The Rapture (1991)

"Who forgives God?"

As previous comments show, this unique film evokes intense responses from its viewers, both positive & negative. And with the increasing presence of fundamentalism on the national & world stage, the questions it poses become ever more pressing & pertinent. Interestingly, both believers & non-believers fall on both the positive & negative sides here!

The basic story is common enough today: Sharon (a superb, risk-taking Mimi Rogers) works at an unfulfilling job & leads an unfulfilling personal life of empty group sex. She's desperate for meaning, purpose, structure -- drifting through a desolate modern landscape that offers neither sanctuary or salavation to the lost & achingly lonely soul.

And then she begins to dream of The Pearl, as some of her born-again co-workers discuss some mysterious boy prophet among themselves ... and she finds her purpose & meaning in a devout, unquestioning acceptance of the fundamentalist Jesus. The End Times are coming soon, and the faithful must prepare for it. She does so by marrying & converting erstwhile sex partner David Duchovny, and having a lovely little girl with him. It's the life she'd been seeking all those years.

And then random -- or is it? -- tragedy strikes, leaving her a widow. She seemingly copes with this tremendous loss through her faith, yet questions are nagging at her unconscious. She decides that God is calling her & her daughter to the desert, as a trial & purification of sorts, to await the Rapture.

I won't give away any more of the story, except to say that writer-director Michael Tolkin follows the idea of fundamentalism to a logical, chilling conclusion. And he poses some wrenching questions -- while the idea of a Godless, meaningless Universe is terrifying & unbearable for many, he suggests that a universe of fundamentalist meaning where God does exist may be even more terrifying, if you insist on personal autonomy & satisfactory answers over submission to an infinite but strangely narrow love. Or can it truly be called love, on the terms offered?

The final choice in this film has led to a good deal of discussion. Not wanting to spoil it, I'll only say that Sharon seems to make that choice out of anger & defiance, not pride & guilt. Her choice reminds me very much of the conclusion to Camus' classic essay, "The Myth of Sisyphus." It's definitely an existential choice, and I think an honorable one. But you'll make your own decision on that.

Yes, the production values aren't big budget. That's actually an advantage, as spectacular CGI would only get in the way of the story & its ideas. It's worth the loss of special effects dollars to maintain the integrity of Tolkin's vision, like it or loathe it. I guarantee that you won't be unmoved as the final credits roll. A thought-provoking work, most highly recommended! July 23, 2008

A challenging idea but not particularly well thopught out...

I saw this movie years ago & remembered being intrigued but could not recall the plot details so watched it again when it appeared on the Indie channel. I'm always interested in movies that try to deal with cults in straightforwardly & recalled this one as having some good touches.

The acting is well-done, particularly Mimi Rogers who appears extremely well-cast. But the writing is sketchy at best & most of the critical situations seem more conceptual than real. The early "swinger sex" scenes in particular do not ring true, there's nothing in the least sexual or sensual about them as everyone seems bored & diffident, as though they are gathered to discuss Heidegger or something.

There are bizarre transitions, too. In the beginning, Duchovny is an atheistic lout only interested in sex (which as I said seems to means kisses & caresses & casual banter) but suddenly he converts to whatever religious spell Rogers is under (which is never either clear or convincing), then it's 6 years later & he appears to be the president of some company, spouting born-again platitudes, wearing spiffy clothes & sporting a Michael Douglas hairdo. An employee goes postal & that's it for David.

Mimi Rogers really holds this thing together, perhaps due in part to her own personal experiences with Scientology. I always thought Tom Cruise's best performance was in Magnolia for the same reason.

In any case, I wish it all worked better. Michael Tolkin writes fascinating books & makes interesting movies. His The New Age tracked similar contemporary Southern California types & lifestyles but worked better, imo. I just wish there was more of this sub-genre. I always look forward to works by Tolkin, Bruce Wagner & Todd Haynes.


July 12, 2008

Great commentary track

Surprising and radical -- brave filmmaking. But buy this disc for the commentary track. Director Michael Tolkin, actors David Duchovny and Mimi Rogers are all together in one location discussing the film, while actor Patrick Bauchau's comments are occasionally dubbed in (at a much lower volume). Duchovny, an unknown when he made this film, makes some hilarious comments about a particular nude shot that wound up on the Internet. Rogers comes off as intelligent and thoughtful and you can tell the two actors are close (Rogers turned up in an extended guest role in later seasons of the X-Files). April 1, 2008

An hallucinatory journey into the nature of belief

If you are able to put aside your religious beliefs (or lack thereof) and watch this extraordinary movie for the unabashed pleasure of the acting and cinematic technique, you will be numbed by the hallucinatory potency of the narrative. Not since Roman Polanski's Repulsion has a film so authoritatively rendered the psychology of extreme belief, and the gradual, progressive nature of the process one undergoes as they either descend into madness or experience epiphany (or both), depending upon the viewer's own vantage point. This movie culminates with one of the all time great endings in cinema, that is, if you are open to convention-defying conclusions. December 27, 2007

I agree...

Having seen this movie several years ago, I have to say the reviewers on this site have said it all...I have nothing to add since they wrote almost precisely what I would have. I very much recommend this film and applaud the acting of the characters, especially Mimi Rogers.

November 11, 2007

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