Click

My first trip to the cinema in absolutely ages took me to see Click, the new Adam Sandler film.

Having got over the excitement of seeing the trailer for Spiderman 3, the film proved quite enjoyable. It tells the tale of hard working Michael Newman who comes into possession of a remote control that controls...his life. Without spoiling the ending, what starts out as a gadget that makes Michael's day to day living easier, eventually begins to overrule his choices automatically and take him away from what is most important to him.

Apart from opting to go for a safe, Hollywood pleasing ending rather than one which would have been thought provoking, the film hit home a couple of points.

Firstly, our modern obsession with control. We want things to be easy, and to have everything on our terms. We are the most important people in the universe. Philip Yancey's new book 'Prayer' quotes theologian Daniel Hawk who states 'the basic human problem is that everyone believes that there is a God and I am it'. Incidentally, the theological geek in me remembered that Michael means 'he who is like God'. I wonder if the makers of Click realised this as they gave their central character this name as he acted out as someone who believed he was God of his own life.

Uncomfortable as it may be, I agree with Hawk. We all want to have life on our own terms, to be God, without any consequences. If anything, Click helped remind me that the easy way, chosing to live as though the only God is me and that I should insist on my right to do whatever is best for me has shallow and ultimately dire consequences.

Now we come to the part where I have to work hard to avoid spoiling the plot totally. The other hard hitting message of the film comes as Michael hauls himself from his hospital bed to stagger after his son to give him a message. (For those of you keeping score at home, yes, this bit did make me cry).

The message is this: 'Family comes first'.

Not a bad thing to go out for some entertainment and leave with a reminder to keep in mind when faced with Monday's work pressures.

Don't crumble to the demands of workaholism or be tempted by the easy way out.

Ignore what the world says is important. Don't listen to the tyranny of the urgent.

Family comes first.