PEACEFUL WARRIOR

US, 2006, 120 minutes, Colour.
Scott Mechlowicz, Nick Nolte, Amy Smart.
Directed by Victor Salva.

Ten years ago, Victor Salva directed a strange story of an albino boy who seems to have had some kind of superpowers and the effect that it had on his family and those around him. It was called Powder. In the meantime, Salva went on to commercial success with the horror story, Jeepers Creepers, and followed it up with a successful sequel. Now he has come back to the themes that interested him in Powder.

Daniel Millman is now a successful author and has a career as a motivator. This story, based on his novel and using his name for the central character, is high on motivation.

Danny (Scott Mechlowicz, Eurotrip, Mean Creek, Gone) is a top gymnast, arrogant, popular and hoping to compete in the Olympics. The world is his oyster: success, girls… But he suffers from nightmares where he has accidental falls. One night he wanders into a service station and encounters a gruff attendant who bewilders him with his behaviour and his comments. He comes back and soon falls into a disciple-master pattern. The method has echoes of Eastern mysticism, Buddhist meditation and the emptying of oneself. It is a way of inner knowledge and personal asceticism.

He is not an immediate convert but he does become aware of his self-absorption and the consequences for others. It is when he actually has an accident and has to face his inner fears as well as acknowledge that gymnastics are what make him feel himself that he moves to success. Mechlowicz is appealing as the young gymnast.

The film is also very interesting with Nick Nolte as the mechanic guru whom the young man nicknames Socrates. The screenplay gives Nolte the opportunity to dispense some aphoristic wisdom and play a combination of guru and guardian angel.

Whether an audience will be persuaded to faith in the inner self and the relinquishing of selfishness is debatable – but one hopes that it does, especially for the audience who could identify with the ambitious young man.

1. The blend of entertainment and inspiration?

2. The background of the author, biographical, sport, aims and ambitions, experience? Writer and motivator?

3. California, Berkeley, the campus, gym, apartments, the service station, the streets, hospital? Authentic? Musical score?

4. The title, the warrior and aggression, peace and inner self?

5. The opening dream, Dan and his gymnastics, his fall, shattering his leg? Waking in fear? The later dreams? The reality of his accident?

6. Danny in himself, age, experience, student, excellence at gymnastics, his skills, his casual relationships, girls, his friends, rivalry? His betraying them in terms of friendships, sex? Jogging with his friends, their talk, flirting? His ambitions as regards the Olympics?

7. His waking in the night, walking around, the service station, meeting Socrates, the discussions, the challenge, seeing Socrates on the roof, his puzzle? His continued returns? His discussions, listening, understanding and not understanding, attracted to him, the effect on his life? The meetings with Joy, jogging with her, the discussions, the mystery of Socrates? The friendship with Socrates, working for him? His techniques, silence, reflection? Focusing? Socrates making him sit on the car, the reasons to be given for inner life? The effect on him, but his not becoming selfless?

8. Socrates, Nick Nolte’s presence, his work, Dan giving him the nickname, the movement to the roof, the detailed work, his friendship with customers, the focus on service? His challenging Dan? Asking him questions? Coaching him in self-reflection?

9. The nature of the motivations, the influence of eastern mysticism, Zen, Buddhism, focus, meditation? The contrast with western methods of achievement?

10. Dan, riding the bike, aggression, the accident? Waking up in hospital, learning the truth, the words of the doctors? The visits of his friends, the long process of therapy, exercise, walking, the stick?

11. Regaining his strength, using the walking stick, going to Socrates again, reflection on the meaning of the accident, on the meaning of his life and ambitions, what was most dear to him? Socrates and the continual challenges? Going deeper into his life, sacrificing surface realities, especially relationships, sexuality…? The continued friendship with Joy? His friends? His going to apologise to them about betrayals? The influence of the coach, prior to the accident, his achievement, the coach’s ambitions for him? His skills, the practice, his regaining his strength, jogging and exercise?

12. The influence of Socrates, his self-reliance, focused, having the beer with him and the cigarette – and learning that the important thing was control and decision-making, responsibility? Drawing on his deepest strengths and hopes?

13. The application for the Olympics, his petition to the coach, the coach turning him down? His returning, his performance, the exhilaration of the performance? The coach’s amazement? His friends? Success?

14. His going to see Socrates, the new man working at the service station, Socrates and his disappearance? The focus on Socrates as mentor – and as guardian angel?

15. The motivational message of the film, selflessness, focus, reliance on a mentor?