I am certainly one of the people who was really looking forward to watching this movie because the book, The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, did have a significant impact on my life when I read it about 15 years ago. I was not disappointed.
I was impressed with the level of talent that was brought to it. I thought Nick Nolte was great as Socrates. I also liked Scott Mechlowicz and Amy Smart in their roles.
Of course, as a big fan of the book, I couldn’t help being a little disenchanted that it didn’t follow it more closely. I realize that was destined to be the case though. The key messages still made their way to the audience in a poignant manner.
I have to admit that there is much I cannot remember now from the book because after I read it I lent it to an acquaintance and never got it back. After renting the DVD I bought it and will buy the original book again as well.
The one missing piece that I had truly hoped to see on screen was the long speech Socrates made at the end of the book as this had the most profound effect on me. Then I remembered that Dan had also put this speech in another book of his that I purchased, No Ordinary Moments. Here is an excerpt.
“…these concerns can monopolize your attention; you think, I’ve got no time for bliss right now; I have to get this report in by noon tomorrow! So the truth that sets you free gets buried at the bottom of the ‘in’ box. You look for immediate solutions to life’s little problems. Drowning in a deluge of details, you grab for anything that floats, when, with a simple shift of attention, you could enjoy the water. Right now, in this and every moment, you are engaged in a great battle! The shadows of fear and insecurity sing you to sleep, call you into the cocoon… Why do I tell you this? It’s to let you know you’re not alive! Not yet. Now is the time to wake up.”
As I re-read it I realized that the path I have decided to take in my life is not only in accord with the Hero’s journey but is also in harmony with the way of the Peaceful Warrior!
I highly recommend both the book and the DVD!
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Michael Celender is an experienced speaker, coach, consultant, writer, teacher and therapist who has dedicated his professional life to developing skills and untapped potential in others. To learn more visit http://www.unleashthehero.com
Incredible! He looks so life like. Just amazing…and what a beautiful subject
You’re really good man. You’ve got excellent talent.
I didn't read the book, but I have seen the movie. I liked it, and sometimes you can't go by how other people judge something. It's a personal thing, they might not like it, but you might. I'd say just watch it and see, then judge it for yourself.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0438315/
On that site they gave it 7.1/10 points.
And I found a user review from the same site:
~10/10 Stars
I was invited to a screening of The Peaceful Warrior in NYC Thursday April 13th, having just learned of this film's existence a few days earlier.
I was looking forward to the film, but with some trepidation, considering that prior attempts at communicating spiritually oriented books or ideas had fallen short of my expectations and had fundamentally failed to convey to the audience a transforming inner experience; witness What the Bleep, Siddhartha, Little Buddha, and others.
Let me say this, simply and directly. They got it right this time, and they did it in a way which could be embraced by crowds at the multiplexes. By impressing the discovery of bona fide spiritual truths on a recognizable sports template, the movie makers will be carrying under-appreciated ideas and experiences to the masses. At least I hope so! I actually woke up early the morning after seeing this, with my mind full of things I might say in an exhaustive review. Never in my life have I felt that way about a movie before.
The reason this movie succeeds is that it follows one of the most basic rules for good story-telling: it shows rather than tells. Although some fundamental spiritual ideas are described with words, it is the plot and character development that proves the truth of those words. You see the transcendence and the realizations in the faces of the characters, and you are not left to wonder why. You understand.
The story, based on a book by Dan Millman, follows a college gymnast who has great potential but whose desire for success is one of the main obstacles standing in the way of that potential. In his mindless pursuit of a goal, he becomes sucked into the deep dark hole of life-is-what-happens-while-you're-making-other-plans. In its simplest message, our hero's real challenge is to find happiness by being present and finding interest and love for what's right in front of him.
The film doesn't try to oversimplify the content of a spiritual path into a single dogma; there are many other seeds of thought strewn along the path by Socrates, each of which could have been the basis for a different struggle to transcend relative unconsciousness.
For many years I have been convinced that non-religious spiritual thought and experience could be something to drive the world in a new direction. This movie provides an example of what life can be like if we ponder these thoughts and implement them in our lives in a concrete and practical way. It's not necessary to be a champion gymnast to derive the fundamental teachings from this film. It is a teaching that anyone can understand. This is why I see that The Peaceful Warrior can inspire those who embrace the possibilities which it offers to become peaceful guerrilla warriors, working tirelessly underneath the radar, changing the world.
I read the book. It became disgusting to me after Socrates put urine on Dan's wound. After that, I lost respect for the story.
Brilliant Willy, Just Brilliant =D
hm i couldn’t tell the difference between photograph and painting comparing the final resault.
This is sick
:O
:O
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how is this not a real photo?
woww that’s really relax and beatiful soung .good picture of jhony depp !
Nice work, you did pretty good.
Very nice!!
Perfect.