The Magic of Belle Isle – Movie Review
Liberty University
PACO 506
Dr. Eric Scalise
October 3,2021
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
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. 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. i
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 use
external resources and help. By integrating holistic psychological assessment and evaluation of
1
McMinn, Mark R. Psychology, theology, and spirituality in Christian counseling. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012.
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. i i
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 i
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 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
2
McMinn, Mark R. Psychology, theology, and spirituality in Christian counseling. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012.
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.
