings. I am well past that stage of life, so I appreciate that this one is about mature love later in life. The fact that it is based on a true story about one of my favorite authors makes it that much more appealing. Lewis published “The Problem of Pain” in 1940 (long before he met Joy), and the question of how to reconcile the fact of suffering with faith in a loving and all-powerful god was one that he wrestled with his whole life. It is an important issue for all believers. Another theme central to the movie is that the experience of real love requires commitment, vulnerability, and an openness to being hurt. To quote Lewis at the close of the firm, “The pain now is part of the happiness then. That's the deal.”