Life, Death, & What Dreams May Come

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Unconditional love can be described as a pure affection bereft of circumstance. It is a true positive regard of others that bares no judgment. In a sense, unconditional love has no boundaries. In the film What Dreams May Come, the boundary between life and death fades and a family’s bond is tested. Tragedy by tragedy, unconditional love and guilt play major roles in the defiance of the laws of death. Chris Nielsen, the main character of the film, travels to the depths of the afterlife to find his beloved wife Annie and restore his family. In an epic journey that questions the very fabric of reality and faith, the Nielson family overcomes all odds and is reunited in the end. Throughout the film, unconditional love is represented in the Nielson’s love for their children, despite their faults; furthermore, this is continually shown with each death that claims a loved one from the family. This film is realistic in that unconditional love is seen beyond the screen and in our own lives.
Children are the manifestation of their parents’ love and trust, but also their faults and struggles. Amongst many of the things Chris and Annie share their love for are their two children: Marie and Ian. Marie is most like Annie in the fact that she is stubborn and often pessimistic. When her dog is put down, she feels a tremendous guilt and decides that happy endings do not exist. She explains to her father during a chess match that dreams are not real. If they were, her miniature diorama is her dream of where she would go when she dies. This is an important scene in the film because it introduces the opposition to the idea that an afterlife exists. Ian is similar to Chris because he strives to do his best, but is defeated when he can’t compare to his...

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...amily. This is a remarkable concept in that love is a commonality among all races and peoples. So many wars, hate crimes, and murders have been fueled by hatred of differences. Showing love and kindness instead of negativity will lead us into a new age; an age where we bare no judgment and focus on more important things. Annie is quoted as saying “Sometimes when you lose, you win.” Love is what won over the guilt in Annie’s heart after she lost her family. Just like the film, love is what won when my aunt and uncle lost what mattered most to them. The film What Dreams May Come clearly represents the idea that unconditional love triumphs over any given circumstance, mortal or otherwise.

Works Cited

What Dreams May Come. Dir. Vincent Ward. By Richard Matheson. Screenplay by Ronald Bass. Perf. Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr., Annabella Sciorra. Polygram, 1998. DVD.

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