Marriage is hard, even under the best of circumstances. Add in some problems, and marriage can feel beyond hard, maybe impossible, as evidenced by the soaring divorce rate. But marriage is also beautiful, a calling to go beyond yourself, if it’s done right.
The Song, which will be released in theaters this Friday, Sept. 26, is about all of it — this beautiful, difficult, romantic, messy, painful, joyful partnership called marriage. When I previewed the movie, which comes from a distinctly Christian perspective, I was struck by the way it seemed relevant on so many different levels. Although the obvious problem that surfaces in The Song is infidelity, if we’re willing to look deeper, we can see the everyday problems that all married couples face, the things that often lead to more significant breaks later on: the desire to earn more money, even at the expense of family life; the exhaustion that comes from raising children, even at the expense of husband-wife intimacy and deep communication; the need for forgiveness and openness and honesty, even though we want to resent and blame and justify.
As you hear the words of Solomon’s Song of Songs running as an undercurrent in the background, you cannot help but reflect on the places where this movie and these characters intersect with your own married life. Even if the circumstances of the movie are completely different from your own, the common ground of love, sacrifice, intimacy, communication, loyalty, jealousy, fear, selfishness, joy, and despair will ring true for any couple, any person.
Here’s the official “blurb” I wrote for The Song:
“The power of The Song comes not only from the beautiful blend of Scripture, music, and married life lived large on the screen, but from the way it lays bare the sacrifices and surrender that true love requires of both spouses. The Song will make you rethink your own marriage and the ways you are – or are not — living out your vows to love, honor, and cherish your spouse.”
Watch the trailer here:
