Dark film carries upbeat message
If Octavia Spencer is God, then, Lord, take me to church.
A folksy Spencer serving up homemade baked goods serves as the vision of the divine in “The Shack,” Stuart Hazeldine’s nondenominational, faith-based drama — an adaptation of the best-selling novel by William P. Young.
The road to that beatific image, though, is dark and winding. The film delves into the personal history of “Mack” Phillips (Sam Worthington), a wayward soul who has been dealt some bad cards in life and needs to get right with himself.
The story — adapted by John Fusco, Andrew Lanham and Destin Cretton — is nested inside a flashback narrated by Tim McGraw’s character, a pastor named Willie.
Mack’s childhood was marred by domestic violence, forging his understanding of God as wrathful, punishing and judgmental. That worldview is only exacerbated by the abduction of his daughter Missy (Amelie Eve), snatched during a family camping trip.
Plunged into depression, Mack receives a mysterious invitation in the mail: a note from “Papa” (his wife’s name for God) asking him to a weekend getaway at the shack where his daughter was likely killed.
Seeking revenge, or at least some answers, he heads for the woods. There, he’s greeted by a trio of groovy spiritual teachers in a tropical wooded paradise: God, aka Papa (Spencer); Jesus (Avraham Aviv Alush); and the Holy Spirit Sarayu (Sumire Matsubara).
It’s easy to have some flippant fun with the premise because the framing story is profoundly dark, heavy on the voice-over, flashbacks and haunting memories.
But once Mack makes it to the God Spa, the things that Papa, Jesus and Sarayu have to say are pretty profound.
The Christianity on display here is an idealized form of spirituality that’s inclusive, relaxed and open.
Faith-based films have gained traction in the industry, reaching an underserved audience. They vary in genre and tone, but the presentation of Christian faith remains the same: positive, open, loving, void of messy real-world issues.
Worthington is an apt choice for the lead role. He has always been a sponge to soak up every life lesson.
His Mack feels empty, all the more ready to be filled with the positive vibes he gets from his new friends. The spiritual teachers spend the weekend reiterating that God doesn’t judge, God only loves, and impressing upon Mack the importance of forgiveness and compassion so that he can move beyond the tragedy that has left him “stuck” in that shack.
Despite some weak dialogue and visuals, the film offers nuggets of wisdom that do resonate, regardless of personal belief.