Touched By the Light

I watched "Phenomenon" for the first time as a segue between the Love and Death & Dying segments of my senior religion class. An in-depth, 3000-word paper ensued, one certainly too long to share here. But the gist of it was this: Phenomenon is brimming with spiritual significance. It is widely know that John Travolta is a Scientologist and incorporated some of those themes into his role of George Malley, but it's not just Scientologists who can find meaning in this beautiful story.

This tale of a simple mechanic turned genius shows the possibilities that lie within even the lowliest of people. When George Malley developed his strange abilities, he already had a heart of gold. Naturally, then, he used his gifts to help people...and get himself into a little trouble as well.

One scene in particular gets right at the heart of the movie. In the beginning, there is a rabbit trapped in George's garden. He racks his brain trying to get rid of the four-footed interloper, but it is only after he "sees the light" that he realizes the rabbit was trapped inside. He was so busy looking at problems from the outside, he missed the very root of the problem. Once he began looking inside, he found an entirely new outlook on life. The end result is bittersweet but necessary.

The score for the film is lovely in its simplicity; aside from the songs in the background, the only sounds to be heard are the trees, the stars, the wind...One calming melody in particular resurfaces again and again, taken to be the wind rustling through the trees.

The movie is carried by John Travolta, very convincing as a normal guy thrust into a way of life which he doesn't understand. In addition to that, his persistence in regards to Lacey is admirable and frustrating. Kyra Sedgewick plays Lacey, the single mom with two kids. We know her husband left her years ago, but we don't know any details. Eventually George wins her over, but by that time I was so fed up with Lace that I almost wished he would just give up on her. The comical Nate is played by Forrest Whittaker, adding much to the movie in the friendship between him and George. The Doc, played by Robert Duvall, was one of the best supporting roles I have ever seen. It is he who is the link to George's past and future.

This is a warm, fuzzy movie, probably not for those who like a lot of action. There is very little violence, and it is all accidental. Profanity is at a minimum and George only steals a couple of kisses from Lace while we see them, though it is clear other activity has gone on while we weren't watching. I think this is a great family movie to watch together and talk about afterwards. It could generate some pretty interesting discussion.