Still Mine (A quiet triumph)

Sue and I were at a restaurant last Fall deciding what film we should go see.  One of those artsy, independent movies theaters was across the street. We read the summary (and watched the trailers on my smart phone) of several films showing there. We chose to see and thoroughly enjoyed a rather obscure (it was gone a couple of days later) yet very thoughtful Canadian film.

Still Mine was a warm (not sappy) and engaging story of an eighty-something year old couple for whom "their luck was running out." Old Craig Morrison was played by the same actor who was the pig owner in Babe (“That’ll do Pig, that’ll do”) and the warden in The Green Mile. You would know him if you saw him.  

Morrison’s wife has begun down the slippery slope of dementia. His love and perseverance are inspiring. He decides to build a new one-story house on their property so that it may be easier for her to get around in. Though a master builder, he knows or cares little about the building codes or bureaucratic red tape one must comply with to build a home.  

I won't spoil the ending, but suffice it to say that what we watched was a splendid story of grace and of the strangulation of those who are so tied to the letter of the law that there is no room for wisdom or love or relationship. The government worker whose duty it is to uphold the law is both maddening and quite believable. We have all met this guy before. Maybe in the mirror. Sort of reminds me of the older brother in the Prodigal Son parable.

The heart of Craig Morrison in Still Mine is a heart of love that is totally devoted to the other blinded to all objections or obstacles. His is a heart that intuitively keeps the greater law and standard even if it is unaware of the minutae of codes and policies. Though a man of imperfections, Craig is clearly the hero of this fine story because of his love and care for his wife and for what deep down is truly "right." 

How easy it is fall into the trap of keeping all the rules and laws and feeling that we've done our duty before God and man. And yet forgotten to love others along the way.  

I doubt if this Independent Film from Canada will get much mention come Oscar time, but it deserves to be watched and appreciated. You will be glad you did.