The Magic of Belle Isle – Movie Review
PACO 506
The movie titled ‘The Magic of Belle Isle’ is a tender story that highlights how a person
might find ways to deal with his sorrow. Actor Morgan Freeman plays the role of a famous
novelist Monte, who is burdened with grief. To address his emotion, he decides to take the
help of alcohol so that he can escape from his sorrow. Henry, his nephew, wants to help his
uncle write again. So, he decides that by changing his venue to a tiny lake-side town of Belle
Isle, he could get a new source of inspiration. Monte realizes that it is difficult to escape the
eyes of his inquisitive neighbors. Monte comes to know of a single mother with three children
named Charlotte. He develops a friendship with her middle child named Finnegan
1
. The
interaction that he has with the family softens Monte’s armor that he has developed to
safeguard himself from the loss of his beloved wife. As the story progresses, the character
Monte undergoes change. Even though initially he had lost his desire to write, but he
gradually starts writing short stories for the youngest daughter of Charlotte. There is an
instance where she can sense that a simple story involving an elephant and a mouse
demonstrates Monte’s probable love towards her. The written stories along with Monte’s
imaginative bond with Carl, a special needs individual and other neighbors from Belle Isle
softens the walls that he has created to distant himself from others.
Therapeutical Implications
The scenes that have been depicted in the movie are of high relevance, especially in the
counselling setting. If I was there in the counselling setting, then I would not see Monte
against his will. He fails to identify the implications of his excessive alcohol use. Further he
also seems to have o desire to address the sins that he has committed in his life. According to
James 5:16, confession and recognition act as pillars of healing and repentance. In the specific
scenario, there is a possibility that Henry or some other person had requested for the
counselling session for Monte to address his issues relating to self-destruction. b
During the initial meetings, it is extremely important to comprehend the impact of Monte’s
behavior on the people around him. In the movie, Monte has clearly mentioned that he has
plans of committing suicide. In order to prevent it from happening, it would be necessary to
1
McMinn, Mark R. Psychology, theology, and spirituality in Christian counseling. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012.
use external resources and help. By integrating holistic psychological assessment and
evaluation of Monte, it would be possible to identify whether his behavior and outbursts are
related to his incomplete grief cycle or not. In the story, it is evident that Monte has a problem
relating to sin. However, there exist other factors as well that futter complicate his situation
and increase his psychological vulnerability and instability.
It is not unusual for individuals suffering from pain or loss to cope with the problem by
finding an escape by abusing alcohol or other substances or by isolating themselves from
people around them. In the specific scenario involving Monte, prayer must be integrated into
the counselling plan. Furthermore, one could ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the reasons for the
abnormal behavior of Monte and showcase an ideal path so that he could heal in a healthy
way. Monte must rely on God to heal instead of depending on alcohol. Since there is little
insight into the faith system of Monet, it is necessary to adopt a cautious approach and try to
address the issues by using the information that is already known about him. The specific
scenes that have been chosen shed light on the fact that there exists an important link between
psychological aspects as well as theological elements that can be integrated while offering
counselling to clients. b b
Author McMinn has stated that a direct censure approach to sin must be applied only when
there exists a high level of trust
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. In the case of Monte, a trust-based relationship does not
exist. My views from the author differ as I believe that when sins might create threat to
others, direct censure must be adopted. Monte’s alcoholism behavior and the verbal indication
of harming himself show that he could act as a major threat not only for others but also for
himself.
Personal/Professional Implications b
I could connect with the movie to a certain extent on a personal level. The desperate situation
involving Monte has made me realize that while working with families it is necessary to take
into consideration the pains that they are going through. For extending valuable help to them,
they must be shown the path that can lead them to the Lord. People close to the client can
2
McMinn, Mark R. Psychology, theology, and spirituality in Christian counseling. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012.
play an instrumental role to ensure that healthy boundaries are set and a proper healing
process is established. I consider the movie to be a feel-good movie which gave me an
opportunity to think about extending help to others. However, the movie is superficial and
predictable at numerous levels which does not allow the views to feel connected with the
characters. For example, there is a scene where the single mother invites an alcoholic stranger
to her house. Such an action was well-received by her children as well, as they did not object
to such an invitation. The key issues that Monte is suffering from in the story such as
alcoholism, depression and isolation, have been portrayed at the surface level. An alarming
thing that has been presented in the movie is that Henry, appears to be dismissive when his
uncle talks about his plan to commit suicide. The movie could have gone to a deeper level to
address intricate psychological and spiritual issues that the characters face while leading their
lives.
References
McMinn, Mark R. Psychology, theology, and spirituality in Christian counseling. Tyndale
House Publishers, Inc., 2012.
