FAITH, FRAUD + MINIMUM WAGE

Canada, 2010, 98 minutes. Colour.
Callum Keith Rennie, Martha Mac Isaac, Don Allison, Andrew Bush, Ricky Mabe.
Directed by George Mihalka.

There seems to be a popular religious fascination with possible images of Jesus or Mary appearing in the least likely of places. This was the subject of Henry Poole is Here (2009) with Luke Wilson where the face of Jesus was discerned by many on a wall. Carl Hiassen’s novel, Lucky You, treats the whole phenomenon, focussing on a weeping Madonna, with rather quizzical irony. There are frequent investigations by diocesan authorities but very few receive any authoritative backing.

In this variation on the theme, written by Josh Mac Donald adapting his own play, the whole event is based on a prank. Casey (Martha Mac Isaac) is a teenage Catholic who has lost her faith. She lives in a Nova Scotia town. Put upon by the owner of a donut fast-food outlet (Don Allison as the unctuous Uncle Bob; he is a pillar of the Church, bossing the young priest around – urging the organist to start playing when the priest flounders during his homily), she angrily throws her drink at the diner wall. She rubs it a bit – and sees that one could find Jesus’ face there. She decides to alert people to it. Crowds begin to gather. People pray. Pilgrims arrive. Lots of devotion (while the Church is comparatively empty).

Casey has got in far deeper than she could have imagined. She is upset because her sister has been in coma for several years after a car accident. Her father (Callum Keith Rennie) is still distraught and his life has fallen apart. Casey has to work menially, sell Christmas trees to try to pay the bills.

The young priest is an interesting character, seemingly modern with joke attempts in his sermon and long hair which the diner manager tells him to cut. However, he is more anchored in reality than most and realises the hoax and tries to do something about it, especially helping Casey.

The film shows us a wide range of people in the town, lights on religious, faith and prayer issues – with Casey, still not a believer, reassuring shocked townspeople that God hears prayers whether the situation is revealed as a prank.

Not intended as a profound religious film, but it is a reminder that there is sometimes a fine line between faith and superstition.

1. Canadian production? Nova Scotia settings? Universal interest?

2. The title, each word as it applied to the characters, especially Casey, her faith and lack of faith, her fraud – and her working at the diner for minimum wage?

3. The realism of the film? The surreal with the apparition? The picture of the town, the doughnut diner, homes, hospitals, hockey fields, the streets? The musical score?

4. The Catholic background to the film, the church congregation, the young priest in his first parish, seeing him preaching, his Lazarus joke, the reactions of the congregation? Uncle Bob, devout, getting the organ to start over the homily? The interactions of priest and people? The priest and his role in the hoax, with Casey, awkward, the truth? The end? The themes of faith, devout people believing in a miracle, prayer for the possibilities of miracles? The bishop and his presence? The importance of the experience for Casey’s father – the death of his daughter, perhaps some divine intervention?

5. The framing of the film, Casey and the truck, the towing, the voice-over, her tone in telling her story, her lack of faith, the miracle? Resumption of this point at the end, her going to the crowd and explaining what she had done?

6. Casey, her voice-over, her age, the sister and the visualising of the crash, her being in hospital for a long time, Casey’s father and his grief, debts, work, subject to Uncle Bob and his whims, trying to sell the Christmas trees, Casey cutting them down, carrying them, trying to sell them? Her relationship with her father, his continued visits to the hospital? Her work in the diner, her friendship with Jansen? His relationship with Meg? Her affection, but her sharp tongue? His fears? Her setting him up? The girls going to the diner? Her announcement and trying to get him to repeat it? Uncle Bob putting her on menial tasks? Her exasperation, throwing the coffee at the wall, her perception of the face of Jesus, brushing the coffee to make it look more real? Her revealing the picture, watching people and their responses? Bob and his mercenary aspect, the people working in the shop, the booming sales, the tips? The various taunts? Her not having any faith, and disbelieving others? Bob and his being devout? The encounter with the priest, his calling her by the wrong name, their discussions, her sensing that he was sceptical? Her father, wanting to tell him the truth, not telling him? Her relationship with Jensen, the kiss, his not being able to stay with her? Her visit to her sister, the tape recorder going and her father hearing it? Her being interviewed on the radio? Bob, the bishop, her wanting to leave? Taking the truck? The lift back? Bob and his urging her to make the speech, to authenticate the apparition? Her speaking, her confessing, people’s reaction, hitting her, her giving the money back? Meg dying at this time? Her father telling her? The resolving of these issues?

7. Her father, devoted to his daughter, work, not able to manage? The Christmas trees? His debts? His continued visiting his daughter, talking with her, playing the music? His building the ramp to bring her home? Hearing Casey on the radio, talking with her? The truth? His hearing the talk on the tape recorder in the hospital?

8. Uncle Bob, thinking he was an entrepreneur, his arbitrary behaviour, greedy, in the church, devout Catholic, disapproving the homily, urging the organ to play over the priest’s homily? The request for a projector for screening It’s a Wonderful Life? His hold over the priest? His surly attitude towards him, dressing him down? Criticising his appearance? The shrine, people’s faith, getting more workers, the various jobs, his illness and being locked in the toilet, ringing the bishop? The finale, his hold over Casey? The end and his disillusionment?

9. Father Kirby, 21st century priest, young, his first parish, his appearance, hair, smoking, the joke about Lazarus in the homily, people not appreciating it? His trying to talk with Casey? His doubts, realising it was all a hoax, tasting the coffee? The talks with Bob, Bob’s threats? His preaching in the empty church, the congregation down at the diner? At the end, talking things over with Casey? Having to answer to the media, yes or no? A good man?

10. Jensen, his slump in his hockey-playing, memories of Meg, with Casey, work, put upon at work? The kiss, his not being able to stay and support Casey?

11. The girls from the town, their taunts to Casey? A change of heart with the apparition?

12. The range of workers in the shop, their behaviour, working together, the jobs?

13. The crowds of people, the singing couple, selling the CDs as well as the Christmas trees for a percentage? All the devout people, the crowds, looking at them face-on in close-up? The range of spiritual attitudes?

14. The image of Jesus, possible or not? The response of the devout, the superstitious? Piety, prayers, hopes for miracles?

15. The audience not seeing the image until a glimpse at the end, not judging what was happening with reference to personal response to the visual?

16. Casey, her final talk, the nature of faith, God, prayer? Her experience because of the hoax? In relating to her father? In accepting her sister’s death?