A Review of Blue Like Jazz - the Movie

Let me say first that I am a big fan of Donald Miller’s writing. Years ago I innocently read his Prayer and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance (later to be rereleased as Through Painted Deserts). I was enchanted with his storytelling craft, but was unaware at that time of the spiritual depth that would permeate his later works. When I read Blue Like Jazz I was hooked. Miller’s writing spoke directly to so many things I was thinking about at the time, and his engaging, humorous and warmhearted writing style made it all so enjoyable.

I didn’t have the good fortune to be a part of the kickstarter.com funding campaign that saved the movie from extinction in mid-production, but I was amazed at the grassroots response that revealed such a broad audience of folks who really wanted to see this movie materialize. Since then I’ve followed the groundswell of blogs, tweets and facebook pages building to the film’s release date. I reread the book verison a week ago to prepare myself to fully engage with the movie; I also read A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Miller’s memoir of the process of translating Blue Like Jazz from book to movie.

I was struck with how daunting a task it must be to turn a movie into a book, particularly a book of non-fiction. Converting fiction from book to screen is difficult enough; creating a [somewhat] fictional story to tell a nonfiction memoir can be much more complex. Screenwriting, directing, and editing all require decisions as to “what to leave out.” In addition, everything that stays in the movie (whether taken from the book directly, or, as in the case with many of this movie’s events, created specifically for the screen) will be scrutinized: it is important? Is is believable? Did they choose the right parts to keep or toss? Did the movie pace like the book? Better, worse?

A few weeks ago I read The Hunger Games, and went to see the movie immediately after. Though I won’t review that movie, in my opinion it is a wonderful adaptation of book for the screen. I felt that Director Gary Ross and the screenwriting team did a terrific job of showing some events, hinting at others, and omitting some as well. It is an extraordinary artistic endeavor, and that particular movie came through with flying colors. (I felt the same way about many—but not all—of the screen versions of Tom Clancy and John Grisham movies).

So, how does Blue Like Jazz play at the theater? I saw the film twice over the opening weekend, and I would say that it played very well. The movie faithfully reproduces the spirit of the book. It is clear throughout the movie that there are battles being waged in the mind of the central character—it’s not muddied, confused, or badly-told, but clearly communicated. He has been raised in a modern (and particularly western-evangelical) Christian subculture and has a crisis in his faith, based upon the occurrence of real-life events that don’t fit his understanding of God and the church. In response, he flees to a secular and extremely liberal college to figure life out.

An interesting and varied palette of characters populates the movie. The central character of Don, played by Marshall Allman, is very appealing, and one that many will identify with. I wondered if his smile and appeal might have served to obscure some of the confusion and disenchantment his lines described; perhaps a bit more angst might have been communicated. Having said that, the character was extremely likeable. I could have enjoyed a friendship with him in my college days, and indeed remember many folks like him: young, a bit confused, wanting to be liked, and trying to fit in but not sure how.

Penny (Claire Holt) was my favorite character in the movie after my first viewing. Her cause-driven life was genuinely portrayed, and she successfully conveyed the emotions that came with her care of those less fortunate. And her revelation of her own inward spirituality was sincere and believable. After the second viewing I began to see her a bit differently, more distant and judgmental, lacking in compassion for those around her while showing immense care for the poor a half a world away.

Lauryn (Tania Raymonde) was much more extreme and over the top than her literary counterpart, and added energy and conflict to the story arc. Her character and “The Pope” (Justin Welborn) were my favorites after the second viewing. The rest of the characters, though not necessarily saying and doing the same things as in the book, continued to propel the story forward as we sympathize with Don and his search for meaning.

Some of the creative license shown in the adaptation was very clever. Without spoiling the movie, I particularly enjoyed the appearance of Donald’s father (Eric Lange) and all the plot devices that his appearance served; and the ending scene (in my opinion, the strongest in the movie) a significant confession scene from the book is reimagined in a way that really brings clarity and finality to the story.

The overall tone and story arc of the movie was very interesting and engaging, although I felt it was a bit uneven. Some aspects of the college lifestyle at Reed were a bit more graphic than some might expect; I am sure that director Steven Taylor went all-in as he tried for realism, and avoided the sanitized view of life that so often accompanies (and drives) other films made from a Christian perspective. Ironically, some Christians may be more offended by scenes in this movie than non-Christians.

