Jaguar_001 says > call me nostalgic, but one that reminds me of just how selfish our society has become. That was the main theme of the movie from my point of view - selfishness, mixed with pride, greed and others.
I agree with what you're saying in regards to the message of the movie being a lot more important than the other issues that have been raised. I also agree that it's harder to find movies with good messages today because it seems fewer are being made.
I do not, however, agree that the main themes of the movie are selfishness, pride, and greed; at least those were not the ones that jumped out at me. The movie focused first on the relationship between father and son then on mother and son.
It's easy to see the father's side. He was trying to make sure his son was compassionate, humble, and knew he should put people and their feelings ahead of mere possessions. What may be missed though is the son's side. I don't think it's a negative value to want to be properly compensated for one's work.
Accepting second hand clothes and other things in lieu of cash is a nice gesture but they also needed to pay their bills. Being responsible including financially are important values too. The father needed to find a balance. Also, I long discovered something important. Someone may sacrifice to give you something they cherish but it may not be something you need or want. Accepting it is the polite thing to do but if it's not something you can use it's wrong to allow them to part with something that means so much to them only to put it away and let it go unused and wasted.
When Jason went away and kept asking for more and more from his parents then later mom, it was wrong but I kept wondering why the parents didn't just have a conversation with him. Yes, he should have known they were not financially able to do it but by indulging him and not being honest they encouraged his behavior.
What makes values tricky are the intentions behind them. When Jason neglected his mom to the point she did know if he was alive or dead, he wasn't trying to make her life miserable. He was out helping save lives and take care of people who needed his help. He probably felt they needed him more than his mom or didn't think about it. He got so absorbed in doing a good thing he was causing hurt in another area.
Parents are often selfless when it comes to caring for their kids. Jason was doing the same thing in regards to his patients. He learned that lesson from them. When his father put his patient's needs and inability to pay ahead of his own family's needs; he was teaching his son to one day do the same.
Yes, there are elements of selfishness, pride, and greed but its more than that. I think that's why the movie is called 'Of human hearts'. It's not easy being human. Even when we try and do the right things we may be simultaneously doing the wrong thing in relation to others. It's a constant balancing act that we can never really fully master. There's no 'getting it right' and being done. What might work well in one situation may be severely lacking and inadequate in another.
It's like parents who go to work to care for their kids but have to forfeit time spent with their kids at times. It seems they have competing priorities but if their goal is to provide for their children, working and spending time away from them is a necessity. Spending time with them while not being able to feed, clothe, and house them isn't fun. That time together may be spent worrying and distracted about providing for them.
This is not to say Jason was in the clear for not keeping in touch with his mother but I think it would be inappropriate to characterize him as selfish, prideful, and greedy. At worst he was thoughtless but none of what he did was done with malice and he did not act with negative intentions.
Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]
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