For anyone who has found themself to be -
Off the Map and lost.
For anyone who has watched this movie and thought, "Here is a movie about depression. Here is the story of a young girl."
Spoilers Ahead
Truth is this film is about a much bigger thing. Sort of a "bridge to nowhere" that IS worth crossing, it's worth everything.
Let me guess, you have doubts...
Okay. In your world if a stranger gets stung by a bee and falls unconsciously ill for days you don't keep him on your sofa, do you? It's off to the hospital and out of the way.
And when he awakens and proclaims undying love for your wife it would be time for him to go then, yes?
Something bigger is happening here and lhuffman_66 was right on target when he said it was simple. It is this -
William Gibbs walked a trail that didn't take him out of the world (though it was Off the Map) - but it certainly took him to the edge.
It took him to a quieter place where a person can start hearing a still small voice. Even if you don't recognize it at first you react to it's effect. As an invisible warm hand that rested on an ice coated pane and then taken away, you can see where the hand was by the melting of the ice.
It is the wind's wind. you can't see the wind but you can see the leaves become magical as inanimate objects begin to dance.
No wonder Mr Gibbs didn't want to rush off. It was magic. He was seeing and learning to see with new eyes.
And in this place on the edge and off the map your feelings become more pure and you will just have to experience a more intense level of emotion. Moses was instructed to remove his shoes and felt fear. John, James, and Peter were confused and started babbling about building shelters for everybody on the mountain not knowing what they were saying - and Charley (Sam Elliot) felt depression.
That is why they stared at the pill dumbfounded. It was an intrusion from "the world" and out of place off the map. The coyote may have actually been from beyond the edge and there out of curiousity about the newcomer, or there to tell them something.
And notice how things work themselves out in that presence at the edge. Forget depression. That was a mis-diagnosis. I don't know about you but I felt a little jealosy for what they had there and if the father had depression I'll take a double.
No, it was just a manifestation of what each of the characters spending time there had - intensity and passion. It was something bigger and better than our world of worries and by the way something just about outlawed by the US Gov at this time.
So what is this movie really about?
It's about a seldom walked often ignored trail. And it's about someone who did a wise thing in sticking to that trail for eight years once he was fortunate enough to find it! And then -
Did you see what it said about his death, it was mysterious. No apparent cause. Maybe he didn't die, he just found a way to go further up the trail right past the edge into another new place!
Hope that helped.
Look where no one else is looking and see what no one else sees. share