I tend to enjoy movies set in a collegiate environment; The Social Network, The Sure Thing, Oxford Blues, Chariots of Fire (though a much different film), 21, and Rudy, and even comedies like Legally Blonde and Back to School. I love the energy, the intellectual exchange, the clash of cultures, and the loss and subsequent discovery (or recovery) of individual identity that often does occur in this stage of life. Blue Like Jazz is no different—the depiction of campus life in settings of classroom, library, dorm and public square are full of energy and ring with the reckless abandon that characterizes young people who suddenly find themselves without parental supervision and choose to make the most of it.

Some Christian websites have lightly criticized the movie for not handling the topics of sin, Christ’s death and resurrection, and redemption more fully. Here I would remind them that Blue Like Jazz is a movie, not a work of apologetic argument. Art suggests; prose and logical argument attempt to fully explain. It seems to me that a movie (or, for that matter, a book) such as Blue Like Jazz never professes to explain the gospel fully, nor attempt to close the intellectual deal with its viewers or readers. It merely attempts to paint a picture of the high-stakes venue in which faith is born, lost, and rediscovered. For a clearer, point-by-point delineation of the story of Christ’s death and resurrection, there are better sources; this work is for those folks who show interest in going down the road of spiritual exploration but aren't sure how to start.

I believe that many college and post-collegiate people searching for God will find the movie enlightening and helpful; the conversations started by this movie will no doubt continue in coffee shops and taverns everywhere. And I’m sure that’s exactly what Donald Miller, Steve Taylor and the rest of the team hope does happen. In our current culture the deeper topics of theology, meaning, and one’s place in life are often best discovered in the dialogue of community amidst the greatest challenges to our faith, as is Don's experience in Blue Like Jazz.

"Unselfish Prose"

I am working my way through the beautiful art and writings of Tyndale's Mosaic Bible, with its devotional text which surrounds the New Living Translation with artistic images and writings of authors from the 1st century up to today. It really is an exceptional experience, and helps surround the beauty of the NLT Text (in my opinion, the most beautiful english translation for pure reading) with a multi-sensory environment that aids in bringing the text alive.

The ancient writers in particular get to me (and even those not-so-ancient writers of the 16th-19th centuries). I realized that there is something about language that gives them an advantage. Though writing in the vernacular of their day, their writings tranported into our postmodern context show a depth that is poetic, passionate, and artistic. They are in a sense timeless, in the way that high church worship is always timeless. They don't submit themselves to modern slang, hipness, or relevance; bur rather serve to call us out of our "selfish" existence and into a more selfless, timeless experience; and when we empty ourselves of ourselves, God can fill the void.

Consider this writing by Thomas À Kempis:

Grant me, O Lord, to know what I ought to know,
to love what I ought to love,
to praise what delights Thee most,
to value what is precious is Thy sight,
to hate what is offensive to Thee.
Do not suffer me according to the sight of my eyes,
nor to pass sentence according to the hearing of the ears of ignorant men;
but to discern with a true judgment between things visible and spiritual,
and above all things always to inquire what is the good pleasure of Thy will.

This is such a complete prayer for spiritual living, with obvious tangible desires expressed by the writer, and yet the language is anything but self-oriented. The very essence of the prayer seems to throw the writer upon the mercy of God, and orient everything in his life to God's command and influence. There is nothing to call attention to the writer; in fact, the writer seems to disappear in his writing entirely, leaving us with a vivid picture of complete, no-holds-barred access to the Father. The last sentence, in particular, sums up the prayer, and the entire Christian life: to ask God, "What is the good pleasure of Your will?""--a prayer that we could never pray enough.

So often older English, replete with Thee's and Thou's, has been reduced to dead ritual and mere rote, and thus abandoned from modern and postmodern worship. But maybe the problem isn't in the language, but rather in us: maybe we have become too busy, too scientific, too motivated, too organized, too goal-oriented, and too intentional in our lives to stop and to listen. Maybe we haven't taken the time to allow the older language, this high church vernacular, to slow us down, to change us, to place us back in a simpler and yet more profound time: when men and women of faith "laid aside every encumbrance" (Hebrews 12:1), and rather than fitting God into their busy lives, molded their lives around an eternal and omnipotent God, trusting that He would shape them fully and completely.

I believe that there is more to this style of writing and expression than meets the eye (and ear), and that we would do well to take the time to immerse ourselves in this world a bit more--for we would certainly be the better for it.

Running in the Dark

I have always bounced between being a "night person" (most of college, touring on the road, etc.) and being a "morning person" (working at a church or other established institutions). These days I seem to be a morning person. Two things have helped: a morning run in the dark, and taking my daughter to high school (which for some unfathomable reason starts at 730 am in our town!).

