East Ohio Conference

≡
  • About Us
    • Welcome/Vision
    • Bishop's Office
    • Annual Conference
    • Jurisdictional Conference
    • General Conference
    • Districts/Churches
    • Conference Staff
    • Communications
    • Credit Union
    • Foundation
  • Ministries
    • Connectional Ministries
    • Strategic Ministries
    • Missions & Community Engagement
    • Multicultural Ministries
    • Young People's Ministries
    • Higher Education
    • Camps & Retreat Ministries
    • Spiritual Formation
    • Media Center
  • Missions
    • Mission Journeys
    • Disaster Response
    • Health & Well-Being
    • Training & Events
    • Financial Support
  • Advocacy
    • Church & Society
    • DisAbility Awareness
    • Safe Sanctuaries
    • Stand Against Racism
    • East Ohio Votes
    • OCUIR
    • GCSRW
  • Clergy
    • Pathways to Ministry
    • Board of Ministry
    • Order of Elders
    • Order of Deacons
    • Fellowship of Local Pastors
    • Retired Pastors
    • Clergy Directory
    • Clergy Well-Being
    • Changing Pastors?
    • Continuing Education
    • Sexual Ethics Policy
  • Laity
    • Pathways to Ministry
    • Board of Laity
    • Lay Leaders
    • Lay Servants
    • United Methodist Men
    • United Women in Faith
  • Finance/Benefits
    • Financial & Administrative Services
    • Online Forms
    • Online Payments
    • Shared Ministry/Stewardship
    • Health Benefits
    • HealthFlex Wellness
    • Clergy Pensions
    • Death & Disability Benefits
  • News
    • East Ohio News
    • E-News
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
    • UM News
  • Resources
    • Conference Journal
    • Media Center Catalog
    • Teach • Reach • Bless
    • Stand Against Racism
    • EOC Disaffiliation Pathway
    • Stand with Ukraine
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
    • Online Worship Services
    • The Rule of Christ
    • Safe Sanctuaries
    • Message in Movies
    • CCLI & CVLI Licensing
    • Archives and History
    • General Agencies of The UMC
    • UMC.org
    • UMC Directory
    • UMC Logos/Graphics
    • Find-A-Church
    • Ask The UMC
  • Calendar
    • View Calendar
    • Suggest Calendar Event

Home | Message in the Movies

MESSAGE IN THE MOVIES

Film strip

Swan Song - Streaming on Apple TV+

halo halo halo pitchfork Rated R

Directed by Benjamin Cleary
Starring Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris


Of all of the film genres today, probably the most challenging of them all is thoughtful science fiction. New scientific discoveries and technologies quickly outpace our imagination and everyday life challenges (including viruses and meteorological anomalies) seem at times beyond belief.

That is why I really admire Swan Song – which takes place just a few years into the future – in its attempt to deal with grief and loss in a creative way. The film begins with a brief flashback that shows how Cameron (Ali) first met Poppy (Harris) (the woman he would later marry) on a commuter train. We then move ahead in time about nine years to observe Cameron in a meeting with Dr. Scott (Glenn Close), a research scientist, discussing his participation in an experimental cloning procedure.

Cameron is slowly dying from a terminal illness, which he has not shared with his family. Dr. Scott and her team have successfully duplicated Cameron’s body and are able to transfer all of his memories into his clone (who is casually named “Jack”, also played by Ali). It would be possible to do a clean swap and replace Cameron with his body double and thereby extend his life beyond the ravages of illness. But if the experiment is going to work it must happen without his family’s knowledge.

Cameron and Poppy are the parents of a cute little boy (Dax Rey), with another on the way. It would seem like these smart and attractive people would have a good life ahead of them, if it weren’t for mortality.

The film wants us to sympathize with Cameron and appreciate his struggle to do the right thing, but I found myself unable to engage with the movie’s basic concept. Why would anyone not share information about a devastating illness with their partner? Why would anyone enter into such a deceptive experiment? In spite of the movie’s valiant attempts to empathize with Cameron, the person who is underserved in the script is Poppy. Awkwafina also shows up for a couple of brief scenes as another of Dr. Scott’s patients, but only as a foil to Cameron.

Swan Song is a slow-paced film, so thoughtful viewers are given a lot of time to ponder its plot holes and problems.

One final note: Mahershala Ali is a great actor and does fine work here, but to really appreciate what he and his co-star Naomi Harris are capable of doing, I highly recommend revisiting their Oscar- nominated roles in 2016’s Moonlight.

Halo and Pitchfork Rating:

Three halos: Provocative themes about identity and grief are underserved by a weak script.
One pitchfork: Pervasive casual swearing.

Comment:

Do you have comments about this movie or movie review? E-mail your comments. (Your name and UM affiliation must be supplied in order for your comments to be posted.)

 

≡
  • Current Review
  • Past Reviews

 

Bryant

Reviews by
Rev. Bruce Batchelor-Glader

COMMENTS! Do you have comments about this movie or movie review?
E-mail comments. (Comments will be posted to our web site.)

The East Ohio Conference Office:
located in North Canton, OH,
near Akron-Canton Airport.

Address:
8800 Cleveland Ave. NW
North Canton, OH 44720

Phones/Fax:
Local: (330) 499-3972
Toll Free: (800) 831-3972
Fax: (330) 499-3279

Office Hours:
Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

 

  • Facebook Instagram Twitter Vimeo Flickr

  • Bishop's Office
  • Districts and Churches
  • Conference Staff
  • POLICIES AND PROCEDURES:
  • Safe Sanctuaries
  • Sexual Ethics
  • CCLI & CVLI Licensing
  • Terms of Use Policies
  • RESOURCES:
  • Conference Journal
  • E-News
  • News Archives
  • Archives and History
  • EAST OHIO CONFERENCE
  • 8800 Cleveland Ave. NW
  • North Canton, OH 44720 Map
  • (800) 831-3972
  • www.eocumc.com

East Ohio Conference Logo© EAST OHIO CONFERENCE. All Rights Reserved.