Rated R for some violence and language.
Starring Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, Ciaran Hinds, Sam Worthington, Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas
Directed by John Madden (Shakespeare in Love)
This is one debt that I was happy to pay for.
The story begins in 1997, as shocking news reaches retired Mossad secret agents Rachel (Mirren) and Stefan (Wilkinson) about their former colleague David (Hinds). All three have been venerated for decades by their country because of the mission that they undertook back in 1966, when the trio (Chastain, Csokas, Worthington) tracked down Nazi war criminal Vogel (Christensen) in East Berlin. At great risk, and at considerable personal cost, the team’s mission was accomplished – or was it? The suspense builds in and across two different time periods, with startling action and surprising revelations.
I love walking into a movie theater having little to no idea about what the movie is actually about – which seems to be a real rarity. So many times we either see all the good parts or the entire plot in a 30 or 60 second trailer. The Debt trailer gave me just enough to wet my appetite. I had no idea what “the debt” was or why the characters could not even look each other in the eyes. I loved how the debt was revealed and how the story was told through flashbacks and conversation. Oh and don’t worry, I promise not to give away anything in this review.
Jessica Chastain, Sam Worthington and Marton Csokas are the young operatives – Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson and Ciaran Hinds are the same operatives…30 years later. All six are very talented actors and perfectly casted and director; John Madden does an amazing job with the talent and the story. The result is an exciting action movie without all the explosions and mindless car chases. Instead we get smart dialogue, brilliant acting and some very intense moments.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Debt because it is a perfect balance between smart and suspenseful. It is easily Theater Worthy.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There is one scene where a man and a woman are shown nude in bed (both from the shoulders up), implying they had sex. And in another scene, a young couple is having sex in an office cubicle; they are fully clothed and mostly off screen.
The R-rating is for violence and language. There are a few violent and bloody scenes throughout the film and there are 12 “F”-words.
There is also a scene where one of the characters looks at photos of brutally killed people; they would be disturbing for most younger viewers.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
Q: What’s the message/theme of this movie?
A: The characters in the film have lived with a lie for over 30 years. That lie has slowly eaten away at them and the effects of living with that lie are obvious from the first moment we see them. They are unable to look at each other and they are extremely uncomfortable when the topic is brought up.
So have you ever told a lie? What happened? (Be ready to share a personal experience)
Q: How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
A: We know from the Bible that God values the truth. We know that one of the Ten Commandments is to not lie (Exodus 20:16). And here are several more verses to read together:
1 Peter 3:10
For, Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.”
Proverbs 12:22
The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.
Proverbs 19:5
A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free.
Colossians 3:9-10
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
Ephesians 4: 25
Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
Q: How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?A: God wants us to
“put off falsehood and speak truthfully.” What are some things we can do this week to be more truthful?
Are there any lies that we have been living with that we need to confess?