The morning run gives me time to think. No distractions (other than avoiding the headlines of cars speeding by on the parkway), almost no other people (except for a few high school students waiting for the school bus), and almost no sound. It's really quiet--eerily so. And in that time, besides doing something I feel is pretty good for me, I have time alone. Really alone.

Today I listened to Ocean Eyes by Owl City. After nearly a month of non-stop play in my car CD player (followed by merciless analyzing and picking apart in order to understand why this talented young person's music affects me so powerfully), I had put it away on the shelf and turned to other things: Cool-period jazz (Miles Davis and Oliver Nelson), Sting's new "Symphonicities", and a variety of things. But today Ocean Eyes once again made its way to my iPod Shuffle. And everything old is new again. What a wonderfully crafted CD, in every way--lyrics, melodies, production, grooves, content. It's really a complete expression, and I love it.

I also thought about my life, particularly after reading Adam Young's Owl City Blog Post about his new rendition of the worship classic "In Christ Alone" by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. This 24-year old artist/worshiper challenges me in many ways, but most particularly by encouraging me to live life at my very best. His words remind me of a statement by John Ortberg in his "The Life You've Always Wanted" book and study series. John defines a spiritually mature person as one who "does the right thing at the right time in the right way for the right reason." It's a high calling, and I am humbled at how much of my life is lived while on autopilot, or "mailing it in" (doing less than my very best), or reaching too low with goals and standards. It's something that any artist, particularly one who also tries to support a family, has to reckon with. But this high calling is what gives our lives meaning, and allows us to press on.

Thank you Adam for the encouragement and inspiration. Your words and thoughts reverberated in the quiet of my morning run in the dark, and brought daylight to my soul.

7 Reasons I Love Owl City's music

I have become enchanted with Owl City's music, and got to hear the band live last night at Nokia Theater in Grand Prairie, Texas. As a composer and producer, I have given a lot of thought to analyzing why Adam Young's music gets through to me the way it does. I have come to realize that his writing, producing and performing craft embrace some serious values in great music, all the more true in contrast to what I feel is an overall loss of these values in so much of what I hear these days in the music world.

So, here's what I've come up with:

1. The Art of Lyric Writing - Many have mourned the alleged death of the great art of lyric writing. Though Broadway and Country have, and will continue to have, great lyricists, many rock, pop and soul songs have suffered from a lack of great lyrics. Owl City's lyrics are clever and thoughtful. Adjectives are chosen wisely, yielding rich word-painting. Thoughts come out of nowhere, unexpectedly taking the listener in an entirely different direction than what might have been predicted. Each song tells a story, carrying the listener through twists and turns that are anything but safe. The adventurous lyrics risk corniness, sentimentality, and cuteness, but yet the end result is ultimately so much more satisfying.

2. Rhyming - Although I could have put this in the preceding paragraph on lyric writing, I appreciate thoughtful and clever rhyming so much that here I feel it deserves its own category. With so much soft rhyme (vowels only, or even similar vowels, and little regard for consonants or blends) in music today, and often complete disregard for rhyme, lyrics so tightly written and rhymed are a pure joy to listen to.

3. Melody - Again, great melody stands out in simple contrast to not-so-great melody. Less than stellar melodies are often characterized by limited range, excessive rhythmic simplicity (read: boredom), lack of curve and contour, excessive repetition. (And for the record, I'm not sure that a string of repeated pitches in the same rhythm, though common, is necessarily all that creative.) Owl City's melodies are anything but--angular, exciting, interesting, not necessarily easy to sing immediately, and yet totally memorable and unique.

4. The Instrumental Hook - Owl City has revived the instrumental hook. Again, by contrast, many songs use them, but they are so simplistic, repetitive, and unimaginative that they can easily be forgotten. Not these: the hooks here are unique, interesting, and memorable. In addition (and this is rare) they work instrumentally or sung with words, a tall order for any writer.

5. Dynamic Range - With sudden changes from very loud to very soft occurring instantaneously, these songs have great dramatic interest. A song shouldn't be loud (or soft) from start to finish; good music grows, swells, has direction, and moves the listener along with it. Adam's music builds sonic "walls of sound," and suddenly drops to just piano and transparent drum loops, or distant, processed vocals over string figures. And then the process reverses, and we're back at a full, almost orchestral deluge of sound again. He harnesses the power of his dynamic range and uses it to his advantage.

6. Synths that sound like synths, used as synths - In a world where synthesizers and samplers often "replace" live instruments (strings, guitars, drums, etc.), it is refreshing to hear synths that sound like synths. Lead sounds, bell sounds, great synth basses, beautiful pads, all used without apology. Having been a fan of synths while working as a musician in the 1980's (when synths were coming into their heyday), I love how they're used here, doing what they do best--hooky figures, towering cascades of sound, punchy rhythmic figures, and full, rich bass sounds.

