Why you’ll want The Song in your head

A couple weeks ago, I was invited to attend an online screening of The Song, a fantastically REAL film about differing (very differing) needs in marriage. The sweet (and funny!) love story in the first third of the movie was the perfect bait for this romantic and I found myself swept off my feet in no time. It seemed like the classic Hollywood setup: handsome, hopeless man meets bright, beautiful girl who inspires him to success and he achieves realities far beyond his expectations all in the name of Love. A house, a baby, then a happy ending, right? While I was tickled to watch such romance unfold, part of me was disappointed because I was waiting for The Song to take some sort of dangerous plunge – where was the conflict? Immersed in pursuit, love, and marriage within the plot, I wondered how any depth of the story would be achieved; and so I was surprised at the dark turns it took because I expected the whole production to remain comfortable, even superficial.

But it didn’t. Not even a little bit.

Inspired by the biblical book Song of Solomon, The Song was romantic and passionate in the purest way. All portrayed love is true and real, leading to peace and bliss; while lust leads to confusion, deceit, and ruin – entangling our leading man so tightly that as the viewer, I had a hard time figuring out how resolve could possibly grace the marriage on screen. No worries, fellow romantics, while the conclusion is far from expected, it doesn’t disappoint and you just might walk away encouraged to humble yourself in your own relationship with God and your spouse.

And like any movie that emerges from Christian media, The Song is chock full of lessons for every soul. What struck me was how well the leading man and his lovely bride suited each other, but once they stopped communicating and emotional distance crept its way into the relationship, they had no idea how to fulfill each other’s needs, which only grew exponentially. It brought to mind the 5 Love Languages – physical touch, gift giving, words of affirmation, quality time, and acts of service – and, if a spouse’s needs are neglected or uncommunicated, how easily a couple could travel down the toxic road of resentment. The credits rolled and I at once felt compelled to check in with Andrew to see how we could help each other and love each other better.

The movie will most certainly appeal to the masses because it has every element of drama that Hollywood prizes so much. It’s not by any means a “low budg” film and the acting is phenomenal; but unlike typical secular romances, bad decisions compel the characters to draw closer to God instead of staking their claim on moral relativism. They are drawn to Someone Greater than themselves and moved to act out of love and humility. It’s this aspect of The Song that is most refreshing. What a contrast – in a few months, the world will debut Fifty Shades of Grey, a plot to which unguided couples turn to fuel passion in their relationships. I’m telling you right now, if it’s fire and passion you need, there’s no need to look beyond Song of Solomon, sacrifice, and prayer.

One more thing – I would be completely remiss if I didn’t mention the awesome soundtrack. It’s an upbeat combination of banjo meets coffee-hipster jams, complete with meaningful lyrics, that will work for music lovers. I am BESIDE myself with anticipation at the soundtrack’s release and already previewed it a million times on the website.

There are countless gems that shine through this movie – the biblical wisdom subtly woven throughout, the countless lessons to learn, and just plain enjoying a movie well done. Don’t miss the release this Friday, September 26th and be sure to check the movie’s homepage to see if The Song is playing near you. Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, substance abuse, and rude references.

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