The first strawberry-eating scene

what was apparent to me, was that, at that point, he had not done what he was meant to do with his spared life, which was comfort Rosie's character through the death of her child. Once he had done that he was not "invincable".

This is one of my favorite bits in this movie.

It's because there's this thing called "mind over matter" which is rather poorly understood. Look up "placebo effect" and continue to scratch your head. Allergies are also somewhat poorly understood- how they come and how they sometimes go away after a time, is not understood. We just know how to treat them.

While I lean toward the metaphysical explanation as far as the film goes, some allergies do come and go. The two I'm personally familiar with are mt allergy to wasps and my grandfathers allergy to shrimp.

Being food, my grandfather's is more pertinent. He used to eat shrimp all the time, then one day it nearly killed him. For decades after that he had to be very careful not to have even the faintest hint of shrimp in anything he ate. He ended up in the hospital three times because of accidental contamination. Now he can eat shrimp. But the doctors have warned him that he could have a reaction anytime and should avoid it even though it seems safe now.

Ditto my wasp allergies, except getting stung instead of eating them.

So even ignoring the metaphysical angle, it still makes sense.

I thought Max was somehow faking the reaction in final scene so his wife could save him. As one would expect, his wife reacted immediately, without stopping to check his pulse.

The way I see it, in the previous scenes where Max tempts fate by indulging in strawberries, he discovers he's no longer allergic (not unusual). Perhaps he used that to his advantage to set up a situation where his wife could 'save' him. Did anyone else see it this way?

On the other hand, I like what AMS-4 and letric said about mind-over-matter.

All throughout the film Max felt that he was invinsible. He was not afraid of anything. Everything was going according to how he saw himself.
Up until Carla rejected their continuing relationship.

This interjected doubt into his mind. So that afterwards when he eats the strawberry, there is a little bit of doubt, he isn't 100% sure that it will not harm him...and so it does harm him.

He has lost some of his "faith"...which, if you remember, you see on the waitresses name tag toward the beginning of the film.

But this allergic reaction occured in the presence of his wife, thereby allowing her to experience this near death experience with him.
Earlier she had said that she wished she had been on the plane with him so that she would better understand his point-of-view.

Now that they have experienced this new trauma together, it is presumed that their relationship will have a brand new meaning and was also resusitated, figuratively, and in Max's case, literally.

So the strawberry is very symbolic. Max senses that it represents something special when he is in the IHOP (he is disturbed when he sees the strawberries all smashed up in a pancake...he orders a bowl of whole, plump, bright red, fresh ones). And it ultimately proves to be the catalyst to Max's show of faith, rebirth and then the rebirth of his relationship with his wife.

Eh this movie is about faith - God. He didnt die becuase he still had the light of jesus in him. It all fits into place when you read between the lines. The light he sees on the plane, suddenly not scared walking down the plane as if he were jesus calming the people scared. The pictures he's wife saw of the tunnel when you die, the people following him to safety. Even though God isnt mentioned, the director wants you to see it for yourself. Even Max doesnt really know whats going on until the end when the light leaves him as he almost dies and hes wife bring him back. That is the right explanation not all the science talk. Dont believe me do your home work, Jeff even said the movie is about God and Faith

The strawberry scene, especially early in the film is an example of existential reality.

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