7. Sonic Clarity and Transparency - WIth so much rhythmic energy and complexity in this music, sloppy reverb or blasting, distorted guitar just won't cut it. What's needed here is clean and clear mixing and processing, that leaves room for the spaces between the notes. I think this quality makes all the others possible--this kind of music doesn't work without strict attention to detail and separation in the mix. I also think that the relatively dry treatment of some of the sounds aids this clarity.

So that's it--just a quick rundown of some things that I value very much in good, enjoyable, thoughtful, and memorable music, and the music of Owl City hits a home run in all of these areas. I have read unflattering reviews of the music of Owl City, of course, one man's treasure is another's trash; I certainly respect any thoughtful review. But this music finds a way straight to my heart, and though much of that is purely subjective and organic, there are some very concrete reasons why it works as well as it does. My hat's off to Adam and his immense creativity.

The Creative Process

At my DNA level I am a "creative." I am a composer, an arranger, an orchestrator, a worship service programmer, a teacher and a public speaker. As such, I love to create things: music, concerts, groups, events, worship services. I love starting with nothing but an idea and a blank score page or legal pad, and am always fascinated (and truly humbled) at how, over time, that blank space gets filled with ideas, elements, and solutions, and at some point, a finished product emerges, ready to be heard, seen, felt, and experienced. I never cease to be amazed at the process each time it happens.

No where was this more apparent than the process I witnessed (really!) several years ago when completing a choral/orchestral commission for a Dallas Symphony Christmas Concert. I was asked to create a new setting of the timeless classic "Carol of the Bells." Knowing that there were potential copyright issues with certain texts in common use, I set out to create my own set of lyrics, all the while framing the work within Handbell sonorities, energetic string figures, fanfares from the brass section, and a big entrance from the magnificent organ at the Myerson Symphony Center.

I can't say I remember writing the work (a common experience for me). I do remember struggling with the text--doing my best to complete rhymes, chain coherent thoughts together, all the while keep things in control and harmony for both choir and orchestra. In addition, the standard creative concerns presented themselves: how to start the piece, where is the big moment, how long should it be, and most of all, how does it end. I worked through all these parts of the journey, while trying to maintain a healthy view of the big picture. And as often happens, when I finished, I stared at it, and thought, "where did THAT come from?!" I truly do not remember most of the process.

All of this confirms for me that we are not the only active participant in our creative process; as we are created in the image of OUR Creator, we bear His image as creative as well, and it is very apparent to me that His creativy manifests itself through our gifts, talents, and processes, guiding us along. Now I do not hold to the view that "God gave me" such and such a work; I would never blame God for any of my paltry efforts! But I do sense His hand guiding mine as I explore undiscovered vistas, and watch as He unfolds the unknown before my eyes. I can truly say that I am not only a participant, but also an observer, and a grateful one at that.

When you struggle to be creative, I suggest you pause and remember that you're not alone. You don't do this on your own; the Teacher, Friend, Comforter and Companion who created You stands by and lends a hand as you mirror His efforts to "bring something out of nothing." It is His nature, and it is what you were meant to do. Participate, and watch in wonder!

John Frame's movie review

I happened across John M. Frame's name while following the Tim Keller - Willow Creek dialogue on the web. (More on that later.)

At Mr. Frame's site I found some really thoughtful movie reviews; his review of the Richard Gere-Sharon Stone film Intersection contains this very insightful line: "For all the culture critics say, most people today in the US are not entirely "post-Christian." They still carry with them a lot of "borrowed capital" from Christianity, and they still believe in moral reality."

God's touch through others

Lately I've noticed two tangible occurences in which I feel the touch of God through friends: being prayed for (or over), and being given "God's peace" in a handshake at departing.

I felt an amazing sense of God's provision when Darlene Zschech, longtime worship leader and pastor at Hillsong Church, Australia, prayed over our entire group (a few thousand) at the Wonder conference.

And I again felt God's hand when Ian Morgan Cron and I said goodbye after meeting in person, and Ian wish me "God's peace."

These are tangible evidences of God's Spirit reaching directly to us through the person of another. What a gift.

Wonder 09 - post conference thoughts

Just returned to my inlaws' after the fantastic Willow Creek "Wonder 09" Arts Conference. As often happens, I had every intention of blogging throughout the event, but the firehose of input was too great! I did twitter regularly, and those feeds appeared in my Facebook page as well. I will blog my impressions and experiences over the next few days, but in the meantime, I've uploaded a public photo album to Facebook which you can view